GT vs Pitt

[GT_05]

Pickett has been awesome for Pitt. They can really put points on the board. It will be a tough match up.

Pitt has been one of the most frustrating games as a tech fan. Between the officiating last year, the game winning field goals from them, etc.... its like we used all of our good luck vs. them in that wild first half in 2014 where we had like 4 turnovers

That kicker…Blewitt. Guy never blew it against us.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

First, after two games in a row against top teams, with a lot of emotion, I can see us have a let down and stumble in this game. I can also see Narduzzi put together a great game plan and have his players gigged up after being "dissed" at the end of last year's game. I can see Pitt win outright--they're favored, and games are also about matchups and maybe they match up well against us. Both coaches and teams can take offense at last year's game, so either or both teams can come in motivated.

I don't think stacking the box is going to happen. UNC could have put in a goalline package throughout the second half (the ultimate in box-stacking). It's not that simple. I'm sure Carter would like a nice bubble screen and one man to beat.

Also, when Sims made his 50ish yard TD run, there were players in the secondary with an angle, and he turned on the jets and left them behind. Gibbs and Sims and some of our receivers can do that too. Pitt might put a spy on Sims, but that takes one player out of the pass rush or puts them in weak pass coverage. When you spy a player faster than you, you better have great angles or you just look silly.

I see a decent amount of Pitt blitzing, and attacking our guards, and shifts and overloads and other ways to confuse our line. That's our weak point, and that's what I'd attack.

That's also a reason to keep a TE or H-back available--we need another blocker or half-blocker. I'd look for Patenaude to have some fun with formations, and maybe play with tempo--not all fast, but where we set the pace fast or slow, depending on what we want.

I'm not sure what Narduzzi's going to do on offense--we looked pretty solid in the last two games, and I'd think we're going to look for more ways to bring mayhem.

I hear you. Your points are what I’m concerned about. Can Patenaude adjust to what the defense will game plan for against Sims. Last year after Sims showed out against FSU the DC’s went to work and Patenaude didn’t adjust which led to Sims getting hammered and turning the ball over. Your idea of Patenaude “having fun with formations” scares me because he hasn’t shown any aptitude for formations until last night with the Gibbs/Smith/Sims trio at the same time.

After us GT fans have watched every snap of Sims GT career how would you defend him. I would absolutely stack the line and take away his legs. If Sims has really improved between the ears then as you point out he could shred defenses thru the air with 1 on 1’s. Like you I love that idea in theory, but Sims has to actually do it on the field for more than a half especially with DC’s building their plan around him. But that’s been the story in college football the past 30 years - the QB has to win it.

For Pitt, like you I’m not too worried about their offense. They’ll score some points and if we turn it over they’ll make us pay. But we should also be able to handle them. Last year we made their RB look like all ACC and we allowed Pickett to keep the chains moving with his slow legs. Our improvement on the DLine should be a big factor. But the final score will be determined by our OLine and QB play.

 

[UgaBlows]

First, after two games in a row against top teams, with a lot of emotion, I can see us have a let down and stumble in this game. I can also see Narduzzi put together a great game plan and have his players gigged up after being "dissed" at the end of last year's game. I can see Pitt win outright--they're favored, and games are also about matchups and maybe they match up well against us. Both coaches and teams can take offense at last year's game, so either or both teams can come in motivated.

I don't think stacking the box is going to happen. UNC could have put in a goalline package throughout the second half (the ultimate in box-stacking). It's not that simple. I'm sure Carter would like a nice bubble screen and one man to beat.

Also, when Sims made his 50ish yard TD run, there were players in the secondary with an angle, and he turned on the jets and left them behind. Gibbs and Sims and some of our receivers can do that too. Pitt might put a spy on Sims, but that takes one player out of the pass rush or puts them in weak pass coverage. When you spy a player faster than you, you better have great angles or you just look silly.

I see a decent amount of Pitt blitzing, and attacking our guards, and shifts and overloads and other ways to confuse our line. That's our weak point, and that's what I'd attack.

