#137 R.P.I. Virginia Tech @ #47 R.P.I. Pittsburgh:

Today’s word of the day is… Puma!

pu·ma
/ˈp(y)o͞omə/

noun: puma; plural noun: pumas

1. a large American wild cat with a plain tawny to grayish coat, found from Canada to Patagonia.
2. Actually, kinda swagg retro felt laced scoots (or shoes), way way back when…
3. (Mt.Lebo’: …you do remember us Panthers and our Title jackets, right?)
4. The cat’s meow come ~7 PM Saturday nite up in my hometown?

Pitt Head Coach: Patrick Regan Narduzzi: age=56, (56–39 at Pitt and overall); has a rep’ for defense, willingness to take risks, stubbornness, and as a quote-machine!
And for being a peaking Mr. November coach.
$3,213,000.oo base with an additional $450,000 in incentives.
AND a shiny new 2o3o contract extension, on top of all dat!

Baller Narduzzi was a nepotistic collegiate Linebacker his ownself at Youngstown State and then he later transferred to Rhode Island. He holds a Master’s from Miami Ohio after his playing days were finished; .edu props on that.

Coach Narduzzi began his career at Miami University in 1990 where he was a graduate assistant in 199o and 1991 and where he tutored the Wr’s in 1992. From 1993 to 1999 Narduzzi coached back at the University of Rhode Island coaching the Rams Lb’s from 1993 to 1997 and as the defensive coordinator from 1998 to 1999. From 2ooo to 2oo2, he served as the Lb’s coach at Northern Illinois University. He was the defensive coordinator at Miami University in 2oo3 before joining the University of Cincinnati staff as defensive coordinator in 2oo4

At that point… and so the story goes, coach Duz’ tried to leverage Cincy into giving him the head job, and instead wound up at Michigan State as D-coordinator. From 2o11-2o14, Michigan State was the only team to rank in the D-1 Top-10 in total defense and rushing defense alike. I would say that counts; as does being the coveted 2o13 Broyles Award winner as top assistant coach accordingly. Father (Bill) was the big whistle at Youngstown State, so coaching is in his blood.

Poppa bear Narduzzi and his wife, Donna, have four children:
Arianna, Christina, Patrick, and Isabella.

2021 record: 11 up 3 down and 7-1 in the A.c.c.

Pittsburgh Defense: (starters back=7)

• 32nd in Total D.
• 51st vs. the run.
• 38th vs. the throw.
• 35th in Qb’s sacked.
• 8.5 of 1o in dLine Havoc. There are metric tons of senior leadership on both lines Pitt front lines (O and D alike). Here, however, we see outright star power from defensive end Habakkuk Baldonado and defensive tackle Calijah Kancey. They got game, a serious game at that. Getting back to 2o21’s Top-2 in Sacks inflicted and Top-5 in TFL (Tackles for a Loss) inflicted is a tall ask… although Pitt is not short on talent upfront here. Not at all. De2, (yes, he backed up last campaign) Baldonado, and Dt1, Kancey; only have 19.5 Sacks and 30 TFL combined between ’em in their last 30-odd games. wow! Senior end Deslin Alexandre and senior tackles David Green and Devin Danielson —make this group one of the best in F.b.s. Did Eye mention their “experience”, yet? Pitt is however a big dingy health-wise at De; Coach God Bless. Tho’ when he wants to be… Calijah is sniffing up on 2nd or 3rd-string All-A.c.c. at Dt1 for Pitt. He vs. Jordan is a tough row to hoe. Pitt leads the A.c.c. in sacks (16) and the defensive front is said to now getting healthier after being banged up. Dang…

  

