Va. Tech rough on the corners
several big moments early, stiffening in the red zone to keep the Panthers in the game. That was during a disastrous first quarter that included four Pitt penalties, two turnovers, no first downs and 12 total yards.
So it was not, by any means, all on the defense. But when winning time came, when the score was tied, 29-29, deep into the fourth quarter, the defense wilted. It gave up a long fieldgoal drive, then a 31-second touchdown drive of 57 yards and then couldn’t hold on at the end, surrendering a first down on three consecutive running plays and thus depriving the offense of one last shot.
Large picture, nobody can fairly judge Narduzzi for another year or two. He’s doing OK. He beat Penn State. He also has a couple of big opportunities ahead — at Miami and at No. 3 Clemson (a scary thought). But at this point, it’s fair to say the results have not lived up to the hype.
I keep hearing about all the excitement Narduzzi has engendered and how different his Pitt teams are from those of recent vintage. I just don’t see it. Let’s go back to August, when athletic director Scott Barnes proudly proclaimed the sale of a program-record 55,630 full season-tickets. Where are all those people? Where have they been for most of the season? Where were they Thursday night, ’cause it sure looked like most Pitt home games that don’t involve Penn State or Notre Dame. Empty yellow seats everywhere.
Twenty-one games into his tenure, Narduzzi is 11-8 against major college competition and has yet to beat a ranked team (0-3).
And this defense. My goodness. Like pretty much everyone else, Virginia Tech repeatedly attacked Pitt’s secondary with 50/50 passes down the sidelines — a “fade fest,” Narduzzi called it. Pitt didn’t win nearly enough of those battles, as evidenced by the fact that the Hokies emerged with three 100-yard receivers for the first time in their program’s 122-year history. That’s not good. “Our corners were in position to make plays,” Narduzzi said. “Gotta make one.”
Just about every player in Pitt’s secondary was victimized by junior Isaiah Ford, who must have been targeted 700 times, or 6-foot-7 junior Bucky Hodges. Even true freshman Damar Hamlin got into the act for Pitt, making his first appearance of the season early in the fourth quarter. It didn’t go especially well.
The way the game was trending in the second half, you got the feeling James Conner was going to will Pitt to victory. He was downright inspirational in a 141-yard, three-touchdown performance. But his magic ran out on a failed three-and-out series with Pitt trailing 32-29.
“I wish we gave it to him 15 more times,” Narduzzi said. “I wish we had the ball enough to do that.”
Offensive coordinator Matt Canada went all trickor-treat on a couple of plays. On one he called for receiver Tre Tipton to take a handoff and throw to quarterback Nate Peterman. It worked for 11 yards to the Virginia Tech 6. Conner scored on the next play to make it 9-7.
Later, right tackle Brian O’Neill, lined up on the left, received a handoff for a 5yard touchdown. O’Neill leads the nation (I’m pretty sure) in touchdowns by right tackles. That was his second.
With one final chance, having just scored to cut the Hokies’ lead to 39-36 with 2:31 left, Narduzzi could have tried an onside kick. He instead trusted his defense to make a stop.
That’s not good.