Pitt wide receiver Tyler Boyd described the feeling better than anyone when asked about his team's 56-28 loss to Georgia Tech last year, a game in which the Panthers lost six fumbles. “It was like hell,” Boyd said. “And you can't get out.” A year later, Pitt has managed to escape.
That doesn't mean the gates to similar disappointments are perpetually closed, but the roles are reversed going into Pitt's rematch with Georgia Tech on Saturday in Atlanta. Pitt has a chance to claim sole possession of first place in the ACC Coastal Division. Defending champion Georgia Tech has lost four games in a row.
How did that happen?
It started for Pitt when former coach Paul Chryst left for Wisconsin and Pat Narduzzi took his place. Narduzzi ordered a dramatic makeover of the defense, something that wouldn't have occurred to the same degree under Chryst. The results as the season approaches the halfway point show a defense ranked sixth in the nation against the run (84.8 per game). That number partially is tied to Pitt's 21 sacks for a loss of 170 yards, but Georgia Tech doesn't throw enough for the pass rush to matter.
Stopping Georgia Tech's triple-option ground game, which amassed 465 yards against Pitt last season, will be the decisive factor. ACC Network announcer Tim Brant, who will call play-by-play of the Pitt game for the second consecutive week, said he saw a big difference in the Panthers defense last Saturday against Virginia. “Those young kids bowed their backs and made a stop whenever they had to,” he said.
On the other side of the ball, Pitt will try to ignite an unspectacular passing game — ranked 12th in the ACC — against Georgia Tech's No. 10 pass defense. Boyd needs seven receptions to become Pitt's all-time leader in that category. Another way for Pitt to defeat Georgia Tech is to win what Narduzzi calls the “tick-tock” battle, controlling the clock and keeping the Ramblin' Wreck's offense on the sideline. Ball security remains a problem for Pitt. It has lost four of its 11 fumbles, but Narduzzi remains hopeful. “After last year, the nightmare we had there, that can't happen,” he said. “I would say we would get the complete opposite.”
If Pitt (4-1, 2-0) can defeat Georgia Tech, the Panthers will break a first-place tie with idle Duke (5-1, 2-0) and remain ahead of North Carolina (4-1, 1-0). The Tar Heels play ACC lightweights Wake Forest on Saturday and Virginia next week at home before coming to Heinz Field on Oct. 29 to play Pitt in a nationally televised ESPN night game. Pitt visits Duke on Nov. 14.
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.
That doesn't mean the gates to similar disappointments are perpetually closed, but the roles are reversed going into Pitt's rematch with Georgia Tech on Saturday in Atlanta. Pitt has a chance to claim sole possession of first place in the ACC Coastal Division. Defending champion Georgia Tech has lost four games in a row.
How did that happen?
It started for Pitt when former coach Paul Chryst left for Wisconsin and Pat Narduzzi took his place. Narduzzi ordered a dramatic makeover of the defense, something that wouldn't have occurred to the same degree under Chryst. The results as the season approaches the halfway point show a defense ranked sixth in the nation against the run (84.8 per game). That number partially is tied to Pitt's 21 sacks for a loss of 170 yards, but Georgia Tech doesn't throw enough for the pass rush to matter.
Stopping Georgia Tech's triple-option ground game, which amassed 465 yards against Pitt last season, will be the decisive factor. ACC Network announcer Tim Brant, who will call play-by-play of the Pitt game for the second consecutive week, said he saw a big difference in the Panthers defense last Saturday against Virginia. “Those young kids bowed their backs and made a stop whenever they had to,” he said.
On the other side of the ball, Pitt will try to ignite an unspectacular passing game — ranked 12th in the ACC — against Georgia Tech's No. 10 pass defense. Boyd needs seven receptions to become Pitt's all-time leader in that category. Another way for Pitt to defeat Georgia Tech is to win what Narduzzi calls the “tick-tock” battle, controlling the clock and keeping the Ramblin' Wreck's offense on the sideline. Ball security remains a problem for Pitt. It has lost four of its 11 fumbles, but Narduzzi remains hopeful. “After last year, the nightmare we had there, that can't happen,” he said. “I would say we would get the complete opposite.”
If Pitt (4-1, 2-0) can defeat Georgia Tech, the Panthers will break a first-place tie with idle Duke (5-1, 2-0) and remain ahead of North Carolina (4-1, 1-0). The Tar Heels play ACC lightweights Wake Forest on Saturday and Virginia next week at home before coming to Heinz Field on Oct. 29 to play Pitt in a nationally televised ESPN night game. Pitt visits Duke on Nov. 14.
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.