• 6 in 1o in Linebacking Havoc. middle linebacker SirVocea Dennis is your Mike-Lb1 for most teams in the A.c.c.; he is also a kick-blocking savant. Will and Sam-Lb(s) are less proven; some might have me say flirting with an unknown heading into ’22 spring practice. That said… some key questions at linebacker seemed to be answered after strong springs from Solomon DeShields and Bangally Kamara and the addition of Notre Dame transfer Shayne Simon (BIG-time recruit, tho’ shoulder ills are the history here, St.Christopher bless). That helps and if these replacement parts are up to snuff, this is a very difficult D to locate a credible weak spot or point of attack. The vibes are that flanking ‘fills’ (in Gaps) have been less than fully filled in here; tho’, there is Talent on each shoulder of SirVocea, be they Game of Moans Ser’s yet or not. Though experience is wanting to be sure; even if depth is now so-so to adequate itself. Dennis then DAXy as A.c.c. MLb’s go?
• 7.5 of 1o in Secondary Havoc. Safeties Erick Hallett and Brandon Hill both conspire to make the middle part of the Panther ’22 D a prickly one indeed, in spades perhaps. 19 passes pilfered since last year (8th) most clearly tells you Pitt plays the ball not the man. 49 passes defended (PDs) in their last 30-odd games tells you this is a hands bunch too. These guys get to 3rd base on the 1st date every single time. All four starting 1’s returned here and being stuck with Ginger & Mary-Ann in Island Coverage is not the worst thing once you are on the far side of the Experience Curve as Pitt’s secondary finally is in 2o22. With Hallett being a likely all-star honor kinda guy comes December. As one #31, Erick Hallett II is nearly just downright tough on tape vs. the pass this season; and all the fumble recoveries in his career tell you he has pigskin olfactory skills indeed. i.e., a nose for the ball. Tritto the four, that’s (4) different Turnovers produced for Pitt via himself. wowow! (M.J. Devonshire is also an emerging playar in coverage— write or right this one down Armchair Qb1’s… Pitt is better and less vulnerable here in the hind-4 on D no matter how many risks they are willing to take than before in most risk-friendly campaigns).

• D overall: 82% of the 2-deep are upperclassmen here, so these Panthers are right-tailed as the Experience Curve goes indeed. (Film-Study): blitzburgh 1o1. Pitt will deal or red-dog and come at you. 5-men, 6-men, 7’s, whatever. They come at you from multiple hard-to-key spots as well. This is an aggressive D that tries to squeeze you into wetting your very own bed.
  These Panthers are NOT scaredy-cats when it comes to loading the box. They will play all eleven, that’s (11) guys within 8-yards of the LOS (line of scrimmage) at times on tape, including in long down-n-distance situations as well. Pretty modern-era wild and somewhere the mega-aggressive defensive Oaktown Raiders of the ’70s are smiling and salivating alike. Pitt will elevator guys (one North blitz, one south coverage) in very unusual ways off of any of this. Not a dull D to be sure.
  Found me some quasi near WWII era 60’s sets for the Panthers. 4-down-linemen and both a Sam and a Will cheating up to an even front. Ditto pressing on the outside in what was nearly an inverted triad or arrowhead Coach Hank Stram set. Pitt must sure trust their recovery speed to do this. Tho’ they are surely trying to pants you and whoop your azz right at the point of attack to boot. Even (pardon the nomenclature pun), even the S’s sneak upwards, evenly enuff at times. Again, there is no fear of no nothing defensively here. Pitt tackles very well in the Ot-box. Dline really shoulders blocks and fights to the ball like mothers. Dline politically incorrect slants and moves and angles and even goes old-school 4-point standing at times. Pitt will even over-shift to the short side and trust themselves to force you wide. Again, this is not a soft team. And they will spy a Qb1 to look for contacts/hits at times too.
• ∑ (summary): returning D production=75% (34th most). Cb4 MJ Devonshires is your conflict defender here. Six punt-return points say so. Pitt has finished in the defensive SP+ top 30 for three straight seasons and should be at that standard again with loads of experience at the front and back. IF/when the 2nd-layer (Linebacking) really matures? This is a very quality halt-unit for it. Possibly extremely by the end of November. As six, that’s (6) or 54% of a D that is littered with All-A.c.c. selections return to a unit that ranked second nationally in sacks (3.86 per game) and third-down defense (26.9 percent). Pittsburgh also ranked fourth in defensive touchdowns (five), sixth in run defense (89.3 yards), eighth in interceptions (16), and 39th in total defense (353.6 yards). Aggressive D almost to the point of being too in love with ‘risk’ no matter the ‘reward’. Tho’, everywhere is pretty well 2-deep with upperclassmen or at least 1-year fully P.T. experienced guys. Some even say the Front-4 is one of the best in D-1. This is also said to be a highly conditioned defense wind or cardio-pulmonary wise. They can fight all 12-rounds of a championship bout. That, and although I’ma not sure if this ’22 D is as good overall as the ’21 D was?  It might just be a bit more top-heavy on star power -if not on depth- for it.

