PITT (IZZY) - VT Game Thoughts

[4upmc]

Not going to waste my time talking about our QB/OC like I have done most of the season… too frustrating.

Big hit by Morgan to force a key turnover.

This game was about IZZY, kid was a monster! Tied school TD record and broke Tony D record for most yards in a game! 36 carries for 320 yards and 6 TD’s, WOW!!!

I might hurt my shoulder patting myself on the back but have said since day 1 what a talent this kid is. What some don’t realize was he came in behind the learning curve due to playing HS FB in Brooklyn. Not quite known as a football hotbed he could just rely on talent, now he’s learning the game and it’s beautiful sight watching his FB IQ catch up to his freakish physical talents. BTW another Tim Salem recruit.

Izzy has a shot to take it to the house every single carry. The kid gets into 2nd gear unbelievably fast. Yes credit to OL but his speed is something else. On the 80 YD TD, DB’s #8 and #9 where ahead of him and he just exploded by them like he was shot out of a cannon. Freakish talent!

Hell of a job by Izzy!

 

[CaptainMurphy]

The fact that he was able to gain the yards he did in such a one dimensional offense is pretty incredible.

I hope Hammond can come back soon and hopefully allow him to have the occasional rest.

 

[DaveTrout]

Re: Izzy

DAMN!

 

[4upmc]

The fact that he was able to gain the yards he did in such a one dimensional offense is pretty incredible.

I hope Hammond can come back soon and hopefully allow him to have the occasional rest.

Good point, everyone knows we can’t throw…key on run game and he still dominated. Don’t know if Hammond will be back anytime soon…

 

[TD_6082]

Good point, everyone knows we can’t throw…key on run game and he still dominated. Don’t know if Hammond will be back anytime soon…

Yet out fans want to air it out.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Izzy needs some space, which is hard to create with a big style formation and the D puts 8 in the box. Much easier when the offense is spread out some.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Yet out fans want to air it out.

Not air it out but spread the offense out some.

 

[pittguy81]

Izzy is a baller....end of story. When defenses play 8 or 9 in the box, as they typically do because Pitt can't throw the ball to save their lives, if Izzy gets past the first level....see ya...he's faster than people think he is.

 

[ShipofFools]

Good point, everyone knows we can’t throw…key on run game and he still dominated. Don’t know if Hammond will be back anytime soon…

It looked like Hammond was in uniform and sitting next to Izzy at the end of the game. As terrific as Izzy has been racking up yards, you have to figure his stats probably would. be a little less with a healthy Hammond getting some carries.

Still impressive what Abanakanda is doing carrying the offense on his back when teams are loading up to stop the run game. The O line gave him lanes for most of the day. I

Also impressed with Izzy pass blocking the last couple weeks. He has really improved in that area.

 

[4upmc]

Izzy is a baller....end of story. When defenses play 8 or 9 in the box, as they typically do because Pitt can't throw the ball to save their lives, if Izzy gets past the first level....see ya...he's faster than people think he is.

To do what he’s doing with 8/9 in the box is impressive. The D knows what’s coming since we can’t pass

 

[4upmc]

It looked like Hammond was in uniform and sitting next to Izzy at the end of the game. As terrific as Izzy has been racking up yards, you have to figure his stats probably would. be a little less with a healthy Hammond getting some carries.

Still impressive what Abanakanda is doing carrying the offense on his back when teams are loading up to stop the run game. The O line gave him lanes for most of the day. I

Also impressed with Izzy pass blocking the last couple weeks. He has really improved in that area.

Hammond makes us better and deeper. I like Vince as the kid is a Pitt man with a ton of heart but those fumbles cost us big in GT games. If Izzy didn’t get hurt or if Hammond was available when Izzy went out it could be a different game.

Will be hard to keep this up but right now Izzy has put the O/team on his back. And as you said his pass blocking has got a lot better

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

It looked like Hammond was in uniform and sitting next to Izzy at the end of the game.

Hammond went through the warm ups and after the game Narduzzi said that he probably could have played tonight if we needed him to.

 

[rmf05]

1st game for me in the stands this year and I finally saw what folks on here and the radio booth have been screaming about. Yeah, Slovis needs benched. There were a half-dozen easy long gainers wide open down the seam an 2 or 3 were sure TD's including the 4th down fail.

 

[4upmc]

1st game for me in the stands this year and I finally saw what folks on here and the radio booth have been screaming about. Yeah, Slovis needs benched. There were a half-dozen easy long gainers wide open down the seam an 2 or 3 were sure TD's including the 4th down fail.

