Pat Narduzzi’s Pitt Panthers were off to a fantastic start, 5-0 and into the top 25. That fifth win, however, came at a huge cost, as star quarterback Mason Heintschel suffered a torn ACL down in Blacksburg. Now, they’re out there losing to UNC saving other Bill’s job, and more likely out of the running for the conference belt as they head to BC looking to keep their season hopes alive.
Offense
Heintschel really was the engine for this team, and had been more or less since he took the starting job
coincidentally for this same matchup last season. He had thrown for 1300 yards, 14 touchdowns, to just one interception before injury. The offense was humming, but now fifth-year senior Holden Geriner gets the nod. The Texas State (by way of Auburn) transfer made his first start against UNC, going 27/44 for 219 with two interceptions. Funnily enough, he fared much better in a hostile environment under high pressure, delivering the win over Tech going 8/12 for 78 yards and a score without any turnovers.
He’s going to look to get the ball out quickly if he’s not handing it off. The Panthers started off with a touchdown on a 12-play, 75-yard drive against the Tar Heels and led at halftime before things fell apart in the second. Tight end Carson Kent got a lot more involved because of that, leading the team with seven catches. The Oklahoma transfer is third on the team overall with 218 yards.
Cataurus Hicks is the star wideout with 365 yards to lead the team, but they do spread it out well. CJ Lee and Bryce Yates both have 200+ yards themselves and a similar reception volume. They get their backs involved too. Damon Ferguson and Ja’Kyrian Turner each have double-digit catches and a receiving touchdown. The freshman Ferguson is the leader in the clubhouse, but La’Vell Wright gets involved on the ground too and leads with four scores. I’m sure we’ll see a healthy dose of all of these runners and more. Against UNC, the offense got creative getting other players into the backfield as well. BC has had its fair share of struggles against the run, but maybe a more predictable offense and the week off will help.
Narduzzi confirmed Geriner will continue to start despite the shaky start, but Corey Dailey is a 6-6 four-star from Texas who could get in if things go badly or if they pull a rope-a-dope again. He came in for a bit in an early win over Bucknell.
Defense
As is generally the case, this is a strong defense, ranked 21st nationally in yards allowed per game (291), and 15th in points allowed (14.7). The run defense is their bread and butter. They held both UNC and Virginia Tech to well under 100 yards rushing. Opponents average under 50 yards per game and under two yards a carry, though McKenzie adds a little more variability than they’ve seen to date.
The production comes from all over too, particularly from a strong, aggressive linebacking corps. Alex Sanford came in from Purdue and has two sacks to go with his team-leading six TFLs. Jeremiah Marcelin is second on the team with 27 tackles, and captain Braylan Lovelace has a sack and an interception on the year. It’s an attacking front that’s going to force quick decisions. Each of their four defensive linemen has at least one sack, and edge Isaiah Neal and tackle Nick James have each recovered fumbles as well. The pressure comes from everywhere here.
The concern is on the secondary, where the team is allowing 241 passing yards, among the worst in the country. While they do generate turnovers in their zone-heavy scheme, with seven players recording an interception, they still have been prone to getting beaten on big plays. Free safety Cruce Brookins leads the team with 37 tackles, but is still looking for his first pick of the season.
Other Notes
The Panthers have struggled even worse than BC with penalties, averaging eight per game vs BC’s seven. Their 73 penalty yards per game ranks 121st nationally. If we see the same penalty performance as last time out, this difference will be negligible.