Pitt Offense: (returning starters=6)

• 61st in Total O.
• 61st in ground O.
• 6oth in aerial O.
• 59th in Team Passing Efficiency O.
• in sacks allowed | in TFL allowed.
• O overall: Rb(s): Rb1a, Israel Abanikanda (only one with some physical pop in his cans); Rb1b, Vincent Davis (who has a butterfingers/fumbling tag) and Rb1c, Rodney Hammond Jr.; all ground-gaining 2o22 return for the Panthers as this is nothing if not a deep set of Rb1’s, plural. How Pitt’s leading rusher Vincent Davis Hb, gets anything on his head Eye do not know? I do know there are ‘dreads, there are predator ‘dreads and then there are VeeDee’s… ‘dreads. Vinny is a 5′8″, 175-lb. knifey/slicey Ginsū kinda Rb in his true fourth season of carrying the mail. Rival’s #32 Rb in all the land after he tabbed his high school’s first-ever AAAAA Florida state title. As all-Nor-East Rb recruit: t-Fr. Israel Abanikanda, the New York Gatorade Player of the Year, has been mo’ parts Bronx bombed and less parts All-State. Or at least he was, too. (CAVEAT: for whatever reason(s), Pitt ball carriers have been fumbling prone for years under Duz’, strip-club 1o1). Rodney Hammond is a Norfolk, Va., Booker T. Washington H.S. escapee. He and his very mothy gesturing(s) are not dull. Hommie is not found wanting for confidence itself. Rod’ has game-splitting abilities, he is also one of the few Rb’s you will see who proverbially: ‘gets hot’. And he had multi-tricentennial H.S. contests to show for that as well. (Really good scholastic Db, nose for the intercepting ball to boot). 20th Rb in America from ESPN.com to show for all of that. And… other than Daniel Carter, the Panther ground-rounds are not really beefy at all; a buncha of them are ~175 lbs. give/take. That said, the ‘whispers’ say DeeCee currently has been making a contusing camping and practice-field move. Tho’ talent here exceeds production, at least so trenching far. mid-script M.S. Pitt does dump off a lotta short check-down looks at the last sec’ to their Rb(s). And oh yes… 96% of 2o21 carries are back.

  

  UPDATE: Pitt is carrying a lotta run-fit dings and or outright dents at the moment. Abanikanda has some sorta upper-body hurt and sat the second half last week; (whispers say: ‘shoulder’, St.Christopher bless!). Spies say he was wearing a sling just a few days back. Dang. Hammond Jr. has a leg dent that has sat him ever since the backyard brawl with w.V.u. (St.Nikon bless). Absorbed a hard targeting call hit from the eers has him limping ever since. Lotta experience here folks, closing in on a decade in the Top-2 Rb’s alone.

