Pitt Notebook: Passing Game Kept Under Wraps Vs. PSU, LINK!

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

EXCERPTS:

The best teams seek and achieve balance on offense, but Pitt has won its first two games without a passing game. That's fine if the running game is solid and the Panthers don't fall behind — they haven't trailed yet through eight quarters — but Pitt enters the first difficult phase of its season Saturday at Oklahoma State................

Is offensive coordinator Matt Canada holding back quarterback Nathan Peterman? That was the game plan against Penn State............

“Coach Narduzzi said, ‘You know what? If we can run the ball every play (against Penn State), we're going to,' ” offensive tackle Brian O'Neill said. Canada called a balanced game the week before against Villanova (34 runs, 33 passes), and drew praise from Narduzzi on Saturday. “Coach Canada had 350 plays on his wristband,” Narduzzi said. “We had a couple more we didn't call.”

“We had some foolish penalties out there at times that we're not going to take,” Narduzzi said. “I'm not opposed to some tough penalties.” He did concede this much: “We have a tough football team.” Pitt is 73rd in the nation in fewest penalties committed (13).

Pitt allowed Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley, who made his second career start, to throw for 332 yards. On the Nittany Lions' final possession, they converted a fourth-and-16 with a 34-yard completion to DeAndre Thompkins two snaps after DaeSean Hamilton dropped a pass that looked like a touchdown. “We'll clean that up,” Narduzzi said. “That won't happen again. There are still a lot of things we have to improve.”

MORE AT THE LINK:
http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/11122824-74/pitt-state-game

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Pitt News has Pitt Losing LINK:

Pitt unable to rebound from slow start, lose to Oklahoma State
LINK TO WINK:
http://pittnews.com/article/2492/sp...bound-from-slow-start-lose-to-oklahoma-state/

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Penn State notebook: Barkley unsatisfied with big performance
The sophomore running back scored five touchdowns against the Panthers, accounting for 30 of the Penn State's 39 points. A fourth quarter field goal, four extra points and a successful two-point conversion amounted for the other Nittany Lions points.......“It doesn't really matter, to be honest, because we didn't win,” Barkley said of his five-score performance. “I'd rather have one touchdown and win like we did against Kent State.” Barkley's 30 points against the Panthers ranks fourth all-time among Penn State players in a single game. Ki-Jana Carter was the last Lions player to score that many points in a game, doing it against Michigan State in 1994..........“(Conner) said he thinks I'm a really good running back. He watches my film,” Barkley said. “He said I'm unbelievable.”.......

McSorley launched an over-the-shoulder deep pass to Hamilton about 40 yards down the sideline, which fell incomplete through the normally reliable receiver's hands. Had Hamilton held on, he had an easy path to the end zone for the go-ahead score. Hamilton said it was the worst he had ever felt after a loss. “They all hurt, but honestly this one has a greater magnitude to it,” Hamilton said. “Especially because of how hard we fought as a team and us having each other's backs throughout the whole game caused this to hurt the most.” .........

Offensive tackle Andrew Nelson, however, knew exactly where he stood on the matter, and he didn't take the same stance his coach did. “It's absolutely a rivalry,” Nelson said. “We may not have played for 16 years, or whatever it is, but these are two big-time PA teams. “It's been a rivalry for decades, and we all knew it was going to be that way coming in.

http://triblive.com/sports/college/pennstate/11122854-74/barkley-state-game