I was purposely trying to not talk about him because his play… just poor and frustrating.

Not only does he miss wide open guys the bad part is he seems scared. Don’t know if it has anything to do with his concussion history. As I have said a number of times he is really slow to read the D. If the first guy is not wide open he’s in trouble.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

I was purposely trying to not talk about him because his play… just poor and frustrating.

Not only does he miss wide open guys the bad part is he seems scared. Don’t know if it has anything to do with his concussion history. As I have said a number of times he is really slow to read the D. If the first guy is not wide open he’s in trouble.

He was bad today while having open receivers and all day to throw. He was bad for 90% of the game last week.

It's the biggest problem with the offense. It has to be talked about.

 

[4upmc]

He was bad today while having open receivers and all day to throw. He was bad for 90% of the game last week.

It's the biggest problem with the offense. It has to be talked about.

No doubt he is our biggest problem. Wish our coaches would play another QB.

 

[Hailpitt]

I think Mitch Tribiski is sneaking into Pitt uniform on Saturdays

 

[Hayekr]

To do what he’s doing with 8/9 in the box is impressive. The D knows what’s coming since we can’t pass

He reminds me a bit of Willie Parker in his prime but obviously more stout. Once he gets to the second level, you better make the tackle or it is off to the races.

His 80 yard TD came off that "primitive and 'obsolete' " off-set i formation with 7 linemen and a fullback against 8 defenders in the box. Just goes to show if you execute a play well according to design, good things happen. You don't always have to get him the ball in space and I imagine the offense will do even better as a change of pace once Hammond starts getting carries in those power sets.

As others have said, if the passing game was even the slightest bit more threatening, we could be doing serious damage through PA. Gotta work with what we have though the rest of the way.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

No doubt he is our biggest problem. Wish our coaches would play another QB.

If Patti were healthy, I think there would have been a change during last week’s game or during this. But he’s not, and Yarnell is too green. Obviously his holding the fort during the WMU game didn’t Impress the staff (enough) despite winning that game. Of course they’ll have to go with Yarnell if Slovis gets hurt again, but I don’t believe we will see a change otherwise, especially now that we’re done with the “easy” opponents for the most part.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

If Patti were healthy, I think there would have been a change during last week’s game or during this. But he’s not, and Yarnell is too green. Obviously his holding the fort during the WMU game didn’t Impress the staff (enough) despite winning that game. Of course they’ll have to go with Yarnell if Slovis gets hurt again, but I don’t believe we will see a change otherwise, especially now that we’re done with the “easy” opponents for the most part.

FWIW, Patti was on the sideline in uniform tonight.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Two more things to add.

- OL easily played their best game of the year, after playing maybe their worst last week. Pass pro was outstanding and they had 300+ yard rusher.

- Pistol formation, honestly not sure how much it was used in the past, but they had some success out of it tonight.

 

[Pantherguy4]

IZZY IS GREAT! HAIL TO PITT!

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Starting to look like the Watson offense. If so, Patti better option going forward. He can throw 5 yds and at least would avoid a sack or make the sticks once.

 

[DruidTM]

If Patti were healthy, I think there would have been a change during last week’s game or during this. But he’s not, and Yarnell is too green. Obviously his holding the fort during the WMU game didn’t Impress the staff (enough) despite winning that game. Of course they’ll have to go with Yarnell if Slovis gets hurt again, but I don’t believe we will see a change otherwise, especially now that we’re done with the “easy” opponents for the most part.

Yeah I really don’t get the people yelling for Yarnell yesterday

he did fine versus WMU and wasn’t asked to do a lot. VT no matter what would have presented a much tougher defense for him and putting him in as his *2nd* game since 2019? No thanks.

rewatching the game I’m seeing some stuff by Slovis thrown away that probably shouldn’t have been. I’m not sure what the hesitation is. I’m also seeing some drops as well. He hasn’t looked the same since Tennessee in any event.

 

[HailtoPitt]

He reminds me a bit of Willie Parker in his prime but obviously more stout. Once he gets to the second level, you better make the tackle or it is off to the races.

His 80 yard TD came off that "primitive and 'obsolete' " off-set i formation with 7 linemen and a fullback against 8 defenders in the box. Just goes to show if you execute a play well according to design, good things happen. You don't always have to get him the ball in space and I imagine the offense will do even better as a change of pace once Hammond starts getting carries in those power sets.

As others have said, if the passing game was even the slightest bit more threatening, we could be doing serious damage through PA. Gotta work with what we have though the rest of the way.