That's also a reason to keep a TE or H-back available--we need another blocker or half-blocker. I'd look for Patenaude to have some fun with formations, and maybe play with tempo--not all fast, but where we set the pace fast or slow, depending on what we want.

I'm not sure what Narduzzi's going to do on offense--we looked pretty solid in the last two games, and I'd think we're going to look for more ways to bring mayhem.

I’ve a feeling that the Pitt game is one our guys have circled after how salty last seasons game was and how it ended, not too worried about a letdown here...

 

[Fatmike91]

I hear you. Your points are what I’m concerned about. Can Patenaude adjust to what the defense will game plan for against Sims. Last year after Sims showed out against FSU the DC’s went to work and Patenaude didn’t adjust which led to Sims getting hammered and turning the ball over. Your idea of Patenaude “having fun with formations” scares me because he hasn’t shown any aptitude for formations until last night with the Gibbs/Smith/Sims trio at the same time.

After us GT fans have watched every snap of Sims GT career how would you defend him. I would absolutely stack the line and take away his legs. If Sims has really improved between the ears then as you point out he could shred defenses thru the air with 1 on 1’s. Like you I love that idea in theory, but Sims has to actually do it on the field for more than a half especially with DC’s building their plan around him. But that’s been the story in college football the past 30 years - the QB has to win it.

For Pitt, like you I’m not too worried about their offense. They’ll score some points and if we turn it over they’ll make us pay. But we should also be able to handle them. Last year we made their RB look like all ACC and we allowed Pickett to keep the chains moving with his slow legs. Our improvement on the DLine should be a big factor. But the final score will be determined by our OLine and QB play.

In the first four games - teams have been focusing on our running backs.

Yates doesn't have the athletic ability to break the game open in the same way Sims does. UNC did not come in prepared to stop Sims on the zone read keep (or the QB keep). Pitt will. To do it, Pitt will have to give up the focus on our running backs and probably give us some favorable match-ups in the secondary.

We'll learn a lot in the next game about how good we can be.

/

 

[Buzztheirazz]

To Fatmikes point I thought we spread the ball around pretty well against UNC. To those that know stats… how many receivers made a catch this last game?

 

[slugboy]

To Fatmikes point I thought we spread the ball around pretty well against UNC. To those that know stats… how many receivers made a catch this last game?

6: Carter 3, McGowan 3, Gibbs 2, McCollumn 2, Norris 1, Smith 2

 

[stinger 1957]

How is he going to do that?

I'm not a good Xs and Os guy, so I refer to others on here discussing your question, but do know coaches can design things to take away certain things, just believe if I were looking at Sims and Gt I would design something to make Sims have to throw for Gt to be successful. It's our weakest point, trying to stand in the pocket and throw, our Ol and Sims combo are not our best at this. Sims has always appeared to wait until receivers are open before throwing, no anticipation, guys sitting down somewhere is where he seems to connect best if my memory serves me and it may not, me getting old!!

 

[slugboy]

Let’s start with their Western Michigan game—they lost that game. A couple of takeaways from that game:

• Addison is a threat at receiver. Don’t let him behind you.
• Pitt got a tall TE transfer from Florida who is good and taller than Western Michigan’s defenders
• Both Western Michigan and Pitt play the same general offensive scheme as we do
• Both play a 4-2-5 defense
• Pickett had a rough game with at least one pick and a couple of fumbles
• Western Michigan looks like a pretty good team in this game. They played smart and lucky and with a lot of effort. They’re 3-1, with a rough loss to Michigan
• Pickett isn’t a burner, but he’s kind of like a smaller version of UNC’s Howell, where he can run fast enough to pick up 15 on a scramble.
• In the past, Pitt has played an I-formation with a tough fullback, but I didn’t see one here.
• Their front 6 are decent to good tacklers and got some tackles for loss
• I didn’t really notice Pitt’s RB.
• We can’t count on Pitt being this unlucky against us.
• Pickett has a good strong arm.
• Pitt tried to crowd the line a bit, but got burned through the air and from some runs.
• Western Michigan bubble screened at least once for strong yardage
• Western Michigan started picking Pitt apart across the middle, then transitioned to attacking them on the perimeter. They found a lot of gaps
• Pitt was a much bigger team than Western Michigan

 

[Root4GT]

How is he going to do that?