• Wr’s/Te: Underneath solo-artist and A.c.c. Rookie of the Year runner-up Jordan Addison Slot-Wr1… is a massive decleating (So.Cal) transfer hurt to all things Pitt. This kid was good, if not outright special. In lieu of Jordan… Pitt returns the straight/clean-cut looking Jared Wayne; and not a whole not Receiving else (as: Wr2 Taysir Mack is a miner-49’er out in San.Fran.); (and Te1: Lucas Krull (great Fantasy flick name) is a Te1 for the N.O. Saints). So, the catch cadre experience curve is low and the learning curve has dropsies as well. (Now): Te1, Gavin Bartholomew appears to have a nose for the ball down in the red zone. So that’s good, though after that… Pitt seriously needs final-year so-so career lifers: Shocky Jacques-Louis and/or Melquise Stovall to break threw or break out (finally) in their final, year(s). the Panther Wideouts widen the field vertically here-n-there. They all get their looks too. On seams ripped-open or YAC (yards after catch) or just real good downfield blocking. This is impressive from such middle-of-the-isle throw points. As here-n-there Pitt houses a short or medium snag for 6-points. …though, with Pickett fencing somewhere (nearby) else (Stillers)… how will this change evolve? As transfers, Konata Mumpfield (751 yards at Akron last season) and Bub Means (19.6 yards per catch as a Louisiana Tech freshman) could be asked to make big contributions quickly. The whispers say that Jared Wayne is a big play target and that Akron rubber-bowl Konata Mumpfield is a “gem”. We shall see… As Wr1 and Wr2 are very legit, and depth is not so much.
• Qb1a: as much as the Wr1 departure hurts, the former So.Cal Qb1 (Team Captain) Kedon Slovis’ (6′3″, 2o6 lb., true-Sr.) arrival does help succor and stanch some of these splinters in the Panthers’, paw(s). As this was a pretty dang big pick-me-up for Coach Duz’ and the Pittsburgh O. Slovis enrolled in classes for January with two years of immediate eligibility remaining. This after a really ‘lower-leg’ dinged-n-dented (St.Nikon bless) and a neck hurt (St.DeClan help) therefore struggling/frustrating 2o21 out in the Lakers’ backyard. Slovis is a Pro-Style Qb1 in the traditional deeper drop deeper routing Pittsburgh paradigm. in 2019, Slovis elevated his profile quickly at U.s.c.-West, after JT Daniels suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the season. Slovis threw for 3,502 yards with 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Some even say chasing w.V.u’s Qb1 outta town. Still, yet, an incoming 7.5K careerist passing yards+, to go with an incoming 6o+ TD chucks does not suck. Kedon was rated the nation’s No. 16 pro-style quarterback prospect by Rivals. And he has a really tight coaching (the verb) tree behind him. So, you would think development/betterment shoulda gone hand-in-hand here. 4.77 forty is okay, does have a quick 2o-yard shuttle (4.38). His offer list was Western P5’s all over the place, a few PAC-10’s a few midrange teams too. Had good scholastic numbers, not great, good. Ditto his passing completion percentage; it has been just good everywhere. Never great, and never average (or bad). Did net his bachelor’s in 3-years at So.Cal (Communication major), so that’s .edu tight. Most unusually, has a bookend better look to him, as his 1Q and 4Q metrics are about ~11% ahead of his 2Q and 3Q digits alike. Go fig’ on dat?!? And his name is pronounced: KEE-den SLOH-vis. However, it remains to be seen if he is a king cat in this system or merely a crafty pig-Latin Pivot? Eye say this… because… he has a touch, timing, and anticipation passer rep’ in tow. With limited arm strength and mobility, Slovis is comfortable when working inside the framework of the offense. He thrives off of taking advantage of the underneath areas, and that truncates all things Pitt a bit. As frankly, he seems a bit stuck or possibly ceilinged to me. (Additionally… there are coaching-sewing-circle ‘whispers’ that Qb2 or one Nick Patti has looked practice-field better than Qb1 Slovis at times; mind the chemistry store on that one if you will…) Although Patti is coming off a bowl game clavicle ‘snap’, (St.Christopher bless).  Finally, spies say that Slovis is a little bit mo’ accurate than Pickett with a deep ball that is a bit ahead of even that. wow, if true… Tho’ he is also ‘upper-body’ dinged up a the moment having missed about 6Q’s of play this season; (St.Christopher bless).
  UPDATE1: Slovis was concussed in week#2. St.Demos bless. Tho’ hopefully that is not what’s lingering here when he just looked off to me upon breaking tape.
  UPDATE2: Qb2 Nick Patti (ankle) went through the early pregame warmups with the team, yet did not return to the field for fully padded warmups about an hour before Georgia Tech game time. St.Philip bless.
