Pitt Take 5: Solid run defense carries Pitt to winning season
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Several storylines surfaced after Pitt stretched its streak of victories to three games and assured itself of the sixth winning season in coach Pat Narduzzi’s eight seasons.
None more definitively defined Narduzzi’s tenure more than his run defense. It played out just like he planned in the 28-26 victory Saturday against Duke at Acrisure Stadium.
The Panthers’ run defense remains at an elite level. And wasn’t that Narduzzi’s plan all along? Make the other guy one-dimensional, and you’ll usually win more than you lose (no matter what other problems surface elsewhere on the roster.)
After Pitt (7-4, 4-3 ACC) held Duke to 63 yards, seven of 11 opponents have failed to reach triple digits on the ground.
Armed with the No. 2 ground game in the conference (an average of 203.8 yards per game) and trailing only by six in the third quarter, Duke didn’t even try to establish a run game.
Quarterback Riley Leonard leads the Blue Devils in rushing, but he was credited with only seven attempts for a net of minus-1 yard. He was sacked once.
Pitt’s defenders stayed in their rush lanes, and the result was Leonard creating far more havoc with his arm than his feet.
After both of Kedon Slovis’ interceptions in the third quarter, Duke tried only two run plays, gaining a net 1 yard and failing to score both times. The Blue Devils believed the way to beat Pitt is through the air. And they almost did, with Leonard throwing for 290 yards and three touchdowns.
“We showed discipline,” defensive tackle David Green said. “We gameplanned great.”
Narduzzi specifically pointed out defensive end John Morgan, who replaced the hobbled Habakkuk Baldonado.
“John Morgan was really, really good out there,” the coach said. “Again, a senior playing really good football.”
Pitt played the second half without defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, who left the game with what appeared to be an injury.
Narduzzi: “He’s OK. He’s happy in the locker room after the game. We’ll see. We’ll keep you posted.”
Here are some thoughts about Pitt’s victory:
1. Dissecting the picks
Slovis plays well in small doses, but throwing more interceptions (eight) than touchdown passes (seven) seems to define the Pitt passing game.
Slovis acknowledged his errors on his third-quarter interceptions, noting he could have looked for a checkdown receiver on the first and admitting he was trying to do “too much” on the second by throwing into a narrow window.
He completed only 15 of 32 throws, but there were three drops and one instance where Bub Means never turned around for what looked like an on-target throw.
Slovis defended his pass catchers, Gavin Bartholomew and Jared Wayne, for their drops.
“Moreso the weather than anything,” he said. “The ball is really hard and really cold.”
2. Another night game
Narduzzi has no real problem with night football games, but they can disrupt his sleep patterns and Sunday church attendance.
Referencing Pitt’s last regular-season game next Saturday in Miami, he made a point to mention the start time.
“We’ve got a chance to go down to Miami and play some ball Saturday at 8 p.m.,” he said.
If you listen carefully, you might detect an emphasis on the ‘8.’ (Are you listening in the ACC office?)
This will be Pitt’s fourth of five road games played at night.
3. Confident kicker
Kicker Ben Sauls filled in the scoring gaps on offense. Sauls has converted 15 of 19 field-goal attempts, including a career-high 51-yarder into the wind Saturday and another one from 47.
“We have a lot of confidence in him. He’s got a lot of confidence in himself,” Narduzzi said.
4. What if …
It’s unfair and inaccurate to credit luck for Pitt’s victory. But what if:
• Duke’s Jontavius Robertson didn’t drop a fourth-down pass in the end zone in the third quarter.
• Duke coach Mike Elko opted to kick two extra points after the Blue Devils’ fourth-quarter touchdowns. He decided to go for the 2-point conversion and failed after the first, necessitating another 2-point try after the second. It also failed.
Elko said he was fearful of overtime, but his offense had momentum, outscoring Pitt’s offense 12-0 in the second half.
5. Remembering their ‘brothers’
Pitt cornerback Marquis Williams ran onto the field Saturday carrying a University of Virginia flag as a show of support for that campus community grieving over the shooting deaths of three football players Nov. 13. Players also wore T-shirts that read, “UVA Strong.”
Narduzzi said it was a way of “remembering those three young men who didn’t deserve what they got last Sunday.”
“We stick with our brothers in Charlottesville. Prayers continue to go out because it’s not easy and it’s not over.”
Carrying the flag was the idea of Pitt associate athletic director Amy Anderson and was designed on short notice by former university employee Patty Irrgang.