Kedon Slovis made his debut as a Pitt Panther on Thursday in the Backyard Brawl, after transferring from Southern California in the winter.
It turned out to be a historic debut, in one way. Slovis completed 16 of his 24 passing attempts for 308 yards and a touchdown, and he didn't throw any interceptions or turn the ball over. Per ESPN Stats & Info, his 308 passing yards were the most by a Pitt quarterback in a season opener since Matt Lytle's 349 yards against Villanova in 1998.
On Monday, Pat Narduzzi said he thought Slovis played "really good, better than I thought when I watched it live."
Let's see for ourselves.
Here is a breakdown of Slovis' debut, in a play-by play fashion:
FIRST QUARTER
DRIVE 1 of 13 (Score: WVU 0, Pitt 0)
■ 2nd and 7, own 14: Slovis' first career pass was also for his first completion, as he hit Konata Mumpfield for a 3-yard gain off of a designed quick screen. The Panthers were lined up in the I-formation with two receivers wide right, and the West Virginia defense was playing soft coverage at the sticks. Mumpfield went into motion and set up directly behind Jared Wayne, who was his lead blocker. Slovis took the snap and immediately turned and threw at Mumpfield's numbers. Mumpfield got up to the Pitt 17 to set up 3rd and 4.
■ 3rd and 4, own 17: Pitt flanked Mumpfield and Bub Means wide left, and Wayne and Israel Abanikanda wide right, with Mumpfield and Abanikanda serving as slot receivers. Slovis checked Gavin Bartholomew from his stance off of right tackle Matt Goncalves over to the left and down next to left tackle Carter Warren. He took the snap out of the shotgun and was quickly flushed up the pocket, largely thanks to a bull rush from Jordan Jefferson. Slovis had a small window with Abanikanda running an out pattern to the sticks and Bartholomew up the middle, but he never had time to throw it, and was sacked for a 9-yard loss. Pitt punted it away to end their first drive.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 3 plays, -3 yards, 2:21.
DRIVE 2 of 13 (WVU 0, Pitt 0)
■ 3rd and 9, own 4: Pitt began its second drive of the game in unfavorable field position, after a WVU punt was downed at the 3-yard line. A false start on Warren on first down brought the Panthers back a yard, and Pitt began with runs on first and second down, which didn't go anywhere significant.
On third down, Slovis had trips to his left and Bartholomew flanked right, with Abanikanda standing to his right in the shotgun. Slovis took the high snap, took a seven-step drop halfway into his own endzone, stepped into a clean pocket, and delivered a strike to a crossing Wayne, who caught it in the middle of West Virginia's quarters zone and fell at the 24 for a Panthers first down.
This pass is exactly Slovis' bread and butter, so long as he has a clean pocket. His elite deep-ball accuracy was on display here for the first time as a Panther. The pass might have been a tad behind Wayne, but it wasn't so wild that he had to make any awkward adjustments to make the catch.
■ 1st and 10, own 24: Slovis' first use of play-action, as he took the snap under center and faked to the tailback Abanikanda. He stepped into another clean pocket and found Mumpfield on a deep out route at the far sideline for a 15-yard gain to the 39. Pitt went into jumbo personnel, as it often did, with an extra tackle down on the line. That extra tackle probably made West Virginia buy into the play-action and open up the play downfield. Slovis had all day to throw this, and he put it right on Mumpfield's numbers.
■ 1st and 10, own 39: I-formation with Slovis under center, and Wayne (slot) and Jaylon Barden flanked left. Slovis faked the handoff, and was flushed out of the pocket and to his right by defensive end Lanell Carr, who shot the gap in between the center and right guard. Slovis was able to break free down the far sideline, and he scrambled for a 14-gain and a first down at the West Virginia 47. This was Pitt's third first down in three plays.
■ 2nd and 9, WVU 46: With an empty backfield, two receivers to his right, three to his left (Bartholomew lined up in the slot), Slovis took the shotgun snap, took a five-step drop, and delivered a solid ball to a crossing Means at the WVU 40. Means caught it in the WVU zone and took it to the WVU 31 for another first down.
