5-0.... unreal. I admittedly picked UNC to win the game 34-30 yesterday and truly didn't think Pitt could do enough on Defense to stop UNC. They proved me wrong, and while they didn't play great - they seemingly are doing just enough to mask their weaknesses and make big plays when they need to step up. Here are my Top 5 thoughts from the game:
1.) Offensively Kade Bell 100% was dialing up play after play to get guys open and put his players in position in to succeed. I believe Holstein is obviously doing his part and is playing really well, but at the same time Bell's ability to get the WR's open and putting Reid in position to succeed is highly impressive for a first year OC. It can't be overstated what kind of turnaround this unit has made from the debacle we all had to witness last year...
2.) Des Reid. Absolute stud, who refuses to be tackled and is as explosive as they come in college football. I've seen the Deuce Vaughn comparison from K-State a few years back and his game is spot on to that player comp. He is so good at catching the ball out of the backfield and I love that Bell is always looking for creative ways to get him the football. I'd make a strong argument that to this point in the season Reid is currently Pitt's most irreplaceable player.
3.) I did not love the gameplan from Randy Bates yesterday at all.... Did Pitt's Defense do enough to make big plays when needed? Yes. But IMO it was very clearly evident that Pitt rushing 4 simply was not working and I didn't think he did enough to free up his linebackers to make more plays. I thought he needed to go with much more Cover 0 - Cover 1 type of defense rather than straight zone and Cover 2. Crisswell was never going to do enough to beat them with his arm and the throws he made were because of the time he had in the pocket.
4.) I am starting to come around on the D-Line's ability to constantly get better as the season gets on. It's clear that the young guys are simply not developed enough at this stage to get off of blocks well enough and simply do not provide much of any pass rush. However I love the flashes that the young guys like Fitzsimmons, Brewu and Edwards show throughout the game. They are going to be very, very good in a few years, but unfortunately that isn't helping much now. Nate Matlack, and Elliot Donald have been massive disappointments in my eyes. Two older players that haven't shown me anything.
5.) Narduzzi / Bell's 5 min offense in that 4th quarter was an absolute abomination, and had that ball been Picked off from Holstein in the final 2 min of the game, Narduzzi should've been crucified in the post game press conference. They mismanaged that clock to unbelievable degrees on offense. In NO situation do you need to go for a "kill shot" when you have the kind of kicking game Pitt has with Sauls. As soon as that football was inside the 30 yard line there was ZERO reason to put the ball in the air from that point on. Can't convince me otherwise on that point.... that was not good.
Cal Preview: Pitt is 5-0 and in the Top 25 again and the team needs PGH to show up next Saturday. Cal losing a 25 point lead to Miami and coming across the country to lick their wounds should result in Pitt being prepared to make a statement. I do think Cal is a solid team and of course it's not a team to take lightly, but if Pitt can jump on them early with the crowd at it's back I love the chances for us to go 6-0 and into a primetime showdown with the Cuse on the 24th.
H2P!!
1.) Offensively Kade Bell 100% was dialing up play after play to get guys open and put his players in position in to succeed. I believe Holstein is obviously doing his part and is playing really well, but at the same time Bell's ability to get the WR's open and putting Reid in position to succeed is highly impressive for a first year OC. It can't be overstated what kind of turnaround this unit has made from the debacle we all had to witness last year...
2.) Des Reid. Absolute stud, who refuses to be tackled and is as explosive as they come in college football. I've seen the Deuce Vaughn comparison from K-State a few years back and his game is spot on to that player comp. He is so good at catching the ball out of the backfield and I love that Bell is always looking for creative ways to get him the football. I'd make a strong argument that to this point in the season Reid is currently Pitt's most irreplaceable player.
3.) I did not love the gameplan from Randy Bates yesterday at all.... Did Pitt's Defense do enough to make big plays when needed? Yes. But IMO it was very clearly evident that Pitt rushing 4 simply was not working and I didn't think he did enough to free up his linebackers to make more plays. I thought he needed to go with much more Cover 0 - Cover 1 type of defense rather than straight zone and Cover 2. Crisswell was never going to do enough to beat them with his arm and the throws he made were because of the time he had in the pocket.
4.) I am starting to come around on the D-Line's ability to constantly get better as the season gets on. It's clear that the young guys are simply not developed enough at this stage to get off of blocks well enough and simply do not provide much of any pass rush. However I love the flashes that the young guys like Fitzsimmons, Brewu and Edwards show throughout the game. They are going to be very, very good in a few years, but unfortunately that isn't helping much now. Nate Matlack, and Elliot Donald have been massive disappointments in my eyes. Two older players that haven't shown me anything.
5.) Narduzzi / Bell's 5 min offense in that 4th quarter was an absolute abomination, and had that ball been Picked off from Holstein in the final 2 min of the game, Narduzzi should've been crucified in the post game press conference. They mismanaged that clock to unbelievable degrees on offense. In NO situation do you need to go for a "kill shot" when you have the kind of kicking game Pitt has with Sauls. As soon as that football was inside the 30 yard line there was ZERO reason to put the ball in the air from that point on. Can't convince me otherwise on that point.... that was not good.
Cal Preview: Pitt is 5-0 and in the Top 25 again and the team needs PGH to show up next Saturday. Cal losing a 25 point lead to Miami and coming across the country to lick their wounds should result in Pitt being prepared to make a statement. I do think Cal is a solid team and of course it's not a team to take lightly, but if Pitt can jump on them early with the crowd at it's back I love the chances for us to go 6-0 and into a primetime showdown with the Cuse on the 24th.
H2P!!
