Pitt’s offense finally comes alive as of late

“Sometimes it clicks.”

And yes, DiNucci continues doing enough to get the job done and keep the quarterback situation settled as he gets more and more live snaps under his belt.

“Anytime you get a guy out there and you can see how he reacts in a game to find out what he does well, what he’s not doing well, what do we change, what can we do better, it certainly helps you that way,” Narduzzi said.

But as the rest of the offense takes shape — while winning — it’s doing so mostly without a couple of key pieces, those two wide receivers who projected to be as dynamic a duo as there is in the ACC.

One year removed from totaling 917 yards of offense, Henderson isn’t even a third of the way there in 2017. Weah, meanwhile, has eclipsed 100 yards receiving in just two games, and has otherwise been held below 75.

Let’s start with Henderson, whose 75-yard punt return touchdown the previous time out against Virginia was a reminder of what he can do with the ball in his hands, but also of how little he has done with it other than on special teams.

“He’s got to get open,” Narduzzi said Monday. “We’ve got to get him the ball in the run game, as well, but the look has got to be what we need it to be. And then we’ve got to find ways to get it in his hands and make it like a punt return, so we’ll see.

“We’ve just got to keep trying to get it in his hands, and then he’s got to make plays when he gets it. He’s had opportunities to get the ball and stumbled around, so he’s got to start to visualize some big plays on offense.”

Indeed, Henderson does have 25 rushing attempts on the year, but only six have gone for double-digit yardage, and four of those came in the season opener against Youngstown State. As for the passing game, it’s still a bit of a mystery as to why he has just 13 catches for 140 yards, both of which rank seventh on the team.

“I feel like I just need to work in open space, get open for the quarterback, make plays whenever I get the ball,” Henderson said. “I don’t feel like [getting open] is the problem. I feel like everybody on the team is getting open, so Ben is going through his progression reads, reading the safeties, reading the linebackers, and just getting the best player the ball on the field, whoever’s open.”

In some cases, that’s been Weah, but not as often lately. He’s still the leading receiver but has just four grabs in this two-game winning streak, and he’ll have to really get hot down the stretch to surpass his 870 yards and 10 touchdowns from a year ago.

Narduzzi has said that Weah is seeing more double coverage with a safety over top of him, and it helps that Rafael Araujo-Lopes has stepped up as a reliable target in the middle of the field, so don’t expect DiNucci to start forcing it to his senior target the rest of the way.

“In the pass game, you can’t look for a guy,” Narduzzi said. “I think you get in trouble when you look for a guy. … You have to do what your quarterback coach tells you to do and read your coverage.”

Henderson and Weah each noted that their next opponent, North Carolina, has cornerbacks who use their hands well to jam wideouts at the line of scrimmage. Senior M.J. Stewart was honorable mention all-ACC last season, and safety Donnie Miles is a fouryear starter.

But even with that experience, the Tar Heels rank last in the ACC with 21 touchdown passes allowed, so perhaps this is the week a breakout is coming for Pitt’s big-time receivers. The offense could still use their help.

• NOTE — Pitt’s final road game, Nov. 18 at Virginia Tech, will kick off at 12:20 p.m. and be broadcast locally on WTAE.