■ 1st and 10, WVU 31: From the shotgun, Slovis had two receivers to his right, one to his left, Bartholomew down on the line off the left tackle, and Abanikanda standing to his right. Abanikanda stayed in the backfield as a blocker, but Davis Mallinger was able to shed off of Abanikanda and chase Slovis for a sack and a 3-yard loss. Slovis never saw Mallinger coming as he tried to escape and make a play.
■ 3rd and 8, WVU 29: After an Abanikanda run, Slovis had an empty backfield, two receivers to his left, two to his right, and Bartholomew down off the left tackle. He took the snap and avoided pressure, and found a covered Wayne short of the sticks for a 5-yard gain. Narduzzi called for the field goal unit as the Panthers faced 4th and short.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 11 plays, 73 yards, 6:48.
SECOND QUARTER
DRIVE 3 of 13 (WVU 7, Pitt 3)
(After the first of two Bryce Ford-Wheaton receiving touchdowns, Pitt went to work with its best starting field position of the game to this point, at its own 25. Three Rodney Hammond Jr. runs got Pitt to its own 41.)
■ 1st and 10, own 41: From under center, Slovis faked a handoff to Hammond, and looked to the near sideline and deep to Means, who was flanked right. Wesley McCormick jumped the route, however, and would have intercepted it, had his feet not been out of bounds. This was not close to being overturned, as his foot came in well over a foot out of bounds.
■ 3rd and 10, own 41: After C'Bo Flemister recovered his own fumble for no gain, Pitt went into the shotgun with two receivers left and one right, with Hammond to Slovis' left and Bartholomew down off the right tackle. Slovis had plenty of time to throw, but could not find an open receiver. He was forced out of the pocket and nearly scrambled for the first down, but stepped out of bounds well before the first-down marker. This was West Virginia's first instance throughout the game of having all of Slovis' options covered. Pitt punted.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 6 plays, 21 yards, 3:30.
DRIVE 4 of 13 (WVU 7, Pitt 3)
■ 1st and 15, WVU 46: A Hammond rush got Pitt into WVU territory. Out of the shotgun and with an empty backfield, Slovis withstood pressure and connected with a crossing Means, who caught the ball in traffic and fumbled it. West Virginia recovered it at their own 32.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 2 plays, 22 yards, 1:09.
DRIVE 5 of 13 (WVU 7, Pitt 3)
(After a Pitt fumble recovery to offset the Means fumble, Pitt would go on to its first touchdown drive of the season.)
■ 2nd and 8, WVU 33: After a Means jet sweep, Slovis play-action faked to Hammond and threw a perfect ball to Mumpfield on a deep out. Mumpfield ran a wonderful route here, as he stuck his defender inside and cut back out for the reception and tip-toe in bounds on the far sideline for a 15-yard gain to the WVU 18. This was textbook and perhaps the cleanest pocket, throw, and catch we've seen so far.
■ 2nd and goal, WVU 4: Hammond carried the Panthers inside the 5-yard line, and Slovis attempted to find Mumpfield short and to the right near the pylon. It was tipped by WVU's Exree Loe at the line of scrimmage. Had it not, Slovis would have easily had his first career passing TD here. Hammond punched in the next play for a touchdown.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 6 plays, 35 yards, 2:52.
THIRD QUARTER
DRIVE 6 of 13 (WVU 10, Pitt 10)
■ Pitt's first drive of the second half was forgettable in many ways. Slovis opened with an incomplete deep ball to Mumpfield, and after an Abanikanda 2-yard rush, Slovis was sacked for a 7-yard loss out of the shotgun to force a three-and-out. Both of Pitt's tackles were beaten off the line by Jared Bartlett and Dante Stills, and Slovis really never had a chance here. This is where WVU blocked Sam Vander Haar's punt and returned it to the Pitt 5, and later scored a touchdown.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 3 plays, -5 yards, 1:34.
DRIVE 7 of 13 (WVU 17, Pitt 10)
■ 2nd and 8, own 27: Under center, Slovis play-faked to Abanikanda and had Means wide open deep and behind WVU's secondary. Means misjudged the placement of the ball and dropped a nearly perfect throw by Slovis. This should have been six points on a designed shot down the field.
