Villanova - What Do You Want to See?

[9nationalchampionships]

For me in no order:

How the OL opens holes for RBs
How the OL pass blocks
Is JC JC
Will Nate go deep
How disruptive are the DEs
Can the LBs pass defend on the outside
No one gets hurt
What freshmen play

 

[kma0043]

Large halftime lead which allows for depth players to play.
Ball security
0 injuries
Conner to get a dozen or so carries and a TD
A comfortable 20 point win

 

[Jakey_John]

O injuries is key. That and a win. I don't care how. Wins don't need to be pretty.

 

[Jpripper88]

Definitely would love to see JC play well. The defense has some serious questions at LB and CB, so I want to see if they are challenged at all and how they respond/play. I'd also like to see us attempt to get the ball to Weah and other WRs and see if there is anything there that can help us and actually boost our offense.

 

[steel_curtain]

For me in no order:

How the OL opens holes for RBs
How the OL pass blocks
Is JC JC
Will Nate go deep
How disruptive are the DEs
Can the LBs pass defend on the outside
No one gets hurt
What freshmen play

-I want to see this team play to its strengths right out of the gate. That means

1) Over 300+ rush yards and 4 rushing TD's as a team, minimum

2) Villanova less than 200 yards total offense for the entire game, and less than 7 points for the entire game

3) Zero Pitt turnovers, that means you Nate Peterman

4) 1 False Start Penalty or less for the entire game

5) And Probably most importantly, Pitt's defensive line. The predictions on the line are everywhere from a strength to a weakness. Villanova gets held to 50 rush yards or less, and Price and Hendrix completely take the game over, which I expect them to do setting the message early that Pitt's DE's are arguably the best DE duo in the country. I also want to see Watts and Camp, both of which are highly underrated in terms of value going into the season.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Nice call on the no false starts.....I will up that and hope for 1 penalty or less

-I want to see this team play to its strengths right out of the gate. That means

1) Over 300+ rush yards and 4 rushing TD's as a team, minimum

2) Villanova less than 200 yards total offense for the entire game, and less than 7 points for the entire game

3) Zero Pitt turnovers, that means you Nate Peterman

4) 1 False Start Penalty or less for the entire game

5) And Probably most importantly, Pitt's defensive line. The predictions on the line are everywhere from a strength to a weakness. Villanova gets held to 50 rush yards or less, and Price and Hendrix completely take the game over, which I expect them to do setting the message early that Pitt's DE's are arguably the best DE duo in the country. I also want to see Watts and Camp, both of which are highly underrated in terms of value going into the season.

 

[HailToPitt725]

- James Conner comes back as James Conner.

- Nate Peterman looking comfortable in the new offense, even if it is only slightly different.

- A 2nd receiver to step up along side Dontez Ford.

- The front seven is as good as advertised with DeWayne Hendrix

- The secondary to limit Villanova to <100 passing yards.

And most importantly... Everyone stays healthy

 

[President Stache]

I would just like to find a second receiver.

I would also like to see Hendrix dominate

I want a win

 

[ratking17]

I want a game like Delaware a few years back. I want to work in 2nd and 3rd string qbs. I want a packed house for this team that has the makings of something special

 

[eastcoasthoops]

I want to see...

a James Conner stiff arm.
a crisp passing game.
a defensive line pressuring the QB.
no injuries.
a couple of white puffy clouds in the sky so I don't get sizzled.

 

[Parkview57]

A total shutdown by our defense.

 

[runshadyrun]

I'd like to see them give the ball to James every play on the first drive, pound it down the field and let the offensive line take away their will to stop the run early

 

[PittMan 72]

For me in no order:

How the OL opens holes for RBs
How the OL pass blocks
Is JC JC
Will Nate go deep
How disruptive are the DEs
Can the LBs pass defend on the outside
No one gets hurt
What freshmen play

In this game I'll be very happy with just 4 things:

1. A solid Pitt win.
2. A successful, healthy & hopefully very productive return to the field by James Conner. He deserves it!
3. A lot of Pitt players get to see game action so the coaches can get a better feel for what they have.
4. Pitt comes out of the game totally unscathed in terms of injuries across the board.

 

[steel_curtain]

I'd like to see them give the ball to James every play on the first drive, pound it down the field and let the offensive line take away their will to stop the run early

-Im 100% game for this too. Just sit Peterman on the bench, line Conner up in the barge formation, and pound it 80 yards down the field.

 

[Large Panther]

A good, old-fashioned beatdown.

 

[DruidTM]

Can I ask why anyone is singling out Peterman? I don't remember him being some turnover machine and in fact the one sticking out big time was the Iowa red zone pick? The guy was pretty consistent from my view

 

[TheOldDirtyPanther]

Back-ups!

 

[steel_curtain]

Can I ask why anyone is singling out Peterman? I don't remember him being some turnover machine and in fact the one sticking out big time was the Iowa red zone pick? The guy was pretty consistent from my view

-8 Int's last year, and 8 fumbles last year. That's bad ball control for a run heavy team when Peterman shouldnt be running or throwing that much. He just has to hand the ball off. Our backups should be able to handle that much.