• oLine: Ninety-nine percent of last year’s offensive line snaps are back! That counts. 5×5 or all five-blocking 1’s and their back-ups in the Top-1o oLinemen all return. Odd or left tackle Carter Warren is your bell cow here. All five starters are back with three all-stars and a few pro prospects to work around in addition to them. Think about that mathematically… 60% of them are Sundays and another 40-60% of the rest flirting with the pros or at least garnering a Camp invite. Carter Warren at left tackle is the best of the bunch, but the entire line should jell into now one of the team’s biggest strengths.
  UPDATE: Pitt made a number of changes along the offensive line with injuries to Carter Warren and Owen Drexel (leg ding, St.Nikon bless). As their Top-5 is now a Top-3. Or 60% on 1’s and that ‘splains last week a bit to me. Tho’ at full strength 24, yes, twenty-four years-worth of trenching experience works here. wow! The odd or left side is “Where’s the beef” to be sure. Maulers live there. And in good health fully stocked theory, G-c-G might be a little stronger here.
• ∑ (summary): returning O production=74% (42nd most). As coaching goes, returning O production is hurtin’… what with offensive coordinator Mark Whipple (now at Nebraska). Frank Cignetti Jr. has some refugee pieces that he needs to play bigger ’22 parts. And all these new pitch-n-catch battery reboot parts need to gel sooner rather than later to boot. That said, Coach Cig’s is a run 1st, a run 2nd, and pass if you must 3rd Dooley flavored kinda throwback guy. So, we shall see how well these gel as 2o22 rolls along… (film-study): this is not a killer run-fit Pitt industrializes. It is mo’ parts Frank Pollard and less parts Franco Harris. It can be solid -if not good- however, at full blocking strength. What it lacks is housing. Not quite Fanny Mac on breaking run-shapes in a favorable way for big-gainers. Tho indeed, solid enuff at times in-and-around the Ot-box. The Pitt grab gang however is at least a few parts Jim Smith and John Stallworth or maybe Frank Lewis? As they have logged eight, that’s (8) different medium to deep completions thus far. As six guys in their rotation average nearly ∼13-yards per snag. With a most curious 5/7ths of their passing majors {sic: TD’s} not tallied by the aforementioned Top-2 collections crew. This is not so much to say that Pitt works deeper “3-Mississippi” looks that often as it is to say they work the few they do work rather well. Wild. As Pitt can do several throw-fit things here, plural. Slovis himself looked gutty and grim enuff vs. Gah.Tech; granted. He also kinda looked stiff or a week premature to me upon tape. Tallying his third worst QBR index ever might just agry. Then Eye found this little nugget; Slovis, (somehow) has regressed as a completion-percentage passer each and every single collegiate season so far! Nearly cutting ≅9% of his accuracy along the way. Go fig’ on that? Slovis is also –184 career rushing yards in the career rushing hole. Tho’ do be aware, Slovis moves the pocket East-West and buys time for a secondary or tertiary look— even if he never much turns northward his ownself. Then I found this other medium-little nugget… the depth of completing from Slovis has been nearly exactingly halved since he got hit up top good-n-hard. Dang. The one ray of light is that Slovis seems to ‘warm into’ games. As his QBR index actually elevates as the game wears on 1Q straight up threw the 4Q of play. That is a sign of a closer or a Kent Tekulve if you will. (That, or his dinged body is what needs to ‘warm into’ passing itself). Or in other words… if Solvis is feeling better the odds are high Pitt will leave us feeling… bad. Strange mixed-up or nearly juxtaposed O on tape. Some more pro’ sets, some really spread-out sets. Some gun sets, some pistol sets, some I-formation sets. Almost like they do not have their best sets fully set up yets, or; they are trying to honor what is best for their Top-4 or so playmakers. Which does indeed vary quite a bit on film. (Although, this too offers juxtaposition or a: Three Faces of Eve identity crisis of sorts on O). Pitt did seem to block down or gap over well on their rushing Pistol looks. They also seem to do better off-T subsequent to that and then passing subsequent to going off-T. Inside-out approach. Almost a downright good O if/when they get everyone healthy again. Coach God Bless. They also crossbuck their Te/H-back guy opposite the play more than most. As they are very multi-faceted at full strength, no matter how fat their playbook may read.
• 57% run:pass 43% mix. Either Te is your secret sauce offender here; as they hit it long when they do make Dave Parker contact. The Panther offense finished last year 8th in the country overall and in passing, and a downright shiny 3rd most in scoring O. So, something of a recessionary offensive economy was more/less due to pop dirty here. The thingy being… the Pitt G.O.P. (Gross Offensive Product) now (at least in theory) is supposed to deploy mo’ of a Pro’ Set look. As that is the tag that Franky-Cigs has Saturdays trying to look like Sundays, worn for a long while now. Does Pitt R.A.T.T. have those Pro’ parts in stock? Also, spies say that Duz’ and Whipple did not always see eye-to-eye; and that Coach Cig’s is more in his rushing wheelhouse philosophically.