Stack the box, press man to man with a single high safety. Numbers favor the defense against the run.

Patanude’s counter is generally have the WRs split very wide forcing the defense to spread horizontally. It will come down can our O line defeat their D line and LBs.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Handshake game.

Let’s go!!!

I did not bother to watch the 77-7 massacre of New Hampshire but I did watch a replay of the Western Michigan game. Pitt is very much like UNC. Little ground game and depending greatly upon Pickett to carry the team. He seems a bit faster than Howell but gifted the Broncos a touchdown by fumbling after a run. What shocked me was how easy Western Michigan moved the football. They worked the middle of the field with quick passes that were on the money. Very impressed with their quarterback. Honestly, do not think Pitt is as good as they were last year even with the #2 ranked offense in scoring with over 50 points a game. They do have three very good wide receivers and as always a good tight end. Pitt played sloppy with numerous penalties, two, count em, missed extra points and a slew of missed tackles. They do seem better than UNC in pass protection. The question once again is can we run the ball effectively enough to keep it out of Pickett's hands and can we get pressure on him?

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

I don’t know who the better qb is Pickett or Howell but I’m feeling better about slowing down Pickett after last night.

Pickett is more dangerous running to the outside and is much more likely to take chances to get the big play. Dangerous...to both opponents and his own team.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

I hear you. Your points are what I’m concerned about. Can Patenaude adjust to what the defense will game plan for against Sims. Last year after Sims showed out against FSU the DC’s went to work and Patenaude didn’t adjust which led to Sims getting hammered and turning the ball over. Your idea of Patenaude “having fun with formations” scares me because he hasn’t shown any aptitude for formations until last night with the Gibbs/Smith/Sims trio at the same time.

After us GT fans have watched every snap of Sims GT career how would you defend him. I would absolutely stack the line and take away his legs. If Sims has really improved between the ears then as you point out he could shred defenses thru the air with 1 on 1’s. Like you I love that idea in theory, but Sims has to actually do it on the field for more than a half especially with DC’s building their plan around him. But that’s been the story in college football the past 30 years - the QB has to win it.

For Pitt, like you I’m not too worried about their offense. They’ll score some points and if we turn it over they’ll make us pay. But we should also be able to handle them. Last year we made their RB look like all ACC and we allowed Pickett to keep the chains moving with his slow legs. Our improvement on the DLine should be a big factor. But the final score will be determined by our OLine and QB play.

If it were me facing Tech, I would take away the run game and hit Sims hard every time he ran with the ball. I would make Sims complete passes to beat me. That said, Pitt did a good job of stopping Western Michigan's run game but were eaten alive by quick passes over the middle. Someone missed an opportunity not recruiting Western Michigan's quarterback.

 

[Buzztheirazz]

6: Carter 3, McGowan 3, Gibbs 2, McCollumn 2, Norris 1, Smith 2

THANKS!!

 

[jgtengineer]

In the first four games - teams have been focusing on our running backs.

Yates doesn't have the athletic ability to break the game open in the same way Sims does. UNC did not come in prepared to stop Sims on the zone read keep (or the QB keep). Pitt will. To do it, Pitt will have to give up the focus on our running backs and probably give us some favorable match-ups in the secondary.

We'll learn a lot in the next game about how good we can be.

/

I am not entirely sure that's the case with Yates (he was recruited to run an option, and has made a lot of things happen with his legs), I don't think we called anywhere near the number of read option calls because Well we didn't need them against KSU, and we didn't have a back up they trusted. Yates doing what he did lets them call what they are calling with Sims and i don't think sims was quite ready last week or we'd have seen him at least once in the red zone.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Time for payback. October will tell us how good we are.

