Does Pitt even need to throw the ball to beat Penn State?

[88Pitt88]

It's all up to our oline. That's the question can the get better?

If you are running a true spread you don't need a great O-line. Quick decisions and a lot of 3 step drops take the pressure off a suspect line. Blocks only need to be held for a very short time. One has to wonder if this is why the new coordinator was brought in in the first place.

 

[rockypanther]

It was our pass defense last year particularly in November including the Miami game that hurt us. Our rush defense was decent last year but lost a ton of DL depth and we will be softer in the middle. I wouldn't predict another top 20 team rush defense.

Steel, can you please post links to your stats so they can be verified. See below.

http://www.cfbstats.com/2015/team/545/passing/defense/split.html

 

[thebadby2]

It was our pass defense last year particularly in November including the Miami game that hurt us. Our rush defense was decent last year but lost a ton of DL depth and we will be softer in the middle. I wouldn't predict another top 20 team rush defense.

Steel, can you please post links to your stats so they can be verified. See below.

http://www.cfbstats.com/2015/team/545/passing/defense/split.html

Basically every time we played a team with better athletes eapecially along the LOS, we lost. The coaches get it. We need better players to be competitive in the league. Last year's class was encouraging in that it addresses a couple of glaring deficiencies on D. Loading up on DL and DB, need some backers still. The cupboard was bare on D when Dooz took over and we lacked skill talent outside the RB position on O. They are working on it but there is no quick fix.

 

[Pittguy1980]

Ugh.

Anyone remember wanny, and him attempting to do what steel is suggesting? We had far superior talent, and Dion Lewis, shady, and Ray graham, and Pitt still couldn't win the big east even with pounding the ball.

Please, never go bak to that.

 

[88Pitt88]

Basically every time we played a team with better athletes eapecially along the LOS, we lost. The coaches get it. We need better players to be competitive in the league. Last year's class was encouraging in that it addresses a couple of glaring deficiencies on D. Loading up on DL and DB, need some backers still. The cupboard was bare on D when Dooz took over and we lacked skill talent outside the RB position on O. They are working on it but there is no quick fix.

Great call Badby! Some on here think we are ready to be a shutdown defense. We are not there yet, but let the Duzz stack a few classes together and get his talent on the field and I promise you will see the mistakes and big plays slowly fade. The Duzz will get us there, just don't quite think we will be dominant this year yet!

 

[QuitCallingMeWanny]

Maybe the word is out among H.S quarterbacks that Canada intends to run out of the barge formation all the time. That would explain why we're not getting any of them to commit. That kind of offense doesn't offer anything to QBs and WRs.

Fortunately, the reality is, we will throw the ball our fair share, even though we will emphasize a strong running game. Contrary to your misplaced belief, Narduzzi wants balance in his offense in the same way MSU has it. The offense won;t look a ton different from last year. Canada has already said as much. We will still run 2 wide on most sets, we will utilize a slot receiver in some sets, and we will run off play action. We will see a variety of formations and sets, including pistol sets out of the shotgun like we used all last year. I'm sure the barge will make its appearances situationally but it certainly won't ever be our base set. Again, see MSU--that's what we're trying to do at Pitt. But we aren't about to turn into a Tom Osborne Nebraska option team, or even a Brett Bielema/Wisconsin type 2 TE power offense. We will run a true pro style offense.

We probably won;t need to throw it much against the weaker defenses, against better Ds we will have to throw it plenty.

Personally that is the type of offense I enjoy......I am a big fan of the pistol formation instead of the pure shotgun........good post

 

[steel_curtain]

Ugh.

Anyone remember wanny, and him attempting to do what steel is suggesting? We had far superior talent, and Dion Lewis, shady, and Ray graham, and Pitt still couldn't win the big east even with pounding the ball.

Please, never go bak to that.

-In 2009, Pitt won 10 games, finished ranked 15th in the Polls in the entire Country, and Dion Lewis ran the ball for 1800 yards with a Power Run Game. We also won our bowl game. Pitt also blew a 2 TD lead against 12-0 Undefeated Cincinnati to lose the Conference Championship, a complete meltdown on defense in a game where we scored 44 points on offense.

-Now, Perhaps you would like to go back to winning 6 games a season with Smiley as the AD, or hire Jim Chaney again to watch our offense fail hard.

-Ill choose the dominant run game and running the ball constantly with Matt Canada, a 10 win season, and a Top 15 ranking.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

So now that we know that JC is healthy and will most likely be ready for this game, does this change anyone's answer?

 

[Pittguy1980]

-In 2009, Pitt won 10 games, finished ranked 15th in the Polls in the entire Country, and Dion Lewis ran the ball for 1800 yards with a Power Run Game. We also won our bowl game. Pitt also blew a 2 TD lead against 12-0 Undefeated Cincinnati to lose the Conference Championship, a complete meltdown on defense in a game where we scored 44 points on offense.

-Now, Perhaps you would like to go back to winning 6 games a season with Smiley as the AD, or hire Jim Chaney again to watch our offense fail hard.

-Ill choose the dominant run game and running the ball constantly with Matt Canada, a 10 win season, and a Top 15 ranking.

That sounds great...until you realize that Pitt had exponentially more talent than anyone in that league for a 3 year stretch, yet still failed to win it. It wasn't a good league at all, and wannstedt's offense and inability to recruit a good qb killed Pitt.

 

[steel_curtain]

That sounds great...until you realize that Pitt had exponentially more talent than anyone in that league for a 3 year stretch, yet still failed to win it. It wasn't a good league at all, and wannstedt's offense and inability to recruit a good qb killed Pitt.

-So you blame the offense for scoring 44 points in a Championship game for losing the game when the defense gave up 45 points.

-I guess you would like to averaged 70 points per game on offense then? Pitt's failure then and under Dave was all defense, not offense.