#H2P... PITT IS IT! - A Pitt Panthers Dynasty (NCAA 14)

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FEELING BLUE (AND GOLD)
Report by Matt Schmidlin | October 1, 2022





Three Thoughts from the Peanut Gallery

1. Lockdown the Skies

Pitt is blessed with a trio of stellar corners, with juniors Damian Vector and Scott Whaley on the outside and speedy third year sophomore Bryan Jungling lining up in the slot. Add in true freshman Jordan Murphy Jr. playing significant minutes, and Pitt has tons of talent at cornerback. However, Pitt still found themselves giving up 262 YPG through the air, which whether that be due to gameplan or playing with the lead, still surely gives Pat Narduzzi some nightmares. The Panthers finally played up to their billing, giving Duke next to zero options downfield and holding the Blue Devils to just 121 air yards in a smothering effort. When Duke did test the Panthers downfield, Damian Vector was on hand to snare a pair of picks, including one beautiful tightroping grab in the second half.

2. Time for Trickeration

Pitt's playbook has certainly leaned into more motion, jet sweeps, and receiver options since Brennan Marion joined the offensive coaching staff this offseason. The Panthers have made sure to use the speed and shiftiness of both receiver Ceno Rodgers III and running back Da'vion Reynolds, while taking advantage of the mobility and running ability of quarterback CJ Kirk. Now they seem to be taking advantage of Kirk's ability as a receiver as well. The Panthers called a QB throwback at just the right time, with backup halfback Denaris Carter taking a handoff on a jet sweep before slinging the ball back across the field to an open Kirk, who scampered for sixty yards before being hauled down deep in Duke territory. While no one will confuse Kirk for another Panther QB turned WR (Jay Keyes, anyone?), the play showed ways the Panthers continue to add wrinkles offensively to keep opponents off balance.

3. Too Many Toys?

Admittedly this is a fan/viewer's complaint, certainly not a coach's one. But with Pitt's bevy of weapons offensively, they are actively sabotaging any chances of one player having a breakout offensive campaign and making a run for major hardware like a Heisman. No coach will ever bemoan having "too many options," but any time a player starts making a major national push like HB Da'vion Reynolds may have been making the past few weeks, another star steps up and pushes everyone else to the backseat. This time it was Ceno Rodgers III, who found paydirt on a pair of designed runs and relegated Reynolds to secondary scoring status. Either way, Pitt keeps winning, but Panther fans have no reason to tune into a Heisman watchlist any time soon.

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[Careless Whisper]

The throwback to Kirk definitely had me thinking Jay Keyes! What a fun game that must have been with getting other guys involved on offense and not having to lean on your big guns as much. Definitely feel like I jinxed the Reynolds for Heisman talk with how that played out - though that was no fault of his own! When you're 6-0 and flying, who cares who gets the accolades?

[jasontoddwhitt]

Over 500 yards of offense. You pretty much did what you wanted against their defense.

[moose141]

Quote: Originally Posted by Careless Whisper

The throwback to Kirk definitely had me thinking Jay Keyes! What a fun game that must have been with getting other guys involved on offense and not having to lean on your big guns as much. Definitely feel like I jinxed the Reynolds for Heisman talk with how that played out - though that was no fault of his own! When you're 6-0 and flying, who cares who gets the accolades?

Definitely some Keyes vibes there (which reminds me I completely forgot to report on the 2022 NFL Draft Class in the offseason to show where everyone like Keyes ended up; I will need to do that maybe on our next bye week)!

I do love the wrinkles that have been thrown into the playbook this year with the staff additions. Another great help is the CFB revamped team added (or I would assume replaced) a bunch of new plays with some more modern concepts, which I've worked into the playbook and has breathed a lot of life into the game!

No harm in jinxing Reynolds, he's always a factor and just win baby is definitely our mantra this year so far. Will be cool to get a guy in the Heisman watch one season, I feel like Keyes was robbed from it in his huge sophomore season and Kenny was one final season (needed that COVID 5th year!) away from really being in the Heisman mix. We'll see if anyone on the roster now can make a run one season!

Quote: Originally Posted by jasontoddwhitt

Over 500 yards of offense. You pretty much did what you wanted against their defense.

Duke has definitely been a team that we've had our way with most of this dynasty (along with Virginia), so they're definitely a team to try and right some of our offensive issues against.

Appreciate the comments, guys!

[moose141]

Around the NCAA: Week 6
Report by Matt Schmidlin | October 3, 2022



Top-Ranked Takedown!