Panther Special Teams: (1 returns)

Pitt is 118th in Net Punting and so is Sam Vander Haar. An Australian rules football player from his youth, Vander Haar went on to work with the renowned Prokick Australia program that has produced many successful collegiate and NFL punters alike. As ‘aye’, they do seem to have some footsie working down under to be true.

Sam is the first ‘married’ P1 I’ve ever studied to be true as well. As he tied the knot with his best girl: Hallie, a Duquesne University graduate, in June 2o22 A.D. Married Saint’s blessing on that.

As the occupation of punting itself goes… Sam only has booted one punt beyond 42-yards so far in his Panther career. (5′12″, 2o5 lbs., t-Fresh.). As you can see from his National ranking digits… he’s not off to a booming Ray Guy kinda start just yet, and it is early on in his career as well… still yet, more was expected of ESPN’s 27th-ranked P nationally here. So, time=tell per always itself.

• 51st in Punt Returns | 73rd in KO returns. (Pitt is one of the few that really schemes returning itself well, rather than just put a blazer back there and yell: “Riddell” (right) or Lucy (left).
• Pitt is a decent 59th in punt coverage | and a strong 20th-best in the suicide squad.
• Pitt has blocked 1 kick and allowed 1 kick to be blocked.
• Pitt has blocked 1 punt and allowed 1 punt to be blocked.

Sam Scarton is your K1 for Pittsburgh. And he is one hard K1 to grade. As he has not got much use at all during his debut college Place-Kicking season.

Or, at least the pre-season forecasted was until Ben Sauls (lefty or Koufax K1) beat him unexpectedly out.

Bennie is a: r-Soph., 5′1o″, 185 lb., K1.

Ben is 6 of 9 so far on his FGA’s or a modest looking 67%. Ben has been perfect on Point After Tries going 21 for 21 as P.A.T.’s go. Ben has one make beyond 42-yards and it is his long so far of 48-yards itself. With no FGA’s beyond that barrier. Prior to this year, Ben was one of one on P.A.T.’s and that is all the résumé he brought to the ’22 incoming table. That being said, Ben did kick-off for Pitt last year, so that should be a solid enough leg-strength sign. 4-tackles would seem to indicate a willingness to mix it up a bit to boot. No. 12 kicker by 247Sports with a career-long at any level of 55-yards back in high school. b.Sauls does enjoy an Ohio State Championship bling; albeit in futball or soccer itself. So, there is that and that typically hints at some leg-swing prowess in one football or another.

Pittsburgh Special Teams letter grade:
Hard one to read for me with such still developing 1st-time starters at P1 and at PK1 alike. Maybe they are better than they are showcasing so far? Tho’, so far as 2o22 has shown, this is a centrist special-teams unit at the moment. Maybe it has ’22 headroom… tho’ Eye cannot see it on tape, yet. C+ just for
doing nothing really bad bad.

Unit Rankings:

1. VT D/Pitt D (nearly tied).
2. Pitt O.
3. …gap…
4. VT O.

X-factor(s):

• motive: Both guys are coming off of underwhelming weekends of getting beat-warring. Tho’ Pitt was the only one upset here. Kinda makes you wonder if they are likewise ‘upset’ (at themselves), now? EDGE=Pitt if there is one to be found.
• weather: Very decent early Fall north of the Mason-Dixon forecast on tap. Prolly does not hurt Pitts throw fits if anything. EDGE=Pitt (just a bit).
• health/off-field: Injury reports are about the same length, tho; Pitt has a couple of more injurious ones along the oLine, and Rb with mucks with their run-fits all the more. EDGE=VT if you just had to choose.
• penalties: ‘Duz teams are coached to let it all hang out and ball out, hard. Viagra-style footsie under the table; and they tend to hover near a centennial or 100’ish ranking in yellow laundry for it consequently. 1o7th this year accordingly. VeeTee is ranked worse, tho’ finally improved last week. EDGE=’ChapStick‘ yet again. As the whistle could get stuck to your lips as a zebra here. (BONUS: vibes say that Duz is gonna sit his flag-men if their screw-ups continue).
• intangibles: Pitt has hovered at or near 65-70% 4th down-converts under Duz. Be mindful of this on 4th-n-short or of any trickeration if/when field position posits the dame. Additionally, same as Frank; Coach Duz coaches advance the ball at all times and under any circumstances on D. 3o-defensive points tallied in the last 1.5 years says so.
  In more typical terms, Pitt is eating up the game clock at 11th best in TOP (time of possession) and a centrist 6oth best in the all-important Turnover Margin. Both far outstrip all things VeeTee now. EDGE=Pitt.
• fatigue: VeeTee is technically up +2 in the last fortnight of work. Tho’ must sojourn 321 miles for this tip-off. EDGE=even.

