This is pretty much what Pitt is this season.
Offense struggles to post points? Check.
Special teams makes some big plays, but also allows some big ones? Check.
Defense largely dominates? Check.
It's almost like Pat Narduzzi follows a script every week, in terms of game flow.
Grab your nitroglycerin pills. Is it a cardiac emergency? Nope. It's Pitt football in 2022.
When the Panthers' offense sputtered (again) in the second half, it came down to the ability of the defense to continue to hold and break through for a big play.
Again.
The Panthers bent more than they usually do, which made Saturday's game against Duke closer than it needed to be. What was once a 28-14 lead came down to the wire on a last-minute 19-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion play which would have forced overtime.
Duke went to a shade of one of the most memorable ones in existence, with a mock-up of the famed "Philly Special." The trick was snuffed out by Pitt defensive captain SirVocea Dennis, resulting in a tackle for loss and a subsequent 28-26 Panthers victory over the Blue Devils at Acrisure Stadium.
"Obviously came down to the two-point play, and a great play by our defense there," Narduzzi said. "The third -- the touchdown pass on fourth down we were probably in perfect coverage, and the tailback slipped out of the backfield, linebacker didn't get it. Didn't see it. We obviously didn't practice that enough with him slipping out. He had himself in, and we turned the guy loose. We shouldn't have even got to the two-point play."
The two-point play was a mirror of what the Philadelphia Eagles used to help in a defeat of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, where Blue Devils quarterback Riley Leonard took a shotgun snap and handed it to running back Jaylen Coleman, who reversed it back to wide receiver Jordan Moore. Moore was flushed up by John Morgan II and was met by Dennis at the 13-yard line for the game-sealing tackle.
But it was not just about the final stop; the Pitt defensive touchdown brigade kept marching, when David Green forced a Jordan Waters fumble, which led to a 30-yard scoop-and-score from Brandon Hill to put the Panthers ahead 28-14 with 13:30 left in the game.
"The formation that we saw, we thought it was going to be a pass," Green said, "so, me, personally, I lined up wider. But then we find out that it was a run, and I saw the outside zone play was going away from me, so I decided to go over to just make a play, in case he cut back and hit a gap. I seen him running back and I just laid out like I always do to make sure I finish the play.
"I didn't even know the ball came out. All I heard was, 'Ball!' and then I saw Brandon Hill take the ball, run down the sideline. I was trying to get a block. That's all she wrote."
Saturday's wasn't nearly as dominant against a Blue Devils team which entered Saturday with the No. 5 total offense (419.4 yards per game) in the ACC, including the No. 2 rushing offense (203.8 yards per game).
But, the Panthers have had two-and-a-half extremely stout performances from their defense, after collapsing in the fourth quarter against Louisville and North Carolina to allow a combined 38 points. Over the last three games (against Syracuse, Virginia, and Duke), the Panthers have allowed 14.0 points per game and have scored three defensive touchdowns.
Pitt has scored five defensive TDs this season, which ties a program record set in 1986 and tied again last season. The Hill scoop-and-score was the 10th defensive TD over the last two seasons.
"Coach Randy Bates, he just harps on turnovers, turnovers, creating game-changing plays in the game, because you never know when you're going to need those in the defense," Hill said. "And, also, to score in the defense, it's fun to do that. Guys flying around ... hungry dogs. It's a great sight to see, for sure."
MORE FROM THE GAME
β’ Pitt defensive back Marquis Williams carried a University of Virginia flag out to the field, as the Panthers ran out of the tunnel as a team before the game. According to Athletic Director Heather Lyke, the idea to run the Virginia flag out came from Associate Athletic Director Amy Anderson, and former university employee Patty Irrgang made the flag within a matter of one day.
Multiple players wore "UVA Strong" T-shirts before and after the game, and a Virginia sticker was displayed on the back of Pitt's helmets on Saturday.
"We do have a heavy heart," Hill said. "Just throughout the week we were praying for the University of Virginia all week. This week we started to tell each other how much we love them and how much we appreciate them, because you never know when it's your last day. We just kept them in our prayers and we just hope that the University of Virginia will be well, for sure."
1.15.41 @UVAFootball 𧑠pic.twitter.com/vfqdaCgqaX
β Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) November 19, 2022
β’ Kedon Slovis looked much better than usual in the first half, but he followed it with a forgettable second half. He completed 8 of 17 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown in the first half, and he followed it in the second half by completing 7 of 15 for 63 yards and two interceptions, one of which was a miscommunication with Israel Abanikanda, and the other from a poor decision on which he admitted he should have thrown away.
