Pitt notebook: On 2nd glance, quarterback Kedon Slovis, pass catchers stepped up when it mattered
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No one is ignoring the reality of Pitt’s opening game.
Defeating West Virginia, 38-31, was a relief, but the performance wasn’t good enough for those invested in the program.
“There are some things we have to clean up,” senior wide receiver Jared Wayne said.
Yet, he added, “Anytime you score 38 points, it’s a pretty good job.”
Good point. With the help of a defensive score, Pitt scored only three points fewer than its per-game average while winning the 2021 ACC championship.
Games come down to moments, and Wayne, quarterback Kedon Slovis and several others stepped up when the time was right.
Especially these two examples:
• With Pitt trailing 17-10 midway through the third quarter, Wayne caught a pass from Slovis in the middle of the field and turned it into a 64-yard catch-and-run. Two plays later, the score was tied.
Wayne’s play was the result of a senior sensing his team needed a spark and providing it.
“That comes with leadership,” he said. “Not just myself. Any guy in that room can make that play. Big shoutout to the offensive line and to Kedon for getting me the ball. It just happened to be my turn.”
• In the fourth quarter, Pitt again faced a seven-point deficit – this time 92 yards from the goal line. One series after getting sacked twice, Slovis walked onto the field, looked his teammates in the eye, broke the huddle and completed all five of his passes for 73 yards and a touchdown.
“That’s the name of the game, right?” Wayne said. “There are ups and downs. There are adversities. We have full faith until the clock runs out. Stick to the game plan.
“We all get it. We were a championship team last year that had success on offense. We all understand what we have to do.
“Seeing how confident (Slovis) was, how confident all of us were, we executed and got the win.”
By the numbers
Perhaps lost in the aftermath of a victory that had its share of anxious moments are these two stats:
Pitt wide receivers Wayne, Konata Mumpfield, Bub Means and Jaden Bradley averaged 18.3 yards per catch, 11.6 per target.
That’s not a bad start for a team that lost a quarterback to the first round of the NFL Draft and college football’s best wide receiver.
Falling short of the standard
Offensive line coach Dave Borbely’s message to his unit was honest and to the point.
“We really didn’t play to our standard,” he told reporters this week. “I thought we did a poor job overall protecting the quarterback (five sacks). Honestly, I was not pleased with it.
“We knew going in 55 (WVU defensive lineman Dante Stills) was a guy we had to make sure he had a quiet day, and he didn’t,” Borbely said. “(West Virginia’s) nose guard (Jordan Jefferson) was probably very comparable to what we’ll see this week.
“They had a lot to do with it. I think (the Mountaineers) are going to have a very nice season,” he said.
Warning: Tennessee nose tackle Omari Thomas (6-foot-4, 320 pounds) is an inch taller and 10 pounds heavier than Jefferson.
“I expressed to them there’s a standard, and we know what the standard is,” Borbely said. “And, I would say, we didn’t come close. The good news is we had a lot of resolve and a lot of toughness. They’re able to survive.
“One thing we have now is a battle-hardened group.”
Offensive line rotation
With offensive right tackle Gabe Houy unavailable, Borbely used Matt Goncalves for most of the game, but redshirt sophomore Branson Taylor was on the line during the late, game-tying touchdown drive.
“I probably should have played him a little bit earlier than I did,” said Borbely, who said Taylor was in the game for only seven snaps.
With five seniors across the offensive line, Borbely can’t guarantee any reserve a certain number of snaps, but Blake Zubovic (Belle Vernon) actually started the game and played 11 snaps while subbing for Jake Kradel (Butler).