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Game Week: Let This Week Fly By

pittengineer75

Athletic Director
Mar 26, 2007
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Game week is upon us and it appears weather projections have it being a nice, sunny Summer day.

So biggest questions going into the season for me:

(1) How much can scheme, technique, and fundamental improvements on defense help this team turn a huge vulnerability into an asset?

We are probably not in the top half or 3/4s of P5 teams in terms of pure talent on that side of the ball, but last years biggest issue was our that our fundamentals were exceptionally poor (problems with tackling, angle of pursuit, stunting, etc). These coaches now defense and have heard from at least one player that the term "blank slate" was used in the Spring when heading into practices, forgetting some of the things from the past staff, and focusing on what these coaches want to teach. Schematically was also a big challenge under a first year defensive coordinator who only a couple years prior was the equivalent of graduate assistant in the NFL (and Alvarez did not take him to Wisconsin as part of his staff).

While talent through recruiting is by far the biggest driver in sustained success, we should improve on defense just on sound technique and scheming to our strengths.....putting the players we do have to best use in ways they can succeed.

(2) While the offense was successful in the running game last year and Voytik was efficient when throwing, will Chaney's offense be better suited to Voytik's capability?

Voytik was very efficients last year, but I really dont think the Chryst offense got the most out of him. Voytik's best asset is throwing out of a roll or even tucking it to run the ball depending on what the defense is giving. Moving out of the pocket more also makes the defense need to slide and react in addition to what their coverage is in that set. This can lead to gaps that can be exposed. Even though behind Boyd we dont really have a solid true #2, the playcalling has to find other receivers especially in the medium routes to do damage when Boyd is covered in man with help over the top. I look for the tight ends to get utilized far more in this scheme that under Chryst (which I think their underutilization really surprised most of us under the previous regime given how tight ends were used at Wisconsin and we were pretty talented at the spot).

(3) Can Conner and the offensive line stay healthy?

Conner is a work horse and Narduzzi/Chaney are going to give him the rock. His health will be important to how Pitt does this year. He needs to get his carries, but also needs to be used in the passing game more than in the past. The backs behind him where Chryst recruited pretty strong with James and then Narduzzi's addition with Hall need to spell him and take at least 25-30% of the carries in the game to keep Conner fresh.

The oline has been banged up a little and it started with JJS going down this Summer and out for the season. Depth with experience is very limited, so the offensive line really needs to stay healthy to both shove the ball down the other teams throats and protecting Voytik. We have a pretty decent and talented starting five, but there will be a big drop off if the team has to plug-and-chug those depth chart players into the starting lineup.

An injury on the offensive line doesnt spell doom, but certainly makes it a lot more difficult for this team to operate with a power run game.
 
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