 

[Delpanther]

Total control.

 

[sherepower]

Peterman is going to put on a show this year. He will be a top 3 or 4 QB in the ACC.

I heard he has looked like a machine in camp

 

[PHATWOOD]

1. No silliness.
2. By that I mean a Division I football team that comes out and just handles it's damn business without peeing down it's leg.
3. Jester Weah. Or someone else proving they can force a defense to respect them deep.
4. Alex Officer giving us more than his successor.
5. Solid D line play.
6. Ryan Lewis not getting chewed on all day.
7. That's all for starters.

 

[OriginalEther]

O injuries is key. That and a win. I don't care how. Wins don't need to be pretty.

This.
Crushing Delaware in 2014 didn't really mean a whole lot.

 

[Pitt79]

This.
Crushing Delaware in 2014 didn't really mean a whole lot.

I want to see 62-0, just for the fun of it on this particular day, I don't care what it "means" beyond that.

 

[pittdan77]

No injuries and not have to show anything.

 

[OriginalEther]

I want to see 62-0, just for the fun of it on this particular day, I don't care what it "means" beyond that.

I agree with that part. That Delaware game was fun and stress free to watch.

But you and I know the op is likely viewing this game as a barometer for the rest of the season. Struggle against Nova and most here will think Pitt will have a bad season.
Crush them and hey, Pitt might be on to something. Well, pitt crushing Delaware didn't mean that. Akron was four weeks later. Oops.

Like someone else said, win and suffer no injuries.

 

[Pitt79]

If they are on the upswing as most believe, they "should" have no problem with 'Nova, if not 62-0, then 38-17, with it not being in doubt, would be OK too. I would be upset if the game was in doubt in the 4th quarter, just sayin'. Narduzzi is so well regarded and expected to bring this program UP, but he still has to prove it. A win where they ''had 'em all the way!" like The Gunner used to say, is not too much to ask for.

 

[H2P-2007]

In this game I'll be very happy with just 4 things:

1. A solid Pitt win.
2. A successful, healthy & hopefully very productive return to the field by James Conner. He deserves it!
3. A lot of Pitt players get to see game action so the coaches can get a better feel for what they have.
4. Pitt comes out of the game totally unscathed in terms of injuries across the board.

Building on your #3, I'd like to see Pitt D play well and the O get out to a decent lead so the coaching staff can use the second half as an extension of the preseason (i.e. work out kinks, audition players for backup/special team roles, practice plays that maybe havent totally caught on yet, etc.).

 

[jtbuba]

1. A big win with no injuries.
2. JC having a great day.
3. Weah with a one hand leaping catch for a TD.
4. An intimidating mulling, nasty defense.
5. Wish everyone a great day..

HAIL TO PITT

 

[PantherO]

1) No INJURIES!
2) Domination while running vanilla packages
3) Backups in the game

 

[ratking17]

Overcast skies in September is always appreciated

 

[anon_vmuicqnzlyp3u]

I want to see a P5 team handle an FCS team like they should with no doubts about.

 

[Pitt5593]

Defense. Defense and more defense.

 

[OriginalEther]

In lieu on Pitt79's comments, I decided to do some quick research on what FCS teams around Villanova's caliber (ranked #22 preseason) do against BCS teams for the past few years.

I included preseason #18-#25, plus final. Some of the preseason teams ended up being below .500
2015 preseason
#18 Richmond - lost to Maryland 51-20
#21 Indiana State - lost to Purdue 38-14
#22 Idaho State - lost to Boise State 52-0
#24 Stephen F Austin - lost to TCU 70-7

2015 Final
#21 North Carolina AT&T - lost to North Carolina 53-14
#22 Western Illinois - lost to Illinois 44-0
#24 Grambling - lost to Cal 73-14
#25 Eastern Illinois - lost to Northwestern 41-0

2014 preseason
#19 William & Mary - lost to Virginia Tech 34-9
#20 Richmond - lost to Virginia 45-13
#21 Furman - lost to South Carolina 41-10
#24 Youngstown State - lost to Illinois 28-17
#25 Maine - lost to Boston College 40-10

2014 Final
#19 Sam Houston State - lost to LSU 56-0
#24 Idaho State - lost to 56-14
#25 Indiana State - lost to Indiana 28-10

The only FCS team to defeat a non-bottom feeder (i.e. not a place like Kansas) was Portland State defeating Washington State 24-17 last year.
Not sure if anyone will count Northwestern State beating Louisiana Tech in 2014.

For giggles, I looked to see how the final Top 10 FCS did last year.
#2 Jacksonville State - lost to Auburn 26-20 (OT)
#3 Sam Houston State - lost to Texas Tech 59-45
#4 Richmond - see above
#5 Illinois State - lost to Iowa 31-14
#8 Northern Iowa - lost to Iowa State 31-7
#9 Chattanooga - lost to Florida State 52-13
#10 Portland State - see above

So I guess I was a bit wrong. Unless Villanova is grossly underrated, Pitt should win comfortably; it's the higher ranked FCS teams that are predictably more troublesome.
Of course, I'll still take a close win with no injuries over a blow out win where 5 starters go down.