■ 3rd and 8, own 27: With five receivers wide and Slovis in the shotgun, he found Jaden Bradley on an inside slant for a 16 yards and a first down to the Pitt 43. Clean pocket, clean ball.
■ 2nd and 9, own 44: Under center and in the I-formation with two receivers to his right, Slovis play-faked to Abanikanda and took another shot down the field. Wayne and Barden clearly had a miscommunication on the route combination, as they were in the exact same spot when the ball got to to Slovis' spot. This was broken up by Rashad Ajayi and fell incomplete.
■ 3rd and 9, own 44: Slovis looked for Mumpfield over the middle and just shy of the sticks, but Mumpfield took a big hit from Marcus Floyd, and the ball fell incomplete. Pitt punted.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 6 plays, 26 yards, 3:12.
DRIVE 8 of 13 (WVU 17, Pitt 10)
■ 2nd and 10, own 35: From the shotgun, with two receivers to his left, one to his right, and Hammond standing to his left, Slovis faked the handoff and connected with Wayne over the middle. Wayne registered 50 yards after the catch and got the Panthers down to the WVU 1. Daniel Carter earned the 1-yard rushing TD, two plays later.
This was a quick strike, as the ball went from snap and into Wayne's hands in stride in 3 seconds.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:32.
DRIVE 9 of 13 (WVU 17, Pitt 17)
■ 2nd and 8, own 40: From the shotgun and with Hammond to his right, Slovis took the snap and found Hammond on a quick swing pass. Hammond caught it at the 37 -- three yards behind the line of scrimmage -- and bounded down the near sideline for a 49-yard gain to the WVU 11. Another quick-hitter for a massive gain because of the yards after the catch.
Hammond ran in the next play for his second TD of the day.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 3 plays, 62 yards, 1:26.
FOURTH QUARTER
DRIVE 10 of 13 (WVU 24, Pitt 24)
■ 1st and 10, own 37: After three straight runs from Hammond for a fresh first down, Slovis stood in the shotgun with Hammond to his right, two receivers to his right, and one to his left. He play-faked to Hammond and looked quickly to Wayne on the near sideline and short of the sticks, but Slovis overthrew Wayne and the pass landed out of bounds. This was Slovis' first true overthrow of the game, despite the missed ball to Mumpfield downfield earlier in the game.
At this point, ESPN commentator Matt Barrie asked analyst Louis Riddick about his thoughts on Slovis' performance. Here is what Riddick said:
"Look, I can tell you, there's some people that are here watching this young man. Watching him play. I'm talking about people who play their games on Sundays, because he is talented, he is poised, great mechanics in the pocket. They're running a bunch of different things here tonight that you see in Sunday football. I think he's played very well."
■ 3rd and 10, own 37: Two plays later, Slovis took a shotgun snap and was nearly immediately chased out of the pocket. He was able to escape the pocket to his right and throw the ball out of bounds. Pitt punted with 12 minutes to play in regulation, and WVU went on to score on a JT Daniels 1-yard rushing TD.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 6 plays, 12 yards, 3:01.
DRIVE 11 of 13 (WVU 31, Pitt 24)
■ 1st and 10, own 25: With Hammond to his right, Slovis took a shotgun snap, stood in a clean pocket, and connected with Means on an out pattern for 15 yards at the far sideline. Means made a nice catch in traffic on the throw above the numbers and tumbled out of bounds.
■ 1st and 10, own 40: This was probably the worst play of the game from Slovis. In the shotgun, he took the snap, was quickly flushed out of the pocket and to his left, and was met by Stills for a loss of 14 yards on the sack. Slovis could have gotten rid of this ball at one point, but took just a split-second too long to make his decision. This was the fourth of five WVU sacks on the night.
■ 2nd and 24, own 26: Slovis had an empty backfield from the shotgun and had to escape the pocket to his right after WVU pressure. He missed Mumpfield on the right flat, and the ball fell incomplete. This was more about WVU stepping its pressure up than anything.
■ 3rd and 24, own 26: The fifth time Slovis was sacked. From the shotgun and with Hammond on his right, WVU again broke contain and got Slovis down inside the pocket in a rather quick manner.
