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The University of Pittsburgh has a rich tradition of football that dates back to the early 1900’s. The Panthers are nine-time National Champions and some of the greatest players in the history of football have called Pitt their alma mater. Pitt has 25 members in the College Football Hall of Fame and nine have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
NGSC Sports brings you the best Pitt Game Day Preview you will find anywhere! This is where true Panther fans come to find out about Pitt and their upcoming opponent! Mike Drakulich (@PghSportsNation) brings you inside the huddle for both teams, providing all fans with a weekly game story, Pitt’s game plan for success, score prediction, crucial game day information, and a detailed breakdown of each team.
Heck, you’ll even know the weather at kickoff! The only thing you’re missing is a game uniform!
Panthers look for respect in trip to Virginia Tech
The Pitt Panthers (4-1) and head coach Pat Narduzzi are looking for some respect when the visit Blacksburgh to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies (3-2) this Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Despite leading the nation in scoring with 52.4 points per game, and a quarterback in Kenny Pickett who has thrown for 1,731 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just one interception, the one loss Panthers are still not in the Top 25 despite several teams with two losses still remaining ahead of Pitt in the rankings.
“I don’t know,” Narduzzi said. “Sometimes it’s one thing we struggle with, handling success. National notoriety as far as just an individual player or a team. I still don’t see much respect for a 4-1 football team, which is fine. It’s something I’ll use.
“All the preseason ratings and all that bologna doesn’t make any difference. It’s what you do week in, week out. No one cares what you did the last couple weeks, everybody cares what you’re going to do Saturday at 3:30. I think that is the focus. Our guys have to take it one game at a time, not worry about the noise on the outside, what you guys are talking about, what the national media is talking about. It doesn’t matter because you’re only as good as your last opportunity on the field.”
Pitt will definitely open some eyes if they are able to defeat the Hokies at Lane Stadium, a place where #14 Notre Dame had to pull out a late game comeback to take down VaTech 32-29.
A big win Saturday would set up one of the biggest home games in recent memory next week when Clemson visits Heinz Field October 23rd at 3:30 pm.
But, first things first, starting in Blacksburg.
“No doubt about it,” Narduzzi said. “I think Notre Dame found out it’s not an easy place to go play. It’s loud. Fans are into it. They’ll be into it at 3:30, 7:30. With the 3:30 game on ESPN, they’ll be ready to go. They’ll be pumped up.
“Again, it’s not an easy place to play. We got a little used to that. Even Georgia Tech was a good crowd. Obviously Tennessee on the road. We’ve kind of gone through those issues already, so it’s not going to be new to us. You see some teams on TV where they struggle with the noise, the crowd, jump offsides on offense, all that stuff. We didn’t do that down in Tennessee. Don’t expect to do it in Blacksburg this weekend. Well-coached. Just got to go out and execute and make plays.”
Narduzzi says his team is ready for battle, as is offensive coordinator Mark Whipple, especially when talking about Pickett, who is gaining Heisman attention with each passing week–pun intended.
“All his expectations are our expectations,” said Whipple. “His (Pickett) experience is showing. The work they all put in in the summer without us being around, him knowing what to do and all the little idiosyncrasies that come with the throw game. Those things are paying off for us in games.”
As are making plays and limiting mistakes.
“We haven’t dropped the ball. Two years we led the country in drops. I haven’t lost a game as a coach where we didn’t drop a ball,” Whipple said.
“The guys up front. They’re not getting enough credit. I told them I don’t know if I would have called some runs on third-and-4 that I am now because I have confidence in the guys doing the blocking. That makes play-calling a little bit easier.”
On the flipside, the main man for the Hokies is quarterback Braxton Burmeister, and as he goes, so does the VaTech offense.
On the season, Burmeister has 930 passing yards (58.8%) with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s also rushed for 182 yards (3.4 yards per carry) with two touchdowns.
Burmeister suffered a shoulder injury against the Irish, and many thought he would be unable to suit up this week.
Not Narduzzi.
“Burmeister will be ready to go,” Narduzzi said. “Came back in the game, looked like he hurt his funny bone. Didn’t look like it affected him much. So he’ll be back. We expect to see him.”
Hokies head coach Justin Fuentes concurred.
“Everything I’ve heard is he’s going to be good to go,” Fuente said.
