RECAPPING TEMPLE

Greetings from sunny and beautiful Bucks County, PA!  Yea….this blog post might be the last one for a little while, depending on what Hurricane Sandy does to our power and internet service.  Without further procrastination, let’s take a look back at the game on Saturday between Pitt and Temple.

To the surprise of many, Pitt came away with a 47-17 blowout win over the Owls. Tino Sunseri and Ray Graham led the way for Pitt and the offensive line opened up some nice holes, and pass protected well. Pitt winning the game was not a shocker, but let me be clear about this: Temple is NOT a bad team.  They are not the Temple of old.  They are not world beaters, but if you look at their games….they have not been manhandled in the manner that the Panthers did to them on Saturday.

The really good news for Pitt was that Ray Graham had a few runs where he looked very much like the old Ray Graham.  One run, in particular, Graham showed off his shifty moves from the past couple of years nicely.  This was the second week in a row that he played without a knee brace and it appears to be making him more confident and comfortable.  That would be VERY good news for Pitt.  Graham finished with 109 yards rushing and 71 receiving. 

Sunseri threw for 321 yards and 140 of that were to Devin Street. Those two seem to be forming a nice bit of chemistry and hopefully that will continue.  In addition to playing smart football, Sunseri threw a couple of VERY effective screen passes for the third week in a row.  That is a nice weapon that has always been lacking in Pitt offenses and with Graham and freshman, Rushel Shell (79 yards rushing) can be an explosive play at any time.  In closing on the Pitt offense, there is not much more fun than watching Shelllook for a defensive back to run over in the secondary instead of running outof bounds.

The defense played effectively and despite a few lapses in the third quarter, played solid for the most part and again, Dan Mason continued to defy odds.  Mason had another strong game and for the second week in a row tracked down a running QB to end a drive late in the game. Unfortunately on the play, Mason seemed to injure his mid-section.  With starting linebacker, Shane Gordon, still on the mend, they need to keep people healthy.

Also on the banged up list were offensive guard Ryan Schlieper and tight end Hubie Graham.  The blocking of the offensive line was strong and those two were a big reason why, so hopefully they can stay in the lineup.

Notre Dame is up next for the Panthers and saying it will be difficult may be the understatement of the year.  Hopefully the Irish will be caught feeling good after a HUGE win AT number 8 Oklahoma.  Also I am hopeful Hurricane Sandy will allow me to preview this one before they kickoff on Saturday.

 

PASSING NOTES ON TEMPLE...

High noon on Saturday at Heinz Field will renew the Pitt-Temple rivalry….ok, so it’s just for one year, but it is nice to see the Owls back in Pittsburgh.  I was glad to see Temple get the invite back into the Big East, as I always felt like they should not have been kicked out.  For some reason though, getting kicked out of the Big East made the north Philly school look harder at their football program, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise.  Temple has been to a few bowl games lately and performed well in the MAC before coming back home.  They are holding their own pretty well in the Big East this year and bring in a 3-3 record (2-1 in the Big East).  Do not overlook the Owls!  I’m warning you now Panther fans.

The Owls rank 120^th in passing, which bodes well for the Panther secondary that comes in ranked 27^th against the pass.  Yes…despite the Louisville and Youngstown State game, Pitt has played nicely against aerial attacks for the year.  Due to the low passing rank, Temple likes to run the ball.  They come in at 60^th in the country in that category and are 88^th in points for in the FCS.

The offense of Temple runs through Junior QB, Chris Coyer.  I am glad Pitt went up against Alex Zordich on Saturday, because it was the same type of QB they will face this weekend.  Coyer’s passing is not impressive.  He only has 727 yards on the year and 7 TDs to go along with 3 picks and he has been sacked 12 times.  However, like this past weekend, the Panthers defense better be ready for the running of Coyer.  He has 332 yards and 2 TDs.

When Coyer does not keep the ball, his supporting cast consists mostly of Senior RB, Montel Harris.  Harris is averaging 4.4 yards per carry.  His total yards right now stands at 391 yards and 3 TDs.  The Owls’ receiving leaders are Sophomore WR Jalen Fitzgerald (236 yards and 2TDs) and Junior TE Cody Booth (87 yards and 2 TDs).

Temple has leaned a good amount on their defense this season.  They do not rank high, but the unit is opportunistic.  They have 9 fumble recoveries and 4 picks on the year and are 29^th in turnover margin.  Freshman LB Nate D. Smith leads the team with 48 tackles and has also chipped in two sacks this year. DE Marcus Green also has two sacks on the year and the Senior is a leader on the defensive line.

Temple lost on Saturday to Rutgers after hanging tough for a while.  It should be pointed out that Rutgers was trailing and then threw 4 TD passes in the second half, while the Owls were without DB leader, Vaughn Carraway due to suspension.  Carraway missed the game due to a flagrant foul against UConn.  They also hung in with Penn State before bowing late to the Nittany Lions.  As a matter of fact, Temple’s three losses came to teams that have a combined record of 16-5!

Pitt should get Shane Gordon back for this game, as well as maybe Hubie Graham and Drew Carswell, which would be a nice boost.  Unfortunately they could be without LB Manny Williams for a while, as he is out with an ACL injury.  Pitt needs to come out on fire, because the second half has been one of Temple’s problems.  Pitt also needs to protect the ball and Tino Sunseri, as Temple is averaging almost 3 sacks per game.  I think Pitt will do that and bounce back from a sloppy effort in Buffalo.  It will be close and that’s not because Pitt sucks, but more because Temple is not as bad as people think.  Pitt wins a close one 24-20.