 

Illation, conclusion(s) and OPT digits:

Number of Panthers who could claw @Tech=15 if they were all available, (12 now).

Pitt is one of three teams to cut down the All-Championship Conference nets to end the year in football terms in the last decade-plus. Pitt. Not VeeTee, not Miami, not any of the used-to-be pretty solid Big East retreads, not the sextastic VHT (very highly touted) recruiting of M.Brown @U.n.c.
Pittsburgh people..

Duz’ just led Pittsburgh to its first Top 25 finish in 12 years and its most wins since the Isotoner or Dan Marino era. WoW, and FREE Hugh Green or Tony Dorsett while we are at it!

---

As you could candidly say these two programs are two ships passing in the nite.

Pitt is ‘on the come’ as Brit’ boxing pundits opine and VeeTee is likely on the post-season pine itself.

the takeaway:

…not much to be O&M taken with of late.

So, Eye will not shill, front, or pose on that for any of you.

***

xxx’s & ooo’s:
Whispers say that coach Duz’ finally has enuff experience on D to play his Island Coverage his way. Be that Ginger manning up on Mary-Ann or Mary-Ann meaning up on, Ginger.

formulae here favors:
See below… TTT & Lo.FM.

Game Ball or mag·num o·pus:
Well, anyone who can turn a big O&M play trick.
Be that O, D or ST’s. Just someone to shock-effect the whole shebang and jump-start a run at nicking this contest in the end.

permutations:

1. Δ1=85% chance that Pitt is not a

   

   good match-up, we do not exactly love playing up there, and Pitt could be distempered a bit after last week’s upset look vs. the Wrambling Wreck.

2. Δ2=7% chance that Pitt is indeed a bit hurting in several places, especially on O. Could that bring them to within reach if the Panthers lay another egg for the Hokiebird depth-chart-wise or schematically?
3. Δ3=8% chance that the first chance really should be mo’ like a 90%+ chance. Maybe 95% if we still cannot, score?

#ChallangeA.c.c.epted… there are 1,440 minutes in a day and it will take 6o outta 6o grab these Panthers by the final outcome… tale.

the optics…

…over the last three seasons, Pitt is 1 or uva-9 when giving up more than two touchdown passes in each game. Can Wells Fargo turkey wing us to victory here? As there are YAC (Yards After the Catch) to be hand when Pitt finds out that “no man is an “Island” and some men are… peninsulas.” (Per coach Robin Williams).

BONUS: it takes a lotta winging to take to win itself vs. the Hell or High-H2o Panther pass defense sets. As 7 of those 9 above opponents needed 356+ passing yards to tame these Panthers threw the air. Do we R.A.T.T. have that kinda downfield production in us?

the skinny…

It is no coincidence that the three Panther 2o21 Ls came on three of the team’s four worst rushing performances of last season. When Pitt gets their ground-gainers gaining ground itself their O and their newfangled passing fancy are hard to check. As in very… when operating from a balance offensive Set.

Lo.FM (Long-field Management©)

• Pitt is a reasonable 45th best in 1st-down O inflicted | whereas V.Tech is a centrist 57th best in 1st-down D allowed.
• V.Tech is a stunted 99th best in 1st-down O inflicted | whereas Pitt is a thrifty 38th best in 1st-down D allowed.
• Pitt is a middleocore 66th best in 3rd-down O converted | whereas V.Tech is a downright salty 8th best in 3rd-down D allowed!
• V.Tech is a mere 89th best in 3rd-down O converted | whereas Pitt is a moderate 56th best in 3rd-down D allowed.
• Lo.FM analysis: well, the very first ‘hike’ per series for the O&M is critical here. We do NOT need to chase the chain gang which only further enables Pitt’s risk-friendly schemes. This one was not as quarrelsome as I had expected, tho’ it does log in the p.cats favor nonetheless. EDGE=Pitt.

