Pitt is a slight 3 1/2 point favorite at home. The USF student paper expects a low scoring game since Pitt is ranked 26th and USF 29th in total defense. That’s a bit deceptive, though, since South Florida is ranked 45th against the run and 29th against the pass. Pitt on the other hand is a little more varied as they are 77th against the run and 11th versus the pass.
On offense, USF strength is its running game — 13th in the country — behind Andre Hall.
University of South Florida coach Jim Leavitt said the Bulls must be able to run and throw the ball to be successful, but past history indicates USF will need a big day from senior RB Andre Hall to defeat Pittsburgh on Saturday.
This season Hall is averaging 6.3 yards per carry in USF’s three wins and 3.1 yards per carry in USF’s two losses.
There’s also a disparity between Hall’s first- and second-half numbers this year. Hall averages 5.8 yards per carry in the first half, but 4.1 yards per carry in the second half.
For his career, Hall is averaging 143.7 yards per game in USF’s wins, compared to 96.8 yards in USF’s losses.
Pitt’s defense allows an average of 3.9 yds/carry and 161.3 yds/game. Against good backs like Darius Walker, ND (100 yards on 20 carries); Ray Rice, RU(114 yards on 15 carries); Brian Leonard, RU (68 yards on 18 carries); and Cory Ross of Nebraska (153 yards on 32 carries), Pitt has taken it hard and shown little ability to stop the run when needed.
Their passing game, however, is virtually non-existent. They are 114th in the country averaging only 117.2 yds/game. Their starter Pat Julmiste is 49-95-5 (51.6% completion) for a total of 506 yards. Julmiste has speed and can run — as expected on a team that runs the spread offense — as he has 171 yards on 44 carries. Not surprisingly, given the O-line and a mobile QB, USF has only allowed 5 sacks in 5 games.
So, when Coach Wannstedt is talking about being cautious about the dangers posed by the USF QBs, presumably he means the fact that they can run. Pitt proved very vulnerable to that even when they knew it was coming, as when Rutgers was putting Taquan Underwood in as QB.
The deceptive imbalance continues because both teams are very close in total offense — Pitt 77 and USF 78th. USF’s offense is all from its ground game, while Pitt is closer to balanced — 53rd passing and 80th rushing.
For Pitt’s running game, they will be looking for the spark to come from the freshmen.
Their teammates jokingly refer to Pitt running backs Rashad Jennings and Conredge Collins as the “Baby Bulls” because of their burly physiques and rookie status.
Jennings and Collins don’t mind the mild teasing from the older players, because they know there is a measure of respect in the humor. The two backs are part of a sizable group of true freshmen who have made an impact for the Panthers this season.
“Conredge and me, we look at each other and say, ‘When it’s our turn, we’ve got to run with it,’ ” Jennings said. “The team feeds off that. It’s great to have impact freshmen come in and play a big role.”
H.B. Blades, Pitt’s (and the Big East’s) leading tackler still has strained ligaments in his right foot but is playing through the pain.
Pitt’s associate athletic director in charge of fundraising, Mike Pratapas, has resigned after a little more than a year on the job. He is joining a Chicago firm named Pratapas Associates, LLC. The company, headed by Steven Pratapas, is a consulting firm for non-profit agencies to help them with fundraising. Who knew fundraising was a family business?
Final note, St. Petersberg Times beat writer for USF, Greg Auman, is looking for tips on where to eat in Big East cities.
