Overnights suck and I’ve been on them for the last couple days. Just some quickies.
The ACC/Pitt announced the Marshall game on October 1 will be a 7:30 affair and televised on ROOT Sports/RSNs. An interesting time choice for what the schedule billed as “Family Weekend.”
Big game at UNC this Saturday. The Tarheels are the only Coastal division team Pitt has yet to beat in the first 3 years of being in the ACC.
From Narduzzi’s press conference, and only looking towards the weekend, he stays vague on the WRs other than to compliment Tre Tipton and state that Aaron Matthews will have a bigger role this weekend.
Talking about defenses in today’s game, it almost feels like he is talking through gritted teeth.
On if defensive statistical goals have changed due to how good offenses are now:
“You adjust every year. When I first got to Cincinnati and eventually Michigan State, our goal defensively was to limit the other team to 13 points per game. Today, that just isn’t going to happen. Turnovers are the key. We were plus two for the whole game until there was 30 seconds left. When you win the turnover ratio, you are usually going to win the game. When you have a blocked punt, you usually win. We stopped the run for the most part. We ran the ball effectively offensively. Defensively we only gave up one long touchdown run, and that’s what we lost by. You could pick out that play and say we didn’t stop the run. Offenses are going to score points. The numbers don’t matter. It’s about getting a win.”
On potentially needing to score 30 points a game to win in today’s game:
“Yeah. Offensively we scored 31 and that wasn’t enough. The goal is to score more points than they score, and that’s all that matters.”
On the defensive side of the ball, Narduzzi is right when he says the personnel won’t be changed. This is frustrating, but there isn’t much to be done from that aspect. The depth and talent isn’t there at the moment to make a change in that aspect just for the sake of making a change.
All that can be done is keep coaching, and adjust the defensive schemes to fit the players right now.
OK, that’s not exactly how a former NFL Coach put it, but it makes the point.
See Exhibit A… Zeise and Hendrix are “Day to Day.”
And Exhibit B… Pitt intentionally did not pass against Penn State, not because of any lack of confidence by Coaches in their Quarterback, but purely as an effort to keep their POTENT Passing Attack “under wraps.”
Given Narduzzi’s penchant for truth misdirection… my guess this week is that we will see the Defense backing off his scheme that leaves Corners alone on Island against Receivers. This despite all of Narduzzi’s tough talk this week that it was NOT the scheme but the execution by the Players.
The fact is Narduzzi DID change things up in the Second Half against Oklahoma State. And it seemed to work.
Why not do the same against North Carolina, only a lot earlier?
I believe he will.
Take out one of the slower LB’s. Whichever one is slower on the blitz.
This is not rocketscience.
This group of DB’s ALWAYS needs a Deep Safety as well.
Again this is basic stuff. lol
A good passing game coupled with 250 yards on the ground would sure extend drives and keep our D off the field and resting on the bench.
The Tarholes have also played Georgia, so the UNC QB has seen legit db’s. He didn’t have a great game, but the point is, he’s played against legit players of Georgia.
We’ll see how Trubisky handles his first real test playing in front of the Hole fans. (if they even consider Pitt a test, as they’ve had their way with us in Chapel Hell and even Pittsburgh)
BRING THE PRESSURE. Dump on the Holes !
UNC is horrendous defending against the Rush.
106th worse of 113 teams.
Chubbs made the mistake last year of not attacking the Tarholes, with a massive dose of Run, Run, Run.
Have had a huge advantage in time of possession, 12 minutes more than the Pedo’s and almost 2/3’s of the game we had the ball against OKie State.
Yet we could have lost the Pedo game very easily and did lose the Osu game.
Which goes directly against one of the old football maxims. If you control the LOS, win the rushing battle and have the ball substantially more than the other team, you win.
Same thing happened in 2014, we had long drives on the ground, only to have the opponent score in a couple plays due to our porous Pass Defense.
So this has been going on for more than just this season, it’s at least a 3 year running problem at Pitt. We work really hard for our points, while the opposing teams score very quickly and very easily.
I don’t know how entertaining that is, unless you’re into sado masochism. Watching us play is torture. At least to most of us that have been witnessing this over the last 32 years.
