Apparently it's not as obvious to some of our Lair friends as it is to others. Some seem to think we can succeed without any semblance of a passing game. Canada evidently feels differently.
manny stocker ?
- Thread starter benchwarmer04
- Start date
They did take advantage (and yes, I remember the Drake play and the rest of the game vividly as I was there and have watched it a couple times since) of that, but they also weren't really shut down. UA's strategy was to come out throwing early and often and they did. For instance, Henry/Drake didn't get a carry until the 7th or 8th play for UA's offense and only had 2 of the 1st 10. They only ran the ball 11 of 37 offensive plays in the first half.
From ESPN
Pitt hopes to use power run game to its advantage
9:39 PM MT
-
Andrea AdelsonESPN Staff Writer
Pitt returns perhaps the best offensive line in the ACC and a backfield brimming with talent and depth.
It is no secret the Panthers are going to run the ball this season. But it is the way in which they run the ball that sets them apart in the league.
Pitt has taken an old-school approach that is more Big Ten than ACC, resurrected under Paul Chryst in 2012 and now carried forward under Pat Narduzzi. Their Big Ten backgrounds clearly influenced their philosophies, not to mention the persona of Pittsburgh itself.
That is not to say the Panthers value the run any more than the teams that now employ hurry-up spread offenses. To the contrary, Clemson and North Carolina had better run offenses than Pitt last season -- they happen to run the ball out of different sets (and running quarterbacks to spread the field).
James Conner andQadree Ollison, not to mention Rachid Ibrahim (off an Achilles injury) andDarrin Hall.
New offensive coordinator Matt Canada is not expected to change the philosophy, though the running backs could be used more as receivers out of the backfield as a possible new wrinkle. At NC State, his offenses averaged more than 200 yards rushing per game and tight end Jaylen Samuels became an All-ACC player. Plus Canada's offensive line in his final season with the Wolfpack was one of the strongest in the league.
“There has always been the tradition of smashmouth football, running it down people’s throats, then we pass it,” Ibrahim said recently. “Coach Canada came here and we’ve got a lot of faith in what he’s done and what he’s bringing to Pitt.”
Nobody else in the Coastal Division does quite what Pitt does. Georgia Tech runs the ball, yes, but Johnson uses a completely different scheme. Miami could end up with more of a power run game if Mark Richt’s background at Georgia is any indication. North Carolina runs the spread; Virginia Tech is transitioning that way. Duke has steadily improved its run game (the Blue Devils have had mobile quarterbacks), while Virginia remains somewhat of a mystery.
As for whether the mixed bag of offenses makes preparing for the more unique ones any more demanding, North Carolina coach Larry Fedora said, “Been doing that every year with Paul Johnson. Now we have to do it with Pitt. Pat comes in there in a year and does a really good job with them in that one year and they’re going to be better this year, and they’re going to run the ball at you and they’re going to stick it right down your throat.”
And do you remember why Bama came out throwing? MSU stacked 8 in the box to stop Henry. He had 20 carries for 75 yards, his lowest output of the season by far. Everyone knew they would do that, and Dantonio was gambling that Coker couldn't win the game with his arm. He was wrong. MSU was also unable to get any pressure on Coker at all. They sold out to stop the run and it didn't work.
If you hold Henry to 3.8 YPC and lbalf of his season average of yards, you've done just fine stopping the run. When Jay Coker goes for 300 threw the air, it doesn't matter if you stop the run.
Did this lady watch any Pitt games last year?From ESPN
Pitt hopes to use power run game to its advantage
9:39 PM MT
Andrea AdelsonESPN Staff Writer
Pitt returns perhaps the best offensive line in the ACC and a backfield brimming with talent and depth.
It is no secret the Panthers are going to run the ball this season. But it is the way in which they run the ball that sets them apart in the league.
Pitt has taken an old-school approach that is more Big Ten than ACC, resurrected under Paul Chryst in 2012 and now carried forward under Pat Narduzzi. Their Big Ten backgrounds clearly influenced their philosophies, not to mention the persona of Pittsburgh itself.
That is not to say the Panthers value the run any more than the teams that now employ hurry-up spread offenses. To the contrary, Clemson and North Carolina had better run offenses than Pitt last season -- they happen to run the ball out of different sets (and running quarterbacks to spread the field).
James Conner andQadree Ollison, not to mention Rachid Ibrahim (off an Achilles injury) andDarrin Hall.
New offensive coordinator Matt Canada is not expected to change the philosophy, though the running backs could be used more as receivers out of the backfield as a possible new wrinkle. At NC State, his offenses averaged more than 200 yards rushing per game and tight end Jaylen Samuels became an All-ACC player. Plus Canada's offensive line in his final season with the Wolfpack was one of the strongest in the league.
“There has always been the tradition of smashmouth football, running it down people’s throats, then we pass it,” Ibrahim said recently. “Coach Canada came here and we’ve got a lot of faith in what he’s done and what he’s bringing to Pitt.”