That's true, they did have 8 guys in the box, but Pitt still had 1 WR spread out on that play and they were doing a much better job this game of mixing up the play calling. You can't run that formation for 90% of the game though. Seems like that's what happened last week against GT and Pitt moved the ball and scored in that game only when they weren't in that big formation. But Cignetti kept trying to ram the square peg... and the result was a bad loss.

This team isn't bad unless the offensive at calling is one dimensional.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Yeah I really don’t get the people yelling for Yarnell yesterday

he did fine versus WMU and wasn’t asked to do a lot. VT no matter what would have presented a much tougher defense for him and putting him in as his *2nd* game since 2019? No thanks.

rewatching the game I’m seeing some stuff by Slovis thrown away that probably shouldn’t have been. I’m not sure what the hesitation is. I’m also seeing some drops as well. He hasn’t looked the same since Tennessee in any event.

Yarnell looks good to me. Work him in some, but then Patti will probably transfer.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Interesting that on the Huddle late last night the panel attributed most of Izzy's success to the OL blocking and indicating that other than his speed not much credit was due to his running skills. Specifically, they commented at one point that some of the holes he had to run through "you could drive a truck through."

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

He was bad today while having open receivers and all day to throw. He was bad for 90% of the game last week.

It's the biggest problem with the offense. It has to be talked about.

like I posted in another thread...very much a 1987 vibe for the oldtimers here. Kept hoping the transfer Genilla would light it up but he went into a shell and it was all Ironhead. Beginning to feel that is happening here now. Only so much the OC can do, players have to perform

 

[jivecat]

Slovis did enough to win and we did not see many turnovers. I think the WRs share some of the blame. There were 3-4 instances where they ran bad routes or gave up on the running route.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Here's one of those big bunched up formations I'm talking about from the GT game. It's 3rd and 5 and GT stuffed 9 guys in the box. What is Cignetti thinking here? We ran this A LOT during the GT game. It almost never worked. Yesterday was much more balanced.

 

[Section 509]

Yet out fans want to air it out.

It's not that we want to air it out we just want some semblance of a passing game and the combination of slovis and cignetti It's not happening

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Here's one of those big bunched up formations I'm talking about from the GT game. It's 3rd and 5 and GT stuffed 9 guys in the box. What is Cignetti thinking here? We ran this A LOT during the GT game. It almost never worked. Yesterday was much more balanced.

That's a bunch, but not a big formation. That's 3 WRs, one back and a TE.

 

[HailtoPitt]

That's a bunch, but not a big formation. That's 3 WRs, one back and a TE.

That makes it even worse. A WR might throw a nice block, but he will certainly make a guy follow him out wide.

I'm not against it, but it's needed to be balanced much, much more against GT. We lost that game because of it.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

That makes it even worse. A WR might throw a nice block, but he will certainly make a guy follow him out wide.

I'm not against it, but it's needed to be balanced much, much more against GT. We lost that game because of it.

We lost the GT game because of non stop mistakes and poor play, not the bunch formation.

 

[HailtoPitt]

We lost the GT game because of non stop mistakes and poor play, not the bunch formation.

They lost because of scoring too few points. This team should have lit GT up if the gameplan was a tad more balanced and less predictable.

 

[TD_6082]

It's not that we want to air it out we just want some semblance of a passing game and the combination of slovis and cignetti It's not happening

That's a crazy statement to make.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

They lost because of scoring too few points. This team should have lit GT up if the gameplan was a tad more balanced and less predictable.

Well, scoring too few points is why everyone loses.

Dropped Int for a TD provides points, dropped ints take away field position which could lead to points. Roughing kickers at the goal line take away field position. Bad QB play, injuries to #1 RBs, and multiple turnovers hurt offense. There are a lot of reasons they scored less.

And lots of teams run bunch formations with success, both running and throwing out of it. Big Ben made a living out of that formation.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

Our wide receivers arent great. Bunch formations are useful to do little rubs and crossing patterns. I don't think spreading out more generally makes sense with this offense. We can run inside and outside zone very effectively from the formations we have. I don't think Cignetti is play action averse (Billy stull did a ton of it under him), hopefully we'll see it more effectively used.

 

[4upmc]

I don't think Cignetti is play action averse (Billy stull did a ton of it under him), hopefully we'll see it more effectively used.

Play action would work with the way we are running. But there is one problem…our QB is scared to throw the ball and super slow to make decisions. He admitted he hesitated and didn’t throw the post to the wide open Wayne. Right now he is clearly a different QB from the Tenn game. Maybe it’s mental from the big hits. Early next game if he shows he’s mentally not ready we need to make a quick change.