Peeling the Orange
September 27th, 2008 | by The Prowler |There were times today when it sure looked like Pitt was going to lose to Syracuse and Dave Wannstedt was going to be forced into resigning. Pitt’s special teams in the first half were just dismal and their defense let a weak Syracuse offense score some points.
Pitt’s offense, on the other hand, played fairly well; especially in the second half when they scored on four straight possessions. While two of those times were field goals and we would prefer touchdowns, in the end, the most important thing is that Pitt’s offense was able to move the ball and get points. Scoring 34 points is much better than what they have been doing so far this season.
And finally LeSean McCoy looked really good. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry, carrying the ball 28 times for 149 yards. See, good things happen when Shady gets the ball more than 6 times a half. LaRod Stephens-Howling is such a nice complement to McCoy as well. He had 13 carries for 71 yards and two touchdowns. When the offensive line gets holes open, these two backs are as good and as dangerous as any tandem in the country.
Stull had a reasonably good game, throwing no interceptions and one touchdown. He also had 166 yards passing. But Pitt really got it done on the ground, rushing for 241 yards and controlling the time of possession. It was also nice to see Dorin Dickerson get a couple of balls including one for a touchdown.
The biggest concern is really that Pitt let Syracuse hang around early up through the first possession of the second half. On one hand, this wouldn’t be a concern because any team can play well for a half. On the other hand, Pitt has let every team play with them for at least a half so far this season. Against South Florida, Pitt can’t just flip a switch and become the superior team. They are going to have to play for 60 minutes.
On a positive note, I heard Dave Wannstedt do something I have never heard him do before. In the post game interview on the field, he took the blame for the first half, saying that special teams are coached by him and it is his fault that they played poorly. That is a step in the right direction.
Wannstedt must be getting a bit more frisky too. Last week he went for it on fourth down three times, converting all three. This week, he took that a step further. Pitt went for it on fourth and one from their own side of the field. These are the kind of risks that we really want to see out of the coaching staff. These kinds of plays are the ones that say to the players, “I really believe in you guys. I trust that if I give you a chance, you will do great things.” Going for the two-point conversion to tie the game a 24 was gutsy as well.
Statistically, Pitt did very well. They converted 11-18 third downs and of course the one fourth down conversion. They kept the offense on the field for long stretches, giving the defense time to rest and keep their legs for the fourth quarter. And the defense paid them back for it when Greg Romeus sacked Cameron Dantley and caused a fumble which led to Pitt’s final touchdown.
All in all, this is a solid win for Pitt. I would have liked to see them win by 21 instead of 10, but I am glad to see that they scored 21 second half points and the offense never let up. I know a big part of that is that Syracuse couldn’t adjust to stop Pitt because they don’t have the athletes to matchup. But moving the offense at will, even against an inferior opponent, will build their confidence going into a tough matchup next week against South Florida.
Nice game and Hail to Pitt!!
2 Responses to “Peeling the Orange”
By jay-ray on Sep 28, 2008 | Reply
I agree, Wanny finally steped up to the plate and took some responsibility.
I am still concerned about Stull, he just cannot throw the ball very well, he missed open targets all day.
USF is up and down this year but this game will really show us if we are pretenders or a contender.
By The Prowler on Sep 28, 2008 | Reply
You are right that Stull needs to get better throwing. Getting the running game rolling really helped with the passing game this week. When we get 1 or 2 yards on first down, we have to pass and the other team knows it. When we are actually getting 3-5 yards or more on first down, it gives more options.
USF will be a tough game, but I think completely winnable as well. For being a team that has done well the last few years, there is nothing flashy about them. In many respects, they are successful the way Pitt is likely to be successful (if indeed they ever are) under Wannstedt. They don’t win by 50 points week in and week out. They gut them out, sometimes by 3, and sometimes by 20. That is how Pitt plays as well.