 

[rfjeff9]

I'm not a good Xs and Os guy, so I refer to others on here discussing your question, but do know coaches can design things to take away certain things, just believe if I were looking at Sims and Gt I would design something to make Sims have to throw for Gt to be successful. It's our weakest point, trying to stand in the pocket and throw, our Ol and Sims combo are not our best at this. Sims has always appeared to wait until receivers are open before throwing, no anticipation, guys sitting down somewhere is where he seems to connect best if my memory serves me and it may not, me getting old!!

Hold on now, I saw several throws against UNC where the receiver turned to look for the ball and it was already there in his face mask. Perfect throw perfect catch. Something I haven’t seen since Godsey was miraculously running through the middle of the UGAg defense slower than molasse.

It got me excited to see both kids know the route and perfectly execute the play. I won’t say he doesn’t do what you say often, but he’s moving in the right direction. Maybe it was a play for a specific receiver and they both knew?

 

[forensicbuzz]

I'm not a good Xs and Os guy, so I refer to others on here discussing your question, but do know coaches can design things to take away certain things, just believe if I were looking at Sims and Gt I would design something to make Sims have to throw for Gt to be successful. It's our weakest point, trying to stand in the pocket and throw, our Ol and Sims combo are not our best at this. Sims has always appeared to wait until receivers are open before throwing, no anticipation, guys sitting down somewhere is where he seems to connect best if my memory serves me and it may not, me getting old!!

To this point, Sims was pretty accurate with his passes. When I was paying attention, it seemed he was locked on to his primary receivers the whole time. Against prepared defenses, that's going to get him picked. He needs to look off receivers or the safeties are going to eat his lunch. Just a little thing I noticed in the game. I was very happy with his performance.

 

[BuzzStone]

I just hope we are mature enough to put this win behind us early this week. The good news is there is some bad blood already.

 

[IM79]

I'm not a good Xs and Os guy, so I refer to others on here discussing your question, but do know coaches can design things to take away certain things, just believe if I were looking at Sims and Gt I would design something to make Sims have to throw for Gt to be successful. It's our weakest point, trying to stand in the pocket and throw, our Ol and Sims combo are not our best at this. Sims has always appeared to wait until receivers are open before throwing, no anticipation, guys sitting down somewhere is where he seems to connect best if my memory serves me and it may not, me getting old!!

Watch the pass he threw at the 6:20 mark of the 3rd quarter. It was a scissors combo route to #2. Sims let the ball go before McGowan made his break to the sideline. Check it out. It was a thing of beauty. After we finished the drive with the TD, on the replay of the pass, the color guy broke down the pass play and the wide shot shows Sims releasing the ball well before the break.

 

[CuseJacket]

'Cuse is Pitt's primary crossover. Syracuse began playing an aggressive 3-3-5 as of last year with new DC Tony White. The 'Cuse D was particularly effective in year 1 last year, punching above their weight most games up until the point where they were on the field late for the entirety of a game due to an anemic offense. We (GT) saw as much confusion on O protections against 'Cuse as with any team with Sims getting whacked a number of times.

Last year Pitt put up 21 points against 'Cuse (2 missed FG). Pickett was 25 for 36, 215 yds passing, 2 TD, 1 INT. Pitt rushed for 127 yds total.

Pittsburgh 21-10 Syracuse (Sep 19, 2020) Box Score - ESPN

Box score for the Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Syracuse Orange NCAAF game from September 19, 2020 on ESPN. Includes all passing, rushing and receiving stats.

www.espn.com

In a game where transitive property doesn't really exist, it's hard to know what to make of that, particularly without much prior film for Pitt to have studied prior to that output. But if the GT that I saw in the last two games carries forward to Saturday, I can say that we are a more effective bunch than Syracuse last year who was serviceable to good at times on D.