Refreshing to have a coach that talks about the games and players and in a comical but reliable way for a change?
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi will tell you he knows his team as well as he knows his children's names. But he's not afraid to keep learning new things about his players. During the 17-13 victory against Virginia Tech, Narduzzi tinkered with the lineup by using multiple players at several positions.
Pitt is not blessed with great depth, but Narduzzi wants to find capable replacements — and keep the competition alive at practice — by judiciously using his bench at opportune times. For example, Chad Voytik lost his starting quarterback job but not his ability to help the team. He ran for 37 yards.
The Bam Bradley/Mike Caprara tandem at outside linebacker has become a major part of the defense. Bradley starts, but the pair combined for seven tackles, two sacks and an interception against the Hokies. Offensive line coach John Peterson hasn't forgotten about redshirt freshman guard Alex Bookser, who played a few snaps for Alex Officer.
On the other hand, some players are just difficult to get out of the lineup. Narduzzi gives free safety Terrish Webb an occasional break with Patrick Amara, but he said last week, “If it ain't broke, don't fix it.”
Webb played most of the game Saturday and now has two interceptions and a forced fumble since he replaced former starter Reggie Mitchell, who hurt his foot in the opener.
Ollison's turn
Perhaps Pitt has found a successor to James Conner at tailback. Qadree Ollison had a big day against the Hokies and has run for 207 (Youngstown State), 81 (Akron) and 122 yards (Virginia Tech) in three of four games. Chris James, the backup, carried only five times for 6 yards Saturday.
Of course, Narduzzi doesn't want to give the impression that he's satisfied or adverse to change — not when there are eight games left in the regular season. “You're missing the ACC Player of the Year,” Narduzzi said. “You're still trying to figure it out. We keep finding out what we can do, and who can do what.”
No deep balls:
Pitt's deep passing game has disappeared, partially because two of the four games have been played in the rain. Overall, Tyler Boyd has 26 of the team's 59 catches, but he is averaging only 10.5 yards per reception. His career average before the season was 14.9. Dontez Ford was the only other wide receiver to make a catch against Virginia Tech (one for 5 yards).
Tight ends J.P. Holtz (two) and Scott Orndoff (two) have four of the team's five touchdown receptions.
Tick-tock, tick-tock
Logic dictates Pitt should have had a difficult time possessing the football without Conner. Not so. Pitt is 29th in the nation with an average of 32 minutes per game (128 of 240 minutes played). “We did a great job with the tick-tock on the clock,” said Narduzzi after Pitt won the possession battle, 34 minutes to 26, against Virginia Tech.
Rewriting history
Pitt's defense held Virginia Tech to 9 yards rushing (minus-71 yards in losses). It marked the first time since the 2013 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl against Bowling Green that Pitt held an opponent to fewer than 25 yards on the ground.
It was a historically bad overall offensive effort for Virginia Tech. With only 100 total yards (1.9 per play), it was the Hokies' worst effort in that category since coach Frank Beamer's first game in 1987 (60 against Clemson).
Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Scott Loeffler said he was ready for Pitt's defense. “They run exactly Ohio State's defense to a T,” he said. “There wasn't a thing we didn't prep for.”
Don't mention it.
Narduzzi wasn't pleased when a false alarm woke up his players and forced them out of their hotel rooms 12 hours before kickoff Saturday in Blacksburg, Va. But the victory helped him get over it. Asked after the game if he got a good night's sleep, he smiled and said: “Let's not talk about that.”
jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi will tell you he knows his team as well as he knows his children's names. But he's not afraid to keep learning new things about his players. During the 17-13 victory against Virginia Tech, Narduzzi tinkered with the lineup by using multiple players at several positions.
Pitt is not blessed with great depth, but Narduzzi wants to find capable replacements — and keep the competition alive at practice — by judiciously using his bench at opportune times. For example, Chad Voytik lost his starting quarterback job but not his ability to help the team. He ran for 37 yards.
The Bam Bradley/Mike Caprara tandem at outside linebacker has become a major part of the defense. Bradley starts, but the pair combined for seven tackles, two sacks and an interception against the Hokies. Offensive line coach John Peterson hasn't forgotten about redshirt freshman guard Alex Bookser, who played a few snaps for Alex Officer.
On the other hand, some players are just difficult to get out of the lineup. Narduzzi gives free safety Terrish Webb an occasional break with Patrick Amara, but he said last week, “If it ain't broke, don't fix it.”
Webb played most of the game Saturday and now has two interceptions and a forced fumble since he replaced former starter Reggie Mitchell, who hurt his foot in the opener.
Ollison's turn
Perhaps Pitt has found a successor to James Conner at tailback. Qadree Ollison had a big day against the Hokies and has run for 207 (Youngstown State), 81 (Akron) and 122 yards (Virginia Tech) in three of four games. Chris James, the backup, carried only five times for 6 yards Saturday.
Of course, Narduzzi doesn't want to give the impression that he's satisfied or adverse to change — not when there are eight games left in the regular season. “You're missing the ACC Player of the Year,” Narduzzi said. “You're still trying to figure it out. We keep finding out what we can do, and who can do what.”
No deep balls:
Pitt's deep passing game has disappeared, partially because two of the four games have been played in the rain. Overall, Tyler Boyd has 26 of the team's 59 catches, but he is averaging only 10.5 yards per reception. His career average before the season was 14.9. Dontez Ford was the only other wide receiver to make a catch against Virginia Tech (one for 5 yards).
Tight ends J.P. Holtz (two) and Scott Orndoff (two) have four of the team's five touchdown receptions.
Tick-tock, tick-tock
Logic dictates Pitt should have had a difficult time possessing the football without Conner. Not so. Pitt is 29th in the nation with an average of 32 minutes per game (128 of 240 minutes played). “We did a great job with the tick-tock on the clock,” said Narduzzi after Pitt won the possession battle, 34 minutes to 26, against Virginia Tech.
Rewriting history
Pitt's defense held Virginia Tech to 9 yards rushing (minus-71 yards in losses). It marked the first time since the 2013 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl against Bowling Green that Pitt held an opponent to fewer than 25 yards on the ground.
It was a historically bad overall offensive effort for Virginia Tech. With only 100 total yards (1.9 per play), it was the Hokies' worst effort in that category since coach Frank Beamer's first game in 1987 (60 against Clemson).
Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Scott Loeffler said he was ready for Pitt's defense. “They run exactly Ohio State's defense to a T,” he said. “There wasn't a thing we didn't prep for.”
Don't mention it. Narduzzi wasn't pleased when a false alarm woke up his players and forced them out of their hotel rooms 12 hours before kickoff Saturday in Blacksburg, Va. But the victory helped him get over it. Asked after the game if he got a good night's sleep, he smiled and said: “Let's not talk about that.”
jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.
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