The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pitt hoping to stay close in ACC Coastal
ATLANTA — Georgia Tech can have a say in the congested ACC Coastal Division race the next two weeks.
Pittsburgh (5-3, 2-2 ACC) visits the Yellow Jackets (2-5, 1-3) today. Georgia Tech plays at Virginia, one of the co-leaders in the division, next week.
The Panthers will try to rebound from a loss to Miami last week and stay close to the Coastal lead. They are one of four teams in the division with two conference losses.
The loss to Miami snapped a four-game winning streak.
Pitt can gain bowl eligibility with a win.
The Yellow Jackets’ optimism has been on the rise, even though they sit at the bottom of the Coastal, looking up at a pack of four teams with only two conference losses. First-year coach Geoff Collins’ team snapped a fourgame losing streak by beating Miami two weeks ago.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said Tech’s offense is difficult to predict under Collins, the former Temple coach.
“We’ve gone back and watched all the Temple stuff, and very creative,” Narduzzi said. “I think every week there’s a new offense as far as what they try to do and try to create, so you kind of don’t know what you’re going to get offensively (today).”
While redshirt freshman quarterback James Graham gains confidence in the passing game, the Yellow Jackets have tried to find different ways to make a running game led by Jordan Mason remain difficult to predict.
Mason ran for 141 yards against Miami.
“His ability to see the hole and cut and just make dudes miss is unbelievable,” Graham said.
Pitt outgained Miami 322208 and still couldn’t find a way to finish off the Hurricanes. A half-dozen dropped passes didn’t help, including a pair on a last-gasp drive after the Hurricanes rallied to take the lead. Narduzzi, however, is confident the issue won’t linger against the Yellow Jackets.
“It’s like what do you do when a kicker is missing them,” he said. “You love him up, you put your arm around him and try to get the best out of him. The big thing is you’ve got to let it go, and if you let it fester (it’s dangerous).”
For the first time since the Panthers joined the ACC in 2013 that Pitt didn’t have to dedicate a portion of each practice during training camp on how to slow down Georgia Tech’s triple-option offense. In past years, the Panthers would spend 10-15 minutes a day on the Yellow Jackets during the summer so they wouldn’t require a crash course the week of the game.