Points per game in 2025

[jivecat]

PITT averaged 32.9 points per game last year (2024) which was up about 12 points from 2023. I find it hard to believe that we will increase too much more in 2025 and would be happy with a repeat. I would say that giving up 24.5 would be a recipe for success but that really was not the case. If you had to pick one area for improvement, would you go offense or defense?

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

i'd love to get back to having a very high pressure Defense with good DEs, and stopping the run. i know we were and always will be susceptible to giving up deep balls and i dont think that will change. but man do i miss that little 3-4 year run of being able to pressure the qb with our front 4..

Give up a deep ball or two is fine if you can sack the qb, 4+ times a game, get numerous more pressures when they drop back and cause turnovers.

In short, i miss Charlie P.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Good question. The last truly explosive offense we had, 2021, averaged 39ppg, which meant a +14pt average differential with the defense only allowing 25ppg… not great (46th nationally), but good enough.

Averaging 33ppg in 2024 should’ve been “good enough,” but not so when the defense allowed 29ppg (86th nationally). Had we averaged just four points less, which would’ve been equal to 2021, we likely finish 9-3 instead of 7-5.

Also, keep in mind that PPG total for our offense would’ve been even higher if Holstein was healthy. We needed our defense to step up in his absence and get some stops down the stretch, but they were unable to do so. With that in mind, give me an improved defense.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Also, something else to keep in mind: Among the Top 10 defenses nationally, six were CFP participants, including #1-3 (ND, Texas, Ohio State).

In contrast, only four CFP teams made up the Top 10 offenses.