While standing at the podium in Pitt's team room at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Monday, Pat Narduzzi said it's "shocking" how teams have been playing them defensively over the last three games and vowed the Panthers would change the way they prepare moving forward.
It came just two days after No. 13 SMU deployed a different defensive approach than they had shown on tape all season to hand Pitt its first loss in a 48-25 beatdown. The Mustangs went from playing a lot of man coverage against its first eight opponents to playing zone and dropping seven to eight defenders while only bringing three or four pass rushers against Pitt.
SMU followed the blueprint that has stymied Pitt's offense and the Panthers weren't ready for it. But, they are now.
"I'll go right into this week and assume we are not going to see what we see on tape," Narduzzi said. "We're not seeing the same thing, guys. It's totally different. We're going to have to prepare two game plans."
Pitt's preparation shouldn't be singled out though, it's one piece of the much larger picture. In essence, despite the Panthers earning a 7-0 record for the first time since 1982, it's not the only problem. It starts with the preparation, but protection from the offensive line has been horrid and the team's execution against SMU was just as bad.
Narduzzi and others have alluded to both throughout this week but they are working toward improving in all aspects as they prepare to get back on track when they play Virginia at 8 p.m. today at Acrisure Stadium.
"That protection's gotta be better," Narduzzi said. "We all focus on the quarterback spot, but the protection's gotta be better. He (Eli Holstein) can't be looking around. I think we've done a detailed job there. I feel good there. I won't get into all the other specifics, but again, it takes 11 guys."
In terms of helping Holstein and the rest of the offense operate at a higher level, Konata Mumpfield spoke about focusing on the little details in the offense: "When we come out to practice, don't take practice for granted. Make sure we dominate our 1-on-1s in practice because that ultimately translates to the games. But, just making sure we go over the details, our depth, running the right routes, making sure we're in the right spots for the quarterback and then obviously doing extra. What you put in is what you get out."
Javon McIntyre spoke along the same lines and said the team needs to be more consistent moving forward. Their day-to-day approach was what allowed them to succeed at the beginning of the season and getting back to that is something that could help them have success moving forward.
"Consistency is going to get you what you want to do," McIntyre said. "That's what we started preaching from Day 1 in camp to right now because, obviously, we weren't where we wanted to be as a defense but as the season got on we got to where we wanted to be. So we gotta stay consistent with that and that starts with practice, the film room, preparation, everything."
Ultimately, Pitt's first loss was a wake-up call. It was the Panthers' worst performance in all three phases of the game and while no player, coach or team ever wants to lose, it may have come at the right time.
"It kinda hones us back in and it kinda lets you know the main goal is the main goal and that's going 1-0 every week and preparing at your best at the highest level," McIntyre said.
He added: "Sometimes you get punched in the mouth and you gotta see how you respond. Real dogs are going to respond and that's our mindset right now. We gotta respond and punch the other team in the mouth come this Saturday."
THE OPPONENT
Coach: Tony Elliott (10-20, third season)
Record: (4-4, 2-3 ACC)
Players to watch: Anthony Colandrea, QB, So.; Malachi Fields, WR, Sr.; Kobe Pace, RB, Grad.; Xavier Brown, RB, Jr.; Jonas Sanker, S, Sr.; Kam Robinson, LB, So.
Virginia is coming into this game off a bye week and has lost its last three games against Louisville, Clemson and North Carolina. Their only two conference wins came against Wake Forest and Boston College.
Despite their recent struggles, the Cavaliers have had plenty of time to prepare for Pitt and Narduzzi believes they'll try to copy what others teams have done defensively against them. He has said the Panthers will prepare for that and adjust in-game if Virginia has a different approach.
"We have to plan on seeing cover-three, three deep safeties. That's what I told the offense yesterday," Narduzzi said Monday. "That's how we're game planning. We'll adjust to whatever they do. I mean, Virginia is four-down, I tell you right now, four-down quarters team. We'll find out if they do that."
Defensively, Virginia has allowed the sixth-most points in the ACC and are giving up an average of 27.6 points per game. The Cavaliers also give up the second-most passing yards per game (275.1) in the conference and have a middle-of-the-pack rushing defense that gives up 133.6 rushing yards per game.
Virginia mostly tries to do its damage on offense and it has the weapons to get things done.
It starts with sophomore quarterback Anthony Colandrea. At 6-0, 183 pounds he's thrown from 1,805 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing just under 63% of his passes. But, he's also dangerous with his legs. He can move around the pocket and pick up first downs with his legs. He's rushed a team-high 90 times for 219 yards while averaging 2.4 yards per carry. He's also been sacked 25 times for a loss of 177 yards.
"We gotta contain him in the pocket and put pressure on him at the same time because when he goes, he can go," Narduzzi said. "I think he's fast. Some people said he's faster than (Kevin) Jennings last week, I think he is."
Along with Colandrea, Virginia has two talented running backs in Kobe Pace and Xavier Brown. Pace has rushed 88 times for 390 yards and two touchdowns while Brown is averaging 6.9 yards per carry and has tallied 368 yards.
Pitt's secondary will also have a tough test in Virginia's senior wide receiver Malachi Fields. The 6-4, 220 pound pass catcher has tallied 43 catches this season, 17 more than the next Cavalier. He's a big-bodied receiver who can pull down 50/50 balls. He has 654 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
"He's got really good speed, really good hip, he can drop and get out of his breaks well and he goes up and utilizes his size and leverage," Pitt's secondary coach Archie Collins said. "He poses an issue for defensive backs so you have to be at your tip-top game and be great at technique to be able to stop some of the things he does."
Virginia presents a few challenges that the Panthers will need to take care of to make sure that they get back on track and they won't come easy. But, at this point, that's exactly what the Panthers need to straighten out their season and prepare for the greater challenges ahead.