Pitt’s Game Plan for Success
Offense
- Attack: The Panthers and Kenny Pickett are scoring over 52 points per game, so now is no time to slow down. The Hokies couldn’t stop the Irish when it counted, and with the weapons Pickett has to go along with a rushing attack that is getting better each week, Pitt should be able to put up big numbers again this week.
- Protect the ball: Virginia Tech loves to play takeaway, and thrives off these moments especially at home in front of a raucous crowd.
Defense
- Swarm Braxton Burmeister: The dual threat Hokies QB is the key to shutting down their offense. Burmeister is like Pickett and will beat you with his legs if the opportunity arises. Already hampered with a bad shoulder, the Pitt defense will surely be looking to deliver punishment to that spot every time he drops back to throw or takes off to run.
- Special teams: VaTech always brings their best effort when it comes to special teams. Just one play could change the whole momentum of a game, so Pitt will have to be solid in protecting punts, and bottling up Tech kick returners like Keshawn King who is averaging 31.8 yards per kickoff return and Raheem Blackshear, who is even better at 35.8 yards per return.
Prediction
After the very regrettable loss to Western Michigan, the Panthers have bounced back with two straight wins, and now fully control their destiny to win the Coastal Division and play in the ACC Championship Game. Despite playing in one of the toughest venues in the conference, the Panthers find themselves as five point favorites Saturday in Blacksburg, and even ESPN has them favored in every game remaining on the schedule.
Pitt and Pat Narduzzi want some respect, including in the polls and for Kenny Pickett when it comes to Heisman talks, and in front of a riled up crown at Lane Stadium, and broadcast nationally on ESPN2, they’ll have every chance to earn it with a big win vs the Hokies.
The Hokies don’t generate much offense (327.8 yards per game, ranking 116th of 130 FBS teams), but QB Braxton Burmeister can be a threat with the RPO (run-pass option), something the Pitt defense has struggled against in the past.
Expect the Panther defense to rise to the occasion and for Pickett and the offense to get rolling as usual, especially in the run game with Israel Abanikanda, Vincent Davis and Rodney Hammond pounding the ball down their throats late in the game.
It will be a tough game, as it always is against the Hokies, but Pitt is better from top to bottom, and in the end, the Panthers will pull away and set up a home game for the ages vs Clemson on October 23rd… Pitt 41 Virginia Tech 24
Game Day Information
Pitt Panthers at Virginia Tech Hokies
- Vegas Line: Pitt -5
Venue: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA.
Tickets: VaTech Ticket Office
Game-time: Saturday, October 16th at 3:30 pm
TV: ESPN2
- Announcers: Jason Benetti (play-by-play) Andre Ware (analyst) | Paul Carcaterra (reporter)
Local Radio: Pittsburgh- 93.7 The Fan
- Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Pat Bostick (analyst) | Larry Richert (reporter)
Alternative Broadcasts
- Online Radio: 937thefan.radio.com
- Satellite Radio: Sirius Channel 113, XM Channel 201, SXM App Channel 964
Weather at Kickoff: 59 with partly cloudy skies. Winds out of the west at 15 MPH.
ACC Links
Scouting the Pitt Panthers
Overall Record: 4-1 | ACC Record: 1-0 | Rank: n/a
Previous Game: Pitt 52 Georgia Tech 21
Head Coach: Pat Narduzzi (7th Season with Pitt)
- Lifetime Record: 46-35
Pitt Links
Pitt Offense (Pro Style)
Strengths: Strong passing game under the leadership of Kenny Pickett who has a bevy of weapons at his disposal, including WR Jordan Addison and TE Lucas Krull. Now the running game is gaining momentum by the week.
Weaknesses: As of right now, none.
Offensive Stats
- Points per game: 52.4
- Total offense yards per game: 554.4
- Passing yards per game: 389
- Rushing yards per game: 165.4
Starting Quarterback: Kenny Pickett | Back-ups: Nick Patti and Davis Beville.
- Kenny Pickett returns for his 4th season as QB for Pitt. The super senior has a strong, accurate arm and can burn defenses with his running ability out of the pocket. Pickett, who is receiving some Heisman hype, has thrown for 1,731 yards, 19 touchdowns, with just one interception, and has rushed for 142 yards and another two touchdowns. Defenses have gotten to Pickett just eight times for sacks.