More from Riddick after the sack: "Kedon Slovis right now looks a little rattled. He's not really keeping his eyes down the field. You see here (on replay) even if you could just fake a play, get the ball out of your hands. And even if you don't pick up the first down, just don't continue to take sacks and move backwards."
Pitt punted.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 4 plays, 10 yards, 2:00.
DRIVE 12 of 13 (WVU 31, Pitt 24)
■ 2nd and 8, own 10: After a WVU punt (the questionable one at midfield) and a 2-yard Hammond run, Slovis quickly hit Hammond on the left flat for a 6-yard gain. This is when McCormick was disqualified for targeting and Hammond came out of the game with an apparent leg injury.
■ 1st and 10, own 31: From the shotgun and with Abanikanda to his right, Slovis took the snap, withstood pressure, and delivered a low ball to Bartholomew short of the sticks. Bartholomew had to dive and make the 9-yard grab. The catch was reviewed and stood as a catch.
■ 1st and 10, own 42: After Abanikanda rushed for a first down, Slovis took the shotgun snap, withstood pressure, and found Mumpfield deep in a soft spot in the WVU zone for a 20-yard gain to the WVU 38. Abanikanda did a nice job of picking up a blitz and helping to buy time for Slovis.
■ 1st and 10, WVU 38: Again from the shotgun, Slovis was flushed to his right, and from keeping his eyes downfield, he found Mumpfield on the far sideline in what looked like a mirrored route from the previous play. This went for 14 yards to the WVU 24.
■ 1st and 10, WVU 24: Slovis' first touchdown pass as a Panther, and most of the work was done here by Abanikanda. Out of the no-huddle, Slovis took the shotgun snap and connected with his running back on a short stick route out of the backfield. Abanikanda made three defenders miss and dove for the near-sideline pylon for the 24-yard TD and a Backyard Brawl tie after Ben Sauls' PAT.
This was, without a doubt, Slovis' best drive of the game. Some momentum came after McCormick's ejection, but the two throws to Mumpfield came under pressure and were delivered with great accuracy.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 7 plays, 92 yards, 2:29.
DRIVE 13 of 13 (Pitt 38, WVU 31)
■ Riding the momentum of the M.J. Devonshire pick-six, Pitt's defense held WVU at bay in the Mountaineers' final drive to earn the Panthers victory. Slovis took two kneel downs to run out the clock.
DRIVE SUMMARY: 2 plays, -2 yards, 0:22.
■ Here is what Narduzzi said regarding Slovis in his post-game press conference:
"You know what, I thought he was a little late with the ball at times. 16-of-24, pretty good. I think one TD, five sacks, don't like the sacks but we'll look at that; why, what. Don't like the sacks at all."
■ And, here is what Narduzzi said regarding Slovis during his weekly press conference on Monday:
"We didn't play a perfect game. I thought Kedon played a really good game, really good, better than I thought when I watched it live. But he was -- we thought he was late with the ball, but there was other issues with some of the routes, and I won't get into the weeds with that, but there was some -- he was waiting on his receivers to get where they needed to be, and they weren't there for whatever reason that we won't discuss.
"There were some things there, some angles that weren't right where he's got to hold onto it and just throws it away just because of some departure angles on routes and little things like that, just details that you guys probably wouldn't see on tape. I didn't see it. It's news to me when I listen to (offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr.). He's really sharp.
"A lot of things -- everything is fixable. That's the good thing. Everything is going to get a lot better from Week 1 to Week 2, but the opponent is going up, as well, so maybe you don't see it with the naked eye."
■ After the game, Slovis spoke of the rhythm his offense found late in the game, and he gave props to his receivers for their efforts. Pitt receivers registered 173 yards after the catch, which obviously played a large role in the offense's success against the Mountaineers.
"I think we found rhythm offensively at the end, which is nice," Slovis said. "The guys said to stay strong. There were times where we felt like we weren't in a rhythm, we weren't really getting to where we wanted to be. We had some good plays, but when that happens it can be frustrating. We got a great group of guys. Lot of vets. O-line did a great job of staying tough, and same with the receivers. They did a great job."
What did you think of the debut of Pitt's QB1? Sound off and discuss in the comments.
