Pitt defense makes positive strides while mindful of its mistakes

If you told Randy Bates his Pitt defense is fourth in the 14-team ACC in yards allowed, his answer would be predictable.

Something like: “Why aren’t we No. 1?”

Pitt’s defensive coordinator demands perfection from his players, no matter the circumstances they must overcome.

But perhaps the defense is quietly — without a lot of sacks but with two pick-6s — playing better than what its mistakes at critical moments have indicated.

Entering its ACC opener Saturday against Georgia Tech, Pitt (3-1) has surrendered an average of 321.5 yards, which over a full season would be second best in Pat Narduzzi’s eight seasons.

Pat Narduzzi isn’t saying who among the injured players will return Saturday, but he certainly would welcome their return. pic.twitter.com/ubGFFGFm9w

— Jerry DiPaola (@JDiPaola_Trib) September 29, 2022

“Overall, with the different guys that have been on the field at different times — we’ve been a little short-handed — I’m happy with where they are right now,” Narduzzi said.

Narduzzi doesn’t talk much about the injuries, demanding a next-man-up mindset from his players. But they have taken a toll on the defensive line that was missing four ends last Saturday, including starters Habakkuk Baldonado and Deslin Alexandre. Others who didn’t play were ends Dayon Hayes and Nate Temple and cornerbacks Rashad Battle and Marquis Williams. Temple and Battle are lost for the season, but some of the others are expected back, perhaps as soon as Saturday.

Of course, there are shortcomings that might have prevented Pitt from taking an undefeated record into its conference season.

Most important might be Pitt’s mere-mortal total of 12 sacks. After four games last season, Pitt had 16 and finished with 54.

In three of the four games, there have been plays for which Narduzzi and Bates would have asked for a do-over.

• West Virginia: C.J. Donaldson ran for 125 yards, part of the Mountaineers’ 190-yard effort on the ground.

• Tennessee: Quarterback Hendon Hooker threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns, including a 28-yard strike on the third snap of overtime.

• Rhode Island: The Rams hit Pitt for touchdowns on a 15-yard pass and a 67-yard run, plus a 45-yard completion that was followed by 27 yards of face mask and pass interference penalties.

On the long run, Narduzzi said he wanted defensive end John Morgan “to be a little tighter and make that hole a little bit smaller.”

“We’d like the safety (sophomore backup P.J. O’Brien) to be a little bit better than what he was. Live and learn. You put guys in there, you expect them to make plays.”

He noted coaches were forced to juggle some personnel deployments as a result of the injuries.

Narduzzi also said first-year starting outside linebacker Bangally Kamara could have done a better job of coverage on the touchdown pass in the fourth quarter out of an unfamiliar Rhode Island formation.

“The pressure wasn’t as good, but Bangally could have been a lot better on that coverage, for sure,” Narduzzi said. “If he was where he needed to be and lined up — different formations, different things and we don’t run a ton of that — he could have picked it off or knocked the guy out.

“He makes good plays, and he missed one play late in the game on a different route that sometimes you don’t see. You can’t practice everything. We get 20 hours a week with the guys. You’re going to see different stuff you did not prepare for. Put that on coaches. Put that on him. He knows what he’s got to do.”

The target Saturday will Jeff Sims, Georgia Tech’s mobile quarterback who’s been sacked 13 times in four games.

Sims (6-foot-4, 219 pounds) threw for 359 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions, in a 52-21 loss to Pitt last season. Narduzzi said he doesn’t want to merely contain Sims with a slower pass rush in which everyone is scared he’ll break loose.

“We have to be in kill mode, not capture mode,” he said. “We’re not going to play scared. We’re going to go get him. He’s a big guy. He’s not easy to get down, but we have to go get him.”