Some days are just perfect, yesterday was one of those days. With my girlfriend celebrating celebrating the jewish holiday with her family I got to golf in the morning and come home and watch the game. Of course Pitt games are a study in stress, agony, joy for me. I gave my tickets to my college roommates and sat in my living room pacing let's get into it:
1. Every game is a lesson learned for coaches, players, fans and this one was no different. Let's start with Kade Bell who me thinks learned an important lesson or should have anyway. Your offense and QB were adjusted to by a good Cal Defense and had taken you out of your comfort zone. With Cal's front four controlling our running game and their linebackers executing great drops in flooded zones, Holstein looked miffed the entire second half and kept misfiring passes or throwing it to a Bear. Key moment in the game, the D (We will talk about them later) stopped Cal's offense at the 1 forced a punt that Johnson returned to the Cal 30. Here's where you need to temper your aggressiveness coach Bell. Your in a rock fight. Your up by 8, in Sauls territory, be juidicious with the calls and the ball. Instead we go for it on a two man route deep down the sideline against a D that played not to give the deep route. Holstein throws a pick with no Pitt receiver in site , a bad one, and we have no nails to bite left for the rest of game.
2. That's my one criticism of Bell, I did not think at that moment he valued the time and pace of the game. Sometimes you have to have common sense, however going for it on 4th down and 1 from your own 29 early in the ball game says it all. The play call on Reid's TD was brilliant. He shifted the strong side TE's which signaled a strong side run then gave the handoff to the weak side to Reid. One block and he's gone. Perfect play call. I love his aggressiveness but sometimes understanding where you are in the game has to temper that aggressiveness.
3. Speaking of the running game I really wish we had used Carter a little more. If you insist on running inside zone to Reid so much especially on short downs why not use Carter a little bit whose a pile mover. The issue is because you play at such a fast pace that you don't want the D to rest or bring in players I get it but Carter looks much better on inside runs. When Carter got carries he really move the ball. But that's why I watch and not get paid to coach football.
4. On Holstein. Football coaches adjust but he had a really bad game. He's had three interceptions in the last two games and of the really bad variety. First thing I did not think Eli read the run plays great, and a lot of times when there rushing lanes available he didn't use them. Second, he was baited into throwing into tight windows which was problematic. One thing Holstein has to learn is looking off receivers with his eyes. He seemed to have tunnel vision. You can be sure other Defenses will force the same things. Cal gave us nothing deep, kept everything in front of us and forced Holstein's and Bell's impatience. Some of that is due to our inability to run the ball against their front and with the left side of the OL injured that really didn't help. Did not see Cal playing a lot of man either. All zone. I expect more teams to mimic that strategy and Bell has to adjust by flooding zones with route trees at multiple levels.
5. When I was in college we had a great LB with closing speed. When he saw the ball it's almost like he went into a different gear, his name was Hugh Green. I'm not saying Kyle Louis is Hugh Green but he does have some similar traits with that closing speed. There was a play where Cal ran a simple hand off to the right and the hole was open. On the TV, Louis is nowhere to be find and all of a sudden he appears out of nowhere and takes down the ball carrier for no gain. Amazing recognition and speed. Louis is as good a LB as we have had in 20 years. His athleticism is off the charts but so is his play recognition. What a treat it is to watch him
6. After failing to stop Cal over and over again in the first half on third and long, the D made some adjustments and dominated the Cal offensive line, which is not great, and tortured the Cal qb who showed a ton of moxie. One of the Narduzzi traits is to hit the qb early and often and get him gun shy later in the game. I guess that's what we were doing when we give up a 3rd and 19 on a simple slant early in the game. Aside from being unable to guard a simple TE leaking out the D was really good in the second half at all levels. The D line stopped the run, having 55 back really helps, the LB's were active and attacked the pocket and the secondary for the most part had good coverage especially in the second half when they decided to be more aggressive in the press. The Defense really bailed the offense out. Finally the sacks came. Hopefully that is a sign of things to come.
7. Coach Wilcox also bailed us as well with some mind boggling decisions. The first was going for two on their first TD. I mean the play was open but WTF are you doing? The second was the stupid two point conversion play to try to tie it. Another WTF. The last mind boggling one, but not as bad because I think he was worried about getting sacked, was taking the air out of the ball and settling for a long FG with a FG kicker who wasn't great. They had been moving the ball and abusing us with the TE. Thought he'd be more aggressive. Defensive game plan was really great, his in game decision making not so much.
8. The Oregon Ohio State and the Penn State game were really good games (though the wrong team won in the Penn State game) as was the Ole Miss/LSU game and the Florida/Tenn game and all those games showed how having a great FG kicker really is a god send. I wouldn't trade Ben Sauls for anyone. He's so pure with his strikes and his leg is Sunday worthy. Boy what a weapon to have. Was really hoping WVU would beat Iowa State but they were totally outclassed. Yesterday was an orgy of college football.
9. And now the intensity of the season get ratcheted up. Pitt's schedule has no gimmies and with more and more national attention it's going to be critical for every coach and player to be on point. Syracuse will not be easy by any stretch. Trips to SMU and Louisville will be really hard. Clemson at home could be epic. UVA is no gimme either. What was once a cute story is now much much more. No one cares that your bowl eligible, now you have a chance to really make some noise. The offense covered up for our young defense early in the season, the D has slowly been improving and yesterday it was dominant but this team still hasn't put together a full game together. Let's go!
10. I hope Taylor and Jacoby will come back soon though Taylor's injury looked to be non contact which is always an issue. Jimmy Scott abused a freshman tackle for Cal who was in there due to injury but he Scott looked great. The key though aside from the lb's and the blitz front were the DT's who really gave us some push. Brewu, Fitz, James were not being rooted out and that bodes well.
Hey, we are 6-0. Let that marinate. 6 and F....g 0. Yes sir.
Hail to Pitt,
Pitt82
pittsburgh.rivals.com
