I mentioned this in another thread and in the notebook on the front page of the site, but here are a few more notes on Pitt's usage of the Delta package in Saturday's game.
- To refresh, the Delta package is primarily used on third down. The coaches take the nose tackle (Tyrique Jarrett) off the field and add an extra DB (Dennis Briggs). Usually, they also take Oluwaseun Idowu off and bring in Quintin Wirginis. So the first-team personnel for the package looks like this:
DL - Ejuan Price, Shakir Soto, Rori Blair
LB - Mike Caprara, Matt Galambos, Quintin Wirginis
DB - Avonte Maddox, Terrish Webb, Jordan Whitehead, Dennis Briggs, Ryan Lewis
- On Saturday, the coaches used the Delta package nine times. Oklahoma State didn't run against the Delta package at all; all nine plays were drop-backs for Mason Rudolph, and on those nine plays, Rudolph completed 3-of-6 passes for 37 yards. He was also sacked twice and dropped for a one-yard loss on what was officially ruled a rushing attempt (although it looked like a sack).
- All 9 times when the staff used the Delta package were on third down. Oklahoma State converted 2 of those 9 third downs. In the game, Oklahoma State was 6-of-15 on third down, so 7 of the 9 failed conversion attempts came against the Delta package.
- Pitt used the Delta package just twice in the first half (both came in the first quarter). The first time that personnel grouping came on the field was for third-and-17 on Oklahoma State's second drive; that time, Pitt dropped 8 defenders into coverage, and Rudolph completed a 20-yard pass.
- There was only one other snap where Pitt didn't send at least 5 rushers out of the Delta package. Facing a 5 or 6-man pressure from the Delta package, Rudolph completed 2-of-5 for 17 yards and was sacked twice (and had that one-yard rushing loss).
- Really, the only negative to come from the Delta package - aside from the 20-yard pass - was when Pitt had to burn a timeout in the third quarter because Wirginis didn't come onto the field and the Panthers were left with 10 players.
Incidentally, after the 20-yard pass on third-and-17 in the first quarter, the transition from Delta package back to base defense didn't go well - Pitt only had one defensive end on the field and played the snap with 10 defenders. That one ended up as an incomplete pass.
- But overall, given the success the Delta package had pretty much the entire game, it's a little surprising the coaches only used it on third down. With Oklahoma State's passing game rolling like it was, breaking it out on earlier downs might have been worth trying.
- To refresh, the Delta package is primarily used on third down. The coaches take the nose tackle (Tyrique Jarrett) off the field and add an extra DB (Dennis Briggs). Usually, they also take Oluwaseun Idowu off and bring in Quintin Wirginis. So the first-team personnel for the package looks like this:
DL - Ejuan Price, Shakir Soto, Rori Blair
LB - Mike Caprara, Matt Galambos, Quintin Wirginis
DB - Avonte Maddox, Terrish Webb, Jordan Whitehead, Dennis Briggs, Ryan Lewis
- On Saturday, the coaches used the Delta package nine times. Oklahoma State didn't run against the Delta package at all; all nine plays were drop-backs for Mason Rudolph, and on those nine plays, Rudolph completed 3-of-6 passes for 37 yards. He was also sacked twice and dropped for a one-yard loss on what was officially ruled a rushing attempt (although it looked like a sack).
- All 9 times when the staff used the Delta package were on third down. Oklahoma State converted 2 of those 9 third downs. In the game, Oklahoma State was 6-of-15 on third down, so 7 of the 9 failed conversion attempts came against the Delta package.
- Pitt used the Delta package just twice in the first half (both came in the first quarter). The first time that personnel grouping came on the field was for third-and-17 on Oklahoma State's second drive; that time, Pitt dropped 8 defenders into coverage, and Rudolph completed a 20-yard pass.
- There was only one other snap where Pitt didn't send at least 5 rushers out of the Delta package. Facing a 5 or 6-man pressure from the Delta package, Rudolph completed 2-of-5 for 17 yards and was sacked twice (and had that one-yard rushing loss).
- Really, the only negative to come from the Delta package - aside from the 20-yard pass - was when Pitt had to burn a timeout in the third quarter because Wirginis didn't come onto the field and the Panthers were left with 10 players.
Incidentally, after the 20-yard pass on third-and-17 in the first quarter, the transition from Delta package back to base defense didn't go well - Pitt only had one defensive end on the field and played the snap with 10 defenders. That one ended up as an incomplete pass.
- But overall, given the success the Delta package had pretty much the entire game, it's a little surprising the coaches only used it on third down. With Oklahoma State's passing game rolling like it was, breaking it out on earlier downs might have been worth trying.