A late score stunned #1 Oklahoma, as the Sooners fell at home, 42-41, to unranked TCU. The Horned Frogs scored on a 28-yard toss to B. Lee with just 1:27 to play to seal the deal, with the extra point pushing them to the triumph. The score capped a monster day for Lee, who totaled 136 yards and 3 scores on 7 catches. Oklahoma junior QB Taylor Savage, a leading Heisman contender, passed for 297 yards and a touchdown in the losing effort.

Nearly Double Trouble for Second-Ranked 'Bama

#2 Alabama escaped their own upset scare, snaking past Georgia State, 24-19, behind the legs of star tailback Darieon Williams Jr. The bruising back ran for 218 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, covering up for struggling signal caller Matt Perry, who threw for just 101 yards and a score on 11-21 passing.

Reese has Cincinnati Rolling

Senior QB Acey Reese, a grad transfer from Pitt, has seized his opportunity and has #8 Cincinnati on a 3-0 start following their 30-6 drubbing of South Florida. The dual-threat Reese threw for 234 yards and a score in an efficient 19-of-25 display, while adding 74 yards and one touchdown on the ground. Senior HB Andre Cantrell added 118 yards and 2 TDs in the win.

Dueling Pick-Sixes in SEC Drubbing

In a contest any Carnegie Mellon fan would love (or hate), Tennessee traded pick-sixes with Georgia en route to smothering the Bulldogs, with the Volunteers winning 42-13. Tennessee QB John Gooden's eye-popping statline saw him throw for 388 yards with 4 TDs and 3 INTs in the victory.

Notable Matchups in Week Seven

#15 Oklahoma (4-1) @ #12 Texas (3-1) -- College Gameday Game of the Week
#7 Iowa State (4-0) @ Texas Tech (4-1)
#23 Miami (4-1) @ South Florida (3-1)
Ole Miss (3-3) @ #21 Texas A&M (4-2)
#19 Michigan (4-1) @ #4 Penn State (4-0)
#11 Cal (5-0) @ UCLA (3-1)
#9 Washington (6-0) @ #22 Oregon (3-3)

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#PantherNation News and Notes
Report by Matt Schmidlin | October 5, 2022

Vector Named ACC Defensive Player of the Week



Yet again, Pitt's defensive playmakers have found themselves pulling in a weekly honor. Junior corner Damian Vector nabbed a pair of interceptions in the Panthers' win over Duke, earning ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the third time in his collegiate career. The former 4-star recruit from Bethlehem, WV previously earned the honor in both his freshman and sophomore campaigns for performances in Panther wins over the Maryland Terrapins.

Recruiting Roundup: Whitaker, Nelson Choose Other Options



Pitt has officially missed out their first pair of targets, with OT Matt Whitaker and CB Jeff Nelson verbally committing to Cincinnati and Navy, respectively, over the Panthers. Whitaker (#31 T, 6'7", 300 lbs), a 3-star prospect from Middletown, OH, chose to stay with his hometown school, as his family lives about 45 minutes from the UC campus.

Nelson (#47 CB, 6'0", 180 lbs), a 3-star proscpect from Galax, VA, was a solid cover corner who decided to commit to the Naval Academy. Nelson's father served in the US Navy for 20 years, and so he elected to follow in those footsteps and play for the Midshipmen.

While both players are solid recruits, only Nelson had been officially offered by the Panthers, while Whitaker had come to campus for an unofficial visit in the summer.

Panther Cubs: Homecoming Weekend Set to Host Massive 8 Recruits



Pitt will hope that they fare better this upcoming weekend than they have in the last week, as eight recruits are set to descend on Heinz Field this weekend for their official visits as the Panthers host Virginia Tech in a primetime showdown.

Headlining the visitors will be QB Robert Brown (****, #10 QB, Chambersburg, PA), who we profiled a few weeks back during his unoffical visit for Pitt's win over Florida State. A trio of defensive 4-stars will also be in attendance, with DE Jeremy Childress (****, #6 DE, Laurel, VA), MLB Victor Scott (****, #14 MLB, Washington, DC), and ATH Danny Leonard (****, #29 ATH, North Miami Beach, FL) set to take in the performance by Pat Narduzzi's defense against a Hokies team who torched them for 40 points a season ago. Childress is the highest rated Pitt offer currently, sitting at #98 in the ESPN300 recruiting rankings (Brown is #103). Leonard, who the Panthers just extended an offer to this week, likely profiles as a defensive back with tremendous versatility who could add to Pitt's loaded secondary.

While overshadowed by Brown's presence, QB Cole Parsons (***, #31 QB, Norwalk, OH) will also be on hand, as will WR Nick McCoy (***, #173 WR, Overlook-Page Manor, OH), and SS Eddie Williams (***, #15 SS, Carnot-Moon, PA). Williams, a local product currently starring at suburban Moon High School, was a high school teammate of current Panther sophomore MLB Aubrey St. Solomon.