Nobody else in the Coastal Division does quite what Pitt does. Georgia Tech runs the ball, yes, but Johnson uses a completely different scheme. Miami could end up with more of a power run game if Mark Richt’s background at Georgia is any indication. North Carolina runs the spread; Virginia Tech is transitioning that way. Duke has steadily improved its run game (the Blue Devils have had mobile quarterbacks), while Virginia remains somewhat of a mystery.
As for whether the mixed bag of offenses makes preparing for the more unique ones any more demanding, North Carolina coach Larry Fedora said, “Been doing that every year with Paul Johnson. Now we have to do it with Pitt. Pat comes in there in a year and does a really good job with them in that one year and they’re going to be better this year, and they’re going to run the ball at you and they’re going to stick it right down your throat.”
That was hardly a "smash mouth" brand of football.
-Probably not. But she knows whats coming this year as does everyone else. 65%+ Power Run Football
You are playing with fire, taking all games, regardless of opponent, into the 4th quarter close. You could lose half those games, we better be able to throw the damn ball
-Since 2011, Matt Canada has ran the football over 60% of the time at 3 different colleges. As an OC he won a MAC Championship, a Big Ten Championship, and helped turn around a completely dismal offense in N.C. State within 3 years. No worries here.
Steel, you mention the 65% power run football. That is what he's bringing. The potential WR and QB recruits seem to be paying attention. Our 2 WR verbals, you can count their p5 offers on a few fingers. Our QB verbal, his second best offer is Temple.
Yes, I do. They scripted the opening gameplan and it was to throw early and often. They always script the opening plan and Lane Kiffin expressly stated that is what they did.
-Thats not what he is bringing in. If some people would wait until signing day instead of throwing in the towel already.
-Last year, Pitt brought in an Elite QB that had an offer from LSU, 2 WR's that were ranked in the National Top 500 Final Composite rankings that had a number of P5 offers from Penn State through Miami with Flowers and Mathews, and the long lost forgotten 5 star, or 4 Star, former #1 TE in the country Chris Clark who had 50 college offers.
-I cant help the fact these players are not talked about. I guarantee our WR's are better than last year and more productive than last year. I may actually start a post on it later on today highlighting why. And it starts with the giant departure of Jim Chaney, who Pat Narduzzi was not fond of after last season.
steel, post mcvittie's elite offer sheet.
les recruited him for 10 minutes. don't know all the specifics but he lost 2 qb's very late in the process last year. listen, les has won big time but he's never won because of his qb play. any LSU fan will tell you that.
go ahead on the elite offer sheet. heck, just go ahead and post his offer sheet.
this chris clark kid, he's been all over the map. yes, when he graduated high school he had all kinds of offers. flash forward to when he left ucla, who were his offers? he was down to the Cuse and us. where did all those big time offers go?
les recruited him for 10 minutes. don't know all the specifics but he lost 2 qb's very late in the process last year. listen, les has won big time but he's never won because of his qb play. any LSU fan will tell you that.
go ahead on the elite offer sheet. heck, just go ahead and post his offer sheet.
this chris clark kid, he's been all over the map. yes, when he graduated high school he had all kinds of offers. flash forward to when he left ucla, who were his offers? he was down to the Cuse and us. where did all those big time offers go?
-Actually, LSU was calling him daily when they got wind of his tape. No one knew about him because he only started QB for 1 season and blew up late. Every college, meaning all of them except Pitt, recruited him as a WR EXCEPT Pitt and Lsu. The kid improved rapidly from the help of Tony Pike, former Cincy star and NFL QB.
-Chris Clark wanted the hell out of a spread offense and wanted to get back to the Northeast to be close to home. Pull up a map and see what options he has with those factors in play. Those were the top 2 factors he left UCLA.
-Whose offer sheet? Tmac? Pitt and LSU, there, you have it. Since no one else recruited him as a QB.
actually you forgot Cincy and Miami of Ohio. Elite is the best of the best. it doesn't fit in this case.
Back to Manny Stocker... I like this chioce as a back up. He knows the system well, and in a pinch, he can use those legs to get first downs. Good choice. If someone steps up and unseats him, all the better, cause that will mean someone did in fact step up.
-I define Elite as putting up 310 yards per game, with 22TD's against 1 INT playing the 3rd toughest schedule in all of high school football Elite. I also like the fact our current coaching staff is raving about him right now, and he just got to Pitt.
Let's hope Canada does better here than his track record , which is avg , in all phases of his game and recruiting
-I guess we get to find out, now dont we.
-Remember, I was the one on this board saying Pitt would win at least 8 games this year while your rivals guys and Pittsburgh media all said Pitt would struggle to win 6 or 7 because losing Boyd was a death blow to Pitt football.
-Now with the hype coming in from ESPN, Fox, and other media outlets, as well as Vegas bumping the win total bar from 7 to 8, and the FPI putting the bar at 8, perception has changed rapidly.
You were "the one"? Jesus Christ you are delusional. At literally every turn and on every subject.
Now Clark has a knee injury from spring ball that was supposed to be healed, but evident evidely needed surgery and that seems to be shrouded in secrecy that will apparently keep him off the practice field all season as well.
