I'm going to go with at least one and probably two extra losses. Maybe even three.
The offensive line has to get healthy and stay healthy and play together. Every team gets injuries there eventually but teams usually don't do the amount of shuffling Pitt has had to do and is still doing on their line. The line struggled in the late 4th quarter on run plays against YSU. That can't happen anymore at any time in the game. It has to get better at pass protection and quick. I think both are very achievable if the best guys can get out there and be together and STAY together. But maybe not quickly.
James is a pretty good RB who has shown flashes of being able to become really good. Ollison has the power and definitely isn't the quickest but he's not a slowpoke by far. Hall is so raw. All of these guys are going to need the line to be consistently good. Conner masked bad blocking sometimes by breaking 40 tackles in one play (it seemed like). His stiff-arm was the best I've seen in forever. His leg strength was very near top of the mountain. No one who's left is as good on their technique or that physically gifted (maybe Ollison in a year or two).
And it doesn't matter who is going to be under center if the line doesn't get better protecting him. It wasn't terrible on Saturday but it wasn't close to great either. It has to be at least close to great. Conner isn't there to beat up LBs and DBs and get them on their heels physically and mentally, which does a lot to relieve pressure on the QB and open up spaces for passing. Both these QBs need to get comfortable in the pocket. It's even more up to the line now than it was to make that happen.
I don't know if they can handle what's been dropped on their shoulders in the last 48 hours but I sure hope they can.
The offensive line has to get healthy and stay healthy and play together. Every team gets injuries there eventually but teams usually don't do the amount of shuffling Pitt has had to do and is still doing on their line. The line struggled in the late 4th quarter on run plays against YSU. That can't happen anymore at any time in the game. It has to get better at pass protection and quick. I think both are very achievable if the best guys can get out there and be together and STAY together. But maybe not quickly.
James is a pretty good RB who has shown flashes of being able to become really good. Ollison has the power and definitely isn't the quickest but he's not a slowpoke by far. Hall is so raw. All of these guys are going to need the line to be consistently good. Conner masked bad blocking sometimes by breaking 40 tackles in one play (it seemed like). His stiff-arm was the best I've seen in forever. His leg strength was very near top of the mountain. No one who's left is as good on their technique or that physically gifted (maybe Ollison in a year or two).
And it doesn't matter who is going to be under center if the line doesn't get better protecting him. It wasn't terrible on Saturday but it wasn't close to great either. It has to be at least close to great. Conner isn't there to beat up LBs and DBs and get them on their heels physically and mentally, which does a lot to relieve pressure on the QB and open up spaces for passing. Both these QBs need to get comfortable in the pocket. It's even more up to the line now than it was to make that happen.
I don't know if they can handle what's been dropped on their shoulders in the last 48 hours but I sure hope they can.