Take a look at the below table for a full overview of the Panthers current offer list for the Class of 2023:

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#PantherNation Preview: Virginia Tech
Report by Matt Schmidlin | October 7, 2022

What: Virginia Tech (4-2) @ Pitt (6-0)
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
When: Saturday, October 8, 2022, 8:00 PM EST
Watch:
Listen: Pitt Panthers Radio Network

Game Line Pres. by FanDuel: Pitt (-6.5)
ESPN Prediction: Pitt

Last Meeting (2021): 40-32 VT
Last Meeting at Venue (2020): 26-20 Pitt
All Time Series: 11-10 Pitt
Dynasty Series: 4-2 Pitt

What's the Skinny?

Last season, Virginia Tech made a magical (albeit Committee-aided) run to their first College Football Playoff appearance and an 11-2 record, energizing the Blacksburg faithful. The sequel has not lived up to expectations, as the Hokies have scraped to a 4-2 record, with a pair of last quarter comebacks salvaging their season and keeping their ACC Coastal hopes afloat. With a strong defense chock full of juniors and an immensely talented freshman quarterback waiting in the wings, this season could be a bridge to Virginia Tech's true push in 2023 for their first ACC title since 2010.

Tough Act to Follow

Redshirt senior QB Steve Love has had no easy go of it in trying to replace Heisman finalist Travis Huff at the helm of the Hokies offense. One year removed from Huff's heroics, Love has struggled in what will be his only year starting for Tech, completing just 44% (77/175) of his passes for 946 yards with 5 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Love does bring a similar element to the field as Huff from a mobility perspective, as he's added 414 yards (69 YPG) and a pair of scores on the ground. The Hokies will hope to see Love emulate Huff's massive showing last season against the Panthers (281 PYds, 101 RYds, 3 TD) if they want to emerge victorious in 2022.

Matchup to Watch: Virginia Tech HB Eddie Henderson vs. Pitt's Run Defense

Former Freshman All-American Eddie Henderson struggled with injuries last season, but appears to be back on track in 2022. The junior bruiser has tallied 416 yards and 4 scores while being spelled by last year's starter BJ Manning. Expect the Hokies talented tailback duo to get every opportunity to attack a Pitt rush defense that, while being one of the best in the nation overall, struggled last week to slow down a Duke offense that ended up running for 175 yards.

What to Expect on the Field This Saturday

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KIRK'S CARDIAC CATS
Report by Matt Schmidlin | October 8, 2022





Three Thoughts from the Peanut Gallery

1. The Maine Man

You'd never know that Pitt fifth-year senior DE Malachi Bordeaux comes from a state nicknamed "Vacationland." The Maine native simply never stops working. That fact was never exemplified more than this evening, as Bordeaux made the play of the game to help salvage Pitt's undefeated season. Trailing 20-13, Bordeaux's second effort at stopping Virginia Tech QB Steve Love saw him rip the ball free, with Damian Vector pouncing on the loose pigskin for the Panther recovery. The turnover gave the Panthers the ball inside the Tech 30-yard line, which quickly culminated in a Ceno Rodgers III touchdown grab. Two more quick scores later and Pitt was effectively out of reach and on their way to a stunning comeback victory.

2. Four Score and Fourth Quarter Ago

After Pitt wasted a defensive stand and DeAnthony Hamilton return to Tech's 21 yard line late in the third quarter, it seemed like nothing could go right for Pitt's offense. CJ Kirk couldn't find an open Ceno Rodgers III on fourth and goal, and Pitt trailed 20-6 heading into the final stanza. Then, lightning struck. The next Pitt drive methodically moved down the field until Kirk found safety valve Christian Klumpp to halve the deficit, and just seconds later a turnover gave the offense the ball right back. A few plays later Kirk hit Rodgers with a pinpoint pass and just like that the score was tied. The next two Pitt possessions saw option plays go for gigantic gains, with Rodgers scampering 64 yards to the inch line before a Kirk keeper score, and Da'vion Reynolds put the nail in VT's coffin with a bulldozing 63 yard score. You'd like to see the Panthers' offense erupt much earlier, but Pitt fans will surely be saying "better late than never."

3. Hat Trick for Hills

While Malachi Bordeaux stole the show with a sack and key forced fumble, Jalen Hills continued his stellar work on the edge, bringing down Steve Love three times, including twice in the final quarter as Pitt's defense held off any Hokie comeback. Hills tied with Bordeaux for the team lead in sacks last season (7) with Bordeaux, and the redshirt junior has picked up right where he left off, leading Pitt's potent pass rush this season well with 9 sacks through 7 games.

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