TTT (Time To Throw©)

• Pittsburgh is a near average 70th best in TFL (tackles for a loss) allowed O | whilst V.P.I. is a somewhat northward 42nd best in TFL inflicted D.
• V.P.I. is a just above average 53rd best in TFL allowed O | whilst Pittsburgh is a penetrating 20th best in TFL infected D.
• Pittsburgh is a nearly available 88th best in Qb sacks allowed O | whilst V.P.I. is a vanilla 69th best in Qb sacks inflicted D.
• V.P.I. is a pretty well-plugged 28th best in Qb sacks allowed O | whilst Pittsburgh is a near vengeful 13th best in Qb sacks inflicted D.
• TTT analysis: well, kinda the very same as above… Pittsburgh did not totally whoop us here. Still yet, 1st-down is critical all over again. ’cause if Pitt gap-busts us and we gotta chase the sticks? We may very well be downtown Mt. Washington or Triangle stuck. Pitt just has mo’ playmakers than we do. EDGE=Pittsburgh. (A solid edge I fear).

♥  ♣  ♦ ∪

WWI: “The Great War”…

Trench Warefare will greatly favor these Panthers if their oLine returns to strength and or form. IF not so fast my friends— it will favor both dLine’s alike.

Further…
…very quietly, Pitt is one of the best in-game (not halftime, real live fire) in-game adjustors in the business. They are nearly up 3:1 in 2Q scoring and 1.5 in 4Q scoring compared to their opponents. That is a helluva a 2nd-page to the pre-game script or an A+++ Plan-B.
WoW!

3-game splits…
Pitt is up a nifty looking +49o Σ or Total Yards in their last 3-contests. With V.Tech down –447 Σ or Total Yards in (just) their last 2-contests. Think about that one…

In the last three… VeeTee has cut nearly –25-yards rushing whereas Pitt has found nearly +4o-yards rushing. Yikes! The Panther D however has constricted by nearly 70 less yards/game allowed! (Better vs. the run and really better vs. the throw). With the Gobbler D has loosed up by nearly 80 more yards/game allowed! (Nearly mutually worse on the turf and in atmospheric terms alike).

H/A splits…
The two Os did not move much home or away. Pittsburgh’s was close to the same (a little worse @home actually); although, it was the Hokie halt-unit that slipped up by nearly 80 more yards/game yielded on the road. (Worse vs. on the ground and worst up in the air).

Our handy dandy friend, the so-called: Forum Guide of Graham Houston fame is merely calling for an ask back, soon enuff.

Pitt Projected S&P+: 23rd.
Pitt Projected S&P wins: 8.9 W’s.

the sportlight...

…here in the sportlight, we are a bit phobic that we are seeing 2-trends just start to emerge.

1. 1st of all, Prybar and Co. are now giving out some youngling P.T. (playing time) already here-n-there. An at least modest-sized youth movement or ’23 and ’24 could be getting underway. That said, young guys are less experienced guys. They are near-sided in terms of the Experience and Learning Curves alike. This avers, posits, and connotes that mo’ misQ’s could very well be forthcoming as well.
2. 2nd of all, of the Vets who are not getting any youngling relief? You might could say that they looked a little tanked in the 4Q’s of the last two combined 2o-74 the ‘rong way near azz-kicking’s taken. Wear-n-tear + inexperience is seldom a recipe for much of anything useful in and of itself.

–oOo–

the call...

…all of ^^^that^^^ plus the Lo.FM and TTT likelihood of not getting off to good offensive starts?

That is just too much to overcome here men.

As v.22 Pitt kinda reminds of Fu’s first-year team here.
Not super deep (due to dings/dents); tho’ very top-heavy on star power.
As in… a lotta things could describe struggling Vah.Tech football thus far…

And yet Top-heavy is not among ’em.
Ergo, therefore, to Whit…

Puma wins.
Whistle: “Cat-call”
Rain is rumored to be wet.

🐆 >>> 🏈 >>> 🦃

And the only calculus for you is…
…by; how, much?

upset Index=13%

#wimps!

Virginia Tech=12, Pitt=36

“LETS GO!“

Please support the VT F.C.A.!

“HOKIES!“

bourbonstreet**