The Sports Xchange
NCAAF Team Report – Pittsburgh – INSIDE SLANT
While the final score was drastically different, the Panthers’ 14-13 loss at Syracuse on Friday night in many ways resembled a 34-10 loss at Cincinnati on Sept. 6. The point being that the Panthers were unable to come away with points at the end of otherwise productive drives thanks to a litany of miscues that included penalties and sacks.
Coming off a bye week, the Panthers were seeking to extend their winning streak to three games and, in so doing, move to 3-2 on the season. The offense posted record-setting numbers in consecutive wins over Gardner-Webb and Virginia Tech and seemed to be poised to take the next step in the Carrier Dome. Instead, Pitt took a step back and more resembled the team that opened this season with a pair of disheartening losses.
“It’s the same story all the time,” receiver Devin Street told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review following the game. “We are our own worst enemy.”
Well, the story actually changed during two convincing wins when precision was the name of the game. Still, Panthers fans know all too well what Street is talking about. Moving the ball has not been a problem, but completing drives was an issue in the 0-2 start and was a problem again Friday. The Panthers now find themselves 0-2 in Big East play and are staring at a top-25 Louisville team (idle Saturday) that will be at Heinz Field next week.
“We are pretty much facing two opponents,” corner K’Waun Williams said. “We just have to stop beating ourselves.”
———————————————–
NCAAF Team Report – Pittsburgh – NOTES, QUOTES
WHAT’S AHEAD: Louisville is coming off a bye and will visit the Steel City sporting a 5-0 mark. The Cardinals will be playing their first conference game while the Panthers will be out to prevent falling into a size-3 hole in Big East play.
–Pitt fell to 34-31-3 all-time against Syracuse. The teams have met each season since 1955 and will continue to do so as interdivision opponents in the ACC starting next year.
–The Panthers allowed five sacks Friday night and have allowed 11 sacks in their two Big East games. Against Syracuse, not only was quarterback Tino Sunseri officially dropped five times, but he was hit and hit hard on several other occasions. He kept bouncing back, though. “You appreciate that, and that’s what a quarterback at this level should do,” coach Paul Chryst told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
KEEP AN EYE ON: An offense that was greatly unbalanced in the loss to Syracuse. The Panthers found the end zone once during a contest which they compiled 319 yards passing and a mere 27 on the ground. The anemic rushing total can be attributed in part to losing 51 yards on sacks. Still, Ray Graham was stopped in his turf shoes with an average of 2.4 yards on his 24 carries. This is in contrast to how things went not in just the two victories, but generally through the first four games when the running game made itself known. Can get it back on track against Louisville?
LOOKING GOOD: The Pitt defense allowed only 305 yards against the Orange and held QB Ryan Nassib to 185 yards passing, his lowest total since last Oct. 29 against Louisville. In the last three games, the Panthers have yielded a total of only 756 yards. This is a unit that endured some shuffling the first couple of games thanks in large part to injuries and suspensions. However, some tinkering combined with a couple of players returning to health have fueled a unit that has become rather formidable.
STILL NEEDS WORK: A repetitive theme has been Pitt’s struggle with penalties. While only 35 yards were marked off against them, the Panthers were flagged six times against the Orange. While that marks improvement over a 20 combined penalties in the wins over Virginia Tech and Gardner-Webb, Pitt has been flagged 36 times for more than 300 yards in five games.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We did enough stuff to beat ourselves.” — Coach Paul Chryst on his team’s effort Friday night.
———————————————–
NCAAF Team Report – Pittsburgh – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
PLAYER NOTES:
–After catching 18 passes through four games, Devin Street had a career-high 10 receptions (130 yards) against Syracuse. His previous best was eight receptions against Cincinnati last Nov. 5.
–With 319 yards passing against the Orange, Tino Sunseri has posted consecutive 300-yard games for the first time in his career. The fifth-year senior threw for 344 against Gardner-Webb.
–After leading the team and finishing second in the Big East with 11 sacks last season, Aaron Donald recorded his first sack of 2012 against SU.
ROSTER REPORT
–RB Rushel Shell has been slowed by injury and had but one carry for two yards at Syracuse. Coach Paul Chryst does not discuss injuries.
–CB K’Waun Williams left the Syracuse game due to injury and, according to the Post-Gazette, was wearing and ice pack on his left knee after the game.
=====
———————————————–