Starting Running Back: Israel Abanikanda | Back-ups: Vincent Davis, Rodney Hammond, A.J. Davis, Todd Sibley, and Daniel Carter.
- Israel Abanikanda has been elevated to starter, and has rushed for 207 yards and four touchdowns. Vincent Davis actually has more carries, and is 2nd on the team with 203 yards rushing, with two touchdowns. A.J. Davis was the opening day starter but has carried the ball only twice. Todd Sibley and Daniel Carter have been rarely used, but Rodney Hammond has shot up the depth chart and made the most of his work, rushing for 185 yards and three touchdowns.
Wide Receivers: (Outside) Taysir Mack, Shocky Jacques-Louis , Jared Wayne, Melquise Stovall and Tre Tipton.
(Slot) Jordan Addison and Jaylon Barden.
- Taysir Mack gives Pitt a steady and reliable senior presence at wide receiver and has 304 yards receiving off of 16 catches. Jordan Addison leads the team with 29 receptions for 524 yards and nine touchdowns. Jared Wayne is tied for 3rd on the team with 15 catches for 221 yards. Shocky Jacques-Louis has nine receptions for 110 yards so far. Jaylon Barden has seven catches for 155 yards and a TD, while Hawaii transfer Marquise Stovall has contributed six catches for 73 yards and a TD.
Tight Ends: Lucas Krull and Gavin Bartholomew.
- Lucas Krull has rejuvenated the tight end position for Pitt, ranking 3rd on the team with 15 catches for 193 yards and five touchdowns. Gavin Bartholomew has also caught nine passes for 99 yards.
Placekicker: Sam Scarton
Extra Points: 30-32
Field Goals: 4-4
- 1-19 yards: 0-0
- 20-29 yards: 1-1
- 30-39 yards: 2-2
- 40-49 yards: 1-1
- 50+ yards: 0-0
Offensive Line
Left Tackle: Carter Warren
Left Guard: Marcus Minor
Center: Owen Drexel
Right Guard: Jake Kradel
Right Tackle: Gabe Houy
Pitt Defense (Base 4-3)
Strengths: Superb pass rush.
Weaknesses: Aggressive defense sometimes get caught in the attack, giving up long plays through the air as corners are usually in one on one coverage. Sloppy tackling at times.
Defensive Stats
- Points per game allowed: 22.6
- Total offense yards per game allowed: 338.4
- Passing yards allowed: 236.2
- Rushing yards allowed: 102.2
- Sacks: 18
- Interceptions: 4
Defensive Line: Habakuk Baladonaldo, Calijah Kancey, Keyshon Camp, and Deslin Alexandre.
- Habakuk Baladonaldo and Deslin Alexandre are impressive bookends of the defensive line with Calijah Kancey and Keyshon Camp on the inside. Kancey is on the verge on stardom with his skill set, which seems to get better each week. Baladonaldo has three and a half sacks, while Camp has one sack.
Linebackers: Phil Campbell III, Wendall Davis/SirVocea Dennis, and Cam Bright.
- Phil Campbell III (Money) and Cam Bright (Star) surround Wendall Davis (Mike) at the linebacker position that has good speed and instincts when it comes at stopping the opposing run game. John Petrishen has been a big part of the linebacker rotation and has two sacks to his credit, and a pick six. Campbell has three sacks. SirVocea Dennis leads the front seven with 27 tackles.
Secondary: Marquis Williams, Brandon Hill, Erick Hallett II/Rashad Battle, and Damarri Mathis.
- Marquis Williams and Damarri Mathis man the corners with Brandon Hill at strong safety and Erick Hallett II at free safety. Hill has one INT on the year as does Mathis.
Pitt Special Teams
Punter: Kirk Christodoulou
Kickoff Returners: Jaylon Barden and Isreal Abanikanda
Punt Returner: Jaylon Barden and Melquise Stovall
Scouting report: Jaylon Barden is the primary kick returner and is averaging 20.8 yards per return. Melquise Stoval has averaged 0.4 yards per punt return, so some improvement is drastically needed in that area.
