Pitt Take 5: Fortunes change for Panthers, Hurricanes
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The wise guys, including one writing for this space, thought we were so smart in the preseason when we predicted the Pitt/Miami game at the end of the regular season was destined to decide the ACC Coastal championship.
Check the standings. Pitt and Miami have combined for 10 losses, the Panthers were 1-3 in October and the Hurricanes need a victory Saturday in Hard Rock Stadium just to be bowl-eligible.
The ACC preseason poll listed Miami No. 1 and Pitt No. 2 in the Coastal, but projected third-place finisher North Carolina will meet Atlantic champion Clemson (pollsters got that one right) for the ACC title.
Pitt can extend its winning streak to four games and keep alive hopes of a nine-victory season. The Panthers have at least one four-game winning streak in four of Pat Narduzzi’s seven previous seasons.
While you’re pondering that bit of trivia, here are five more thoughts to help pass the time before the 8 p.m. kickoff:
1. Get your QB jersey here
What is the more interesting fact about the Hurricanes?
Is it that they have used three quarterbacks in a season that started with Heisman expectations for Tyler Van Dyke?
Or, is it that you can go onto the football team’s website and purchase Van Dyke, Jacurri Brown and Jake Garcia hoodies and men’s and women’s T-shirts?
Yes, in this age of NIL, Miami inserted a link on selected players’ bios where you can purchase apparel with the player’s name on it. Hoodies, $69.99. T-shirts, $39.99. Sorry, 25% off ended Friday.
Narduzzi isn’t interested. He, apparently, does his Christmas shopping early.
Pitt’s coach is more concerned with the jersey that steps under center or in shotgun Saturday night.
“Big question mark would be who the quarterback is. Obviously we know Tyler Van Dyke is a tremendous quarterback,” he said. “Jacurri Brown is a guy (who) started the last couple weeks. It’s hard to tell. There’s quarterbacks in and out. So they have had some quarterback issues.”
Van Dyke suffered a shoulder injury in the 45-21 home loss to Duke on Oct. 22 and was replaced by Garcia, a redshirt freshman, who threw three interceptions and two touchdown passes.
Brown, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound freshman, made his first start Nov. 12 in a 35-14 victory at Georgia Tech where he completed 14 of 19 passes for 136 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed for 87 yards and is considered a better runner than passer.
“The Brown kid really is a great athlete that can run, and I think he just keeps getting better every game he gets in there,” Narduzzi said. “He’s not leading the team in rushing because he hasn’t played enough games. But he shows streaks of being able to really get up and go.”
Brown is third on the team with 227 rushing yards. Sophomore running back Henry Parrish Jr. leads with 580. Parrish was committed to Pitt before signing with Ole Miss in 2020 and transferring to Miami this year.
Miami coach Mario Cristobal said “there’s a great chance” Van Dyke will play. Not a moment too soon. In the 40-3 loss to Clemson last Saturday, the Canes gained a total of 98 yards (30 rushing), their lightest offensive output since 1965.
2. Protection problem
Pitt’s five-man contingent of starting offensive linemen hasn’t been together for one snap this season, but center Owen Drexel has started the past two games after missing the previous seven. That moves Jake Kradel to right guard, his more natural position.
Still, Narduzzi wasn’t totally happy with how the line played against Duke.
“We had some mistakes in there as well this week, especially on pass protection a couple times,” he said. He was especially concerned about pressure quarterback Kedon Slovis felt on a third-down incomplete pass that, the coach said, could have gone for a touchdown in the series before Duke’s last touchdown.
“You guys can thank me later about the excitement we provided for you at the end of that game,” Narduzzi said. “So, I can’t tell you (line play is) any better. It’s about the same.”
3. Forget the past
Narduzzi said he doesn’t live in the past, so he doesn’t think about his 1-6 record against the Hurricanes. Unless he’s asked about it, which is what happened this week.
“I don’t care if we play in Pittsburgh in 1-degree weather or down there in 70-degree weather,” he said. “We’ve got to go and execute. So what happened in the past really doesn’t matter. I know you guys will always go back to what happened in the past, but the past really does not matter. It’s not going to impact this game at all, unless it’s in your head. But it’s not going to be in our heads or our kids’ heads.”
4. Waving the Flagg
Izzy Abanikanda leads the ACC in rushing and is the only running back in the conference to hit four digits (1,320 yards). But Miami looks like a formidable foe against the run, which is what Pitt does best on offense.
“Corey Flagg is their middle linebacker,” Narduzzi said. “He’s a dude that just can’t be blocked. Up front, they’re the typical four-down, going to penetrate and cause havoc in the backfield. They’re very athletic, probably the most athletic front four we have seen this season.”
5. To the victor …
Pitt and Miami are tied for the second-most ACC victories (40) since 2015, Narduzzi’s first season. Good luck catching Clemson, however. The Tigers are 60-5 in that time.