{"id":49030,"date":"2021-10-01T14:44:19","date_gmt":"2021-10-01T18:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ngscsports.com\/?p=49030"},"modified":"2021-10-01T14:44:19","modified_gmt":"2021-10-01T18:44:19","slug":"pitt-georgia-tech-game-day-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ngscsports.com\/2021\/10\/01\/pitt-georgia-tech-game-day-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Pitt – Georgia Tech Game Day Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>13 Minute, 47 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>

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.<\/p>\n

NGSC Sports<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

Heck, you’ll even know the weather at kickoff! The only thing you\u2019re missing is a game uniform!<\/p>\n

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Panthers defense faces tough test in Atlanta<\/h1>\n

If there’s ever a game where the Pitt run defense will be challenged, it will certainly come this week when the Panthers (3-1) take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-2) on the road at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, this Saturday at Noon.<\/p>\n

GaTech QB Jeff Sims came off the bench to lead his team to a stunning 45-22 thumping of UNC last week. Sims completed 10 of 13 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 128 yards and three more touchdowns.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can change a game with his feet as well as his arm,\u201d said Panther strong safety Brandon Hill. \u201cKeeping him bottled up in the pocket and forcing him to make those throws, I feel like we have a good chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Panther defense bounced back well last week, allowing just one touchdown, albeit vs a FCS school in New Hampshire.<\/p>\n

Hill and the Pitt defense are still looking to atone for the beating they took vs Western Michigan, who torched them for 357 yards through the air in week three.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not the type of image we want to put on TV as the Pitt defense,\u201d Hill said. \u201cWe took that under the chin and corrected it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pitt fared well in their first road game of the year when they defeated Tennessee 41-34. Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi knows that the crowd in Atlanta will be just as hostile as the one they faced in Knoxville. Especially after their team carved up UNC.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t care where we\u2019re playing,\u201d Narduzzi said. \u201cYou\u2019re looking for guys who like to go into a different atmosphere, different stadium and like to get booed. I don\u2019t think there are any athletes that don\u2019t like that. It\u2019s kind of a fun atmosphere to go into somebody else\u2019s house and disrupt things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Offensively, there may be a new weapon available in the run game, especially after his game last week vs New Hampshire.<\/p>\n

\u201dThere\u2019s a place for Rodney Hammond, for sure,\u201d Narduzzi said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hammond made the most of his work in relief last week, rushing for 100 yards and three touchdowns.<\/p>\n

Israel Abanikanda will start and Vincent Davis will get his carries, but Hammond will definitely be in the mix.<\/p>\n

The Panther air attack has been virtually unstoppable, but Narduzzi would like to see his rushing attack up it’s game and start making more contributions to the offense.<\/p>\n

\u201dIt would be a waste to keep running it up in there when you trust your passing game,\u201d Narduzzi said. \u201cBut sooner or later, that runs out. If something goes bad, you have to be able to run it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Narduzzi was referring to the plethora of times his RB’s have gained just a yard or less per rushing attempt.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to take 1-yard gain, 1-yard gain, 1-yard gain, 2-yard gain, 1-yard TFL to get that 40-yard run,\u201d he said. \u201cHaving some patience, but not too much patience. I don\u2019t have a whole lot of patience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps this will be the week the Panther offense will find some consistency on the ground.<\/p>\n

If not, Pitt QB Kenny Pickett is ready to put this team on his back and lead the Panthers to victory.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery game is like a championship game because of how crazy it is in the conference,\u201d Pickett said. \u201cWe feel like it\u2019s wide open for anybody. Every week, it has to be a championship mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pickett, who has only been sacked seven times this year, knows Georgia Tech’s defense was able to get to UNC quarterback Sam Howell eight times last week.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t tighten up. You take note of it and see why (Howell) got sacked,\u201d he said. \u201cYou try to figure out and learn from his mistakes and try to better yourself. We\u2019re going over those plays and those looks they gave.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Pitt’s Game Plan for Success<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Offense<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Protect Pickett: <\/b>Pitt’s offense will have to be at their best, as GaTech was able to get UNC QB Sam Howell eight times last week. Keeping Kenny Pickett upright is the key to this game.<\/li>\n
  2. Find balance: <\/strong>The Panther offense flows through Pickett and his arm, but will find even more success if the run game can find some holes vs the Yellow Jacket’s defensive front.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Defense<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    1. Maintain tackling lanes:\u00a0<\/b>Hunting down QB Jeff Sims will be the main course for the Panther defense. Pitt will have to stay disciplined and not overrun plays. Sims will take off if nobody is available to throw to, or if the pass rush breaks the pocket.<\/li>\n
    2. Gang tackle:\u00a0<\/strong>GaTech, as always, loves to pound the ball on the ground. It will be up to the big boys up front to surround Yellow Jacket runners and bring them down upon contact.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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      Prediction<\/b><\/h1>\n

      It’s the ACC opener, and the first of eight straight conference games that Pitt will take battle in. The Coastal Division crown is what the Panthers are aiming for, and it all starts this Saturday in Atlanta. A win Saturday would certainly ease the pain from the Western Michigan loss, and get the Panthers back on track and focused on making a big run, especially with UNC and Virginia already having two division losses in the books.<\/p>\n

      This game will come down to Pitt’s defense stopping the very talented Jeff Sims, the freshman QB for GaTech who can hurt you both from the air and on the ground. The defensive front of Habakuk Baladonaldo, Calijah Kancey, Keyshon Camp, and Deslin Alexandre will need to get low and be disruptive all day against the Yellow Jacket offensive line.<\/p>\n

      Expect a physical game between these two teams with Kenny Pickett and the offense being too much for Georgia Tech to handle. Jordan Addison is primed for another big day, as is tight end Lucas Krull. Pitt defense makes amends for the bad day a few weeks ago and keeps Sims under wraps… Pitt 38 Georgia Tech 27<\/strong><\/p>\n

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      Scouting at the Pitt Panthers<\/strong><\/h1>\n

      Overall Record:\u00a0<\/strong>3-1 | ACC Record:<\/strong> 0-0 | Rank:<\/strong> n\/a<\/p>\n

      Previous Game:\u00a0<\/strong>Pitt 77 New Hampshire 7<\/p>\n

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      Head Coach:<\/strong> Pat Narduzzi (7th Season with Pitt)<\/p>\n