Scouting the Virginia Tech Hokies
Overall Record: 3-2 | ACC Record: 1-0 | Rank: n/a
Previous Game: Notre Dame 32 Virginia Tech 29
Head Coach: Justin Fuente (6th Season with Virginia Tech)
- Lifetime Record: 67-51 | 41-28 with Virginia Tech
Links
Virginia Tech Offense (Pro)
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Offensive Stats
- Points per game: 24.6
- Total Offense per game: 329.4
- Passing yards per game: 190
- Rushing yards per game: 139.4
Starting Quarterback: Braxton Burmeister | Back-up: Knox Kadum
- Braxton Burmeister is the key to the Hokies offense. He has thrown for 930 yards, with five touchdowns, two interceptions and has been sacked 11 times. Burmeister, whose shoulder was injured vs Notre Dame, has rushed for a team leading 189 yards with two touchdowns. Knox Kadum is the back-up, as Connor Blumrick is out several weeks.
Running Backs: Jalen Holston, Raheem Blackshear, and Keshawn King
- Jalen Holston and Raheem Blackshear form a two headed monster for VaTech in the backfield. Holston has rushed for 158 yards with one score. Blackshear has gained 179 yards on the ground and a team leading four TD’s, and is a big threat out of the backfield with 12 receptions for 144 yards.
Wide Receivers: Tre Turner, Tayvion Robinson, and Kaleb Smith
- Tre Turner leads the team with 22 receptions for 330 yards and a score. Tayvion Robinson is 2nd with 19 catches for 219 yards and two touchdowns. Kaleb Smith has notched 12 receptions for 112 yards.
Tight Ends: Drake Deiuliis and James Mitchell
- Drake Deiuliis doesn’t see many passes his way, as he has only caught three passes for 51 yards. James Mitchell has five catches for 42 yards and a score, but is lost for the season.
Kicker: John Parker Romo
Extra Points: 15-15
Field Goals: 4-5
- 1-19 yards: 1-1
- 20-29 yards: 1-1
- 30-39 yards: 0-1
- 40-49 yards: 1-1
- 50+ yards: 1-1
Virginia Tech Defense (4-2-5)
Strengths: Good pass rush, and ball hawks in the secondary. Great special teams, as usual.
Weaknesses: Not very solid vs the run.
Defensive Stats
- Points per game allowed: 18.6
- Total offense yards per game allowed: 342.8
- Passing yards allowed: 196.4
- Rushing yards allowed: 146.4
- Sacks: 15
- Interceptions: 7
Scouting report: LB Dax Hollifield, who will have to sit out the first half due to a late game targeting penalty last week vs Notre Dame, leads the team with 61 tackles, and also is tied for the team lead with three sacks. Hollifield also has one of the seven interceptions collected by the Hokies defense. Fellow LB Alan Tisdale is 2nd with 60 tackles.
Corner Jermaine Waller has 36 tackles, and four interceptions, one to the house, so Kenny Pickett will have to be on target when and if he goes at Waller.
Defensive lineman TyJuan Garbutt has three sacks.
Pitt vs Virginia Tech History
Series Began: 1993
Overall Record: 9-11
- At Home: 7-4
- On Road: 2-7
- Neutral Site: 0-0
ACC Series: 4-4
Streak: Pitt won the last game.
Last Game: Nov. 21, 2020 (Pitt 47, Virginia Tech 14)
Game Notes*
- The Panthers are averaging an ACC-high 554.4 yards per game, which ranks third nationally. The Pitt season record for total offense is 452.3 set in 1992.
- Pitt has scored 40-plus points in five consecutive games for the first time ever. The Panthers average a national-best 52.4 points per game.
- Jordan Addison leads the nation with nine touchdown catches. Addison has caught at least one TD in all five games this season. The last Pitt player to catch a TD in six consecutive games was Larry Fitzgerald in 2003.
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Kenny Pickett has thrown 19 touchdowns against only one interception. Pickett’s TD pass total—already a single-season personal high—ranks fourth in the nation and first in the ACC.
*Courtesy of pittsburghpanthers.com
Injury Report (10/14/21)
Pitt Panthers
- Out: None reported
- Doubtful: None reported
- Questionable: TE Grant Carrigan and RB A.J. Davis
Virginia Tech Hokies
- Out: QB Connor Blumrick, TE James Mitchell
- Doubtful: None reported
- Questionable: OL Parker Clemmons
- Probable: QB Braxton Burmeister
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From Midland, "The Basketball Capital of Pennsylvania", located 35 miles NW of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. This former steel town was home to storied athletes such as Dave Alston, Norm Van Lier, Simmie Hill, and the legendary 1965 Midland High School Basketball Team.
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