But, there was a flash at the end of the first half. Pitt melted through Duke a 10-play, 73-yard drive in 2:48, which resulted in a Slovis connection to Jared Wayne for 15 yards and a 20-14 Panthers lead at the half. On that drive, Slovis completed 5 of 8 passes for 71 yards. It was, from the eye test, his best drive since the Panthers' final offensive drive of the Backyard Brawl, in which he went 5-for-5 for 73 yards and a TD.
"It was a good drive," Slovis said. "Really, we just called some explosive pass plays, and they made a penalty or something, but it was just falling the right way. Being smart, being decisive. Jared made a great play."
β’ The All-American probable Abanikanda rushed 17 times for 113 yards and a touchdown, giving him his eighth 100-yard rushing game of the season. That is the most for a Panther since Dion Lewis had 10 games of 100-or-more yards in 2009.
I did not think Abanikanda was at 100%. From watching him on the sideline, he looked a little gimpy and favored his right leg. It's something to monitor going forward, and it definitely explains the lack of his usage. Narduzzi confirmed as much, after the game, that Abanikanda was not available on Pitt's final drive.
"He was not," Narduzzi said, "but he would have been in there if he was, I can promise you that."
β’ Here is a list of Pitt players that walked and earned recognition for Senior Day:
Judson Tallandier, Morgan, Tylar Wiltz, Nick Patti, Derek Kyler, Vincent Davis, Erick Hallett, Myles Canton, Jake Kradel, Marcus Minor, Gabe Houy, Owen Drexel, Dakota Peters, Blake Zubovic, Haba Baldonado, Sam Scarton, Chris Maloney, Deslin Alexandre, and Carter Warren.
Of these 19 players, eight suited up for their final home game as a Panther: Kyler, Warren, Minor, Kradel, Houy, Alexandre, Canton, and Wiltz.
Ten seniors (with one season of eligibility) did not walk.
Wayne was one of those 10. He said his decision on next season is "up in the air right now. I'm just focused on helping this team win. That's all I can say about that."
Hallett has one season of eligibility, but chose to walk on Senior Day. He said "I'm still trying to finish the season" and that he will make his final decision on next season afterwards.
β’ Ben Sauls converted on a career-long 51-yard field goal in the second quarter. He also converted from 47 yards in the first quarter. This season, Sauls is 11-15 on field goals.
"He's done an outstanding job," Narduzzi said. "Those are two long ones, and that 51 is into the wind, he drove that thing -- started getting nervous -- but he drove that thing through the uprights. We have got a lot of confidence in him right now, and he's got a lot of confidence in himself."
β’ We're officially on bowl watch, as we enter the final week of the regular season. Representatives from the Sun Bowl and the Gator Bowl were in attendance on Saturday. I saw two representatives from the Sun Bowl chatting with Lyke on the field prior to the game.
The Panthers are 2-2 all-time in the Sun Bowl, with the most recent result being a 14-13 defeat to Stanford in 2018.
(Sorry to recall. Some of the memes you've responded to and quote-tweeted the below tweet with were cracking me up in the press box:)
Representatives from the Sun Bowl are on the field talking to #Pitt AD Heather Lyke.
β Corey Crisan (@cdcrisan) November 19, 2022
The Panthers are 2-1 all-time in the Gator Bowl. Their most recent appearance was in 1980, when the No. 3-ranked Panthers topped No. 18 South Carolina, 37-9.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
THE ESSENTIALS
β’ Box score
β’ Live file
β’ Top 25 scores
β’ Schedule
β’ ACC standings
β’ Statistics
THE INJURIES
β’ DID NOT PLAY: DE Haba Baldonado.
β’ LEFT THE GAME: DT Calijah Kancey (left shoulder), RB Israel Abanikanda (right leg).
β’ OUT FOR THE SEASON: LT Carter Warren, DB Rashad Battle, DE Nate Temple.
Narduzzi said Baldonado was not available, though he dressed.
"I'm hoping for next week," Narduzzi said. "You saw him get banged up a week ago. So we'll just keep an eye and we'll keep him healthy. He was not available unfortunately."
Kancey entered the injury tent in the second half and favored his left shoulder as he went into the locker room.
"He's OK," Narduzzi said. "He's happy in the locker room after the game. We'll see -- keep you posted."
THE SCHEDULE
β’ Pitt wraps up its 2022 regular season at Miami on Saturday. Kickoff is at 8 p.m., and the game will be televised on the ACC Network. Pit is bowl eligible and will find out its destination in early December.
THE CONTENT
β’ Visit the Pitt team page and my Twitter page for more from Acrisure Stadium. Gary Morgan and I are recording a new H2P Podcast Saturday evening, so check for that on all platforms on Sunday.