RECAPPING BUFFALO

Some folks on twitter said it very well at the end of Saturday’s 20-6 Pitt victory when they compared the game to the Sun Bowl.  YES….THATSUN BOWL!  Thankfully the difference was that Pitt was able to come out on top.  While the game was never really in doubt, it is unsettling that Buffalo outgained the Panthers and gained more first downs than Pitt. 

Look, here are the negatives:

·         Chryst’s refusal to allow Tino Sunseri to go down field early.  I don’t care what the weather conditions were…the Bulls’ pass defense was not good.

·         ESPN3’s broadcast!  Where do I begin???!!!!  It started out with seeing the opening kickoff and then having technical difficulties for the first two possessions of the game.  From there, it looked like someone was filming with a 1987 camcorder in the rain!  Besides that, when Sunseri would drop back to pass, I would have to wait for the ball to come flying out of the screen downfield, because…well….you couldn’t see Tino once he took the snap.  EPIC FAIL ESPN3!

·         The constant refusal to play Devin Cook over Bryan Murphy.  I just don’t understand it.

·         Has anyone seen Tyrone Ezell?  Aaron Donald is all over the place and fighting through double teams.  What happened to the Ezell we heard about terrorizing the Pitt offense in pre-season?

·         Pitt needs some injured people back!

OK, enough with the negative…Pitt did win and they are now 3-4.  The last negative above is something I think that is being overlooked right now.  Jack Lippert, Hubie Graham, Shane Gordon, and Manny Williams are missed badly.  3 of those are on defense and I feel like they would make a big difference for this team.  That being said, Dan Mason played well and it is amazing what he is doing.  The last defensive play of the game was fun to watch.  Buffalo QB Alex Zordich, who is a good athlete, was running  towards the end zone and Mason tracked him down and made a strong tackle to keep him short and end any threat of a Bulls comeback.  It was a play that won’t be remembered much, but it was something to see him close on that play.  That being said, Gordon is the man in the middle that brings explosive plays.

Look….I’m just going to say it.  Pitt has a good amount of players coming back next year, but dear Lord….please…OH PLEASE (if a Pitt student is reading this, send this to Aaron Donald)….PLEASE let Aaron Donald come back!!  He’s a beast!

The game was not fun to watch, but as stated before, the Panthers did enough and a win is a win.  Some news today is good and bad for Pitt.  As expected Corey Clement de-committed from Pitt.  Did anyone really think he was going to stick with Pitt?  He was still visiting schools the entire time.  While he left, Pitt picked up a new tight end in Devon Edwards.  Edwards picked Pitt over some pretty decent offers and gives Pitt much needed numbers at the TE spot.

PASSING NOTES ON BUFFALO

It is time to pass some notes on the Buffalo Bulls, as the Pitt Panthers travel to upstate New York to kick off at 3:30 to take on UB.  The game will be on ESPN3.com for me, while most of you can see it on the Big East Network or some variation of that.  The Bulls are 1-5 and 0-3 in the MAC.  Pitt cannot overlook Buffalo, as they are in their second 2 game losing streak of the year and really need to bounce back strong to regain any hope of a decent season.

Buffalo’s passing attack and their points for are both 96^th in the country, so they have some problems on the offense.  Despite some injuries in their backfield, the Bulls are 34^th in rushing.  The Panthers secondary needs to play strong to continue the Bulls’ trend of having a difficult time in the passing game.   After last week, Pitt cannot afford to give up another big day….especially to a bad passing offense.  The Louisville game can be forgiven.  As I stated in my recap, they are a good team and Terry Bridgewater can flat out play.

When the Bulls take the field, they are led by dual threat Junior QB, Alex Zordich. He is not completing a good percentage, being only 78 of 151 and he has 971 yards passing.  Zordich has tossed 8 TDs and 6 picks, while being sacked 6 times.  He will run the ball as well, which has helped greatly with the Bulls’ injured backfield.  Zordich has 355 yards on the ground and 1 TD.  When they turn to their backfield, it’s a question mark.  They have three running backs and two are trying to bounce back from injury this week.  Juniors Brandon Oliver (426 yards and 3 TDs) and Brandon Murie (105 yards and 1 TD) have been battling injury.  I do expect one of them will be back on Saturday, giving some help to Freshman Devin Campbell (244 yards and 1 TD), who has been carrying the load the last couple of weeks.

The passing game has not been productive, but the Bulls do have Junior WR, Alex Neutz.  Neutz has pulled in 32 passes for 512 yards and already has hit the endzone 7 times this year!  He can hurt you if you are not ready, so the Panthers have to bounce back and have a strong game.

The Bulls’ passing defense is very weak, which should be good news for the Panthers’ suddenly potent passing attack.  Buffalo does have a stud on defense that is capable of taking over a game.  Junior, LB Khalil Mack leads the Bulls in sacks, tackles, and tackles for loss.  An LB that dominates the game in a big way and is around 19 or 20 years old and his last name is Mack....I knew Alvin Mack of the The Program would leave his mark on the NFL somehow.  Pitt has to get a body on him to control the line of scrimmage and give Tino some time.

I mentioned the Bulls’ injuries and Pitt is no different.  Jack Lippert will not play and Manny Williams and Shane Gordon are also iffy.  The Panthers have to overcome these injuries and it would help a lot if Gordon could play.  I think one of the two plays on Saturday and Pitt rides Rushel Shell early to set up Tino taking advantage of a weak secondary.  Pitt 34 Buffalo 13.

RECAPPING LOUISVILLE....

Alright I am trying to get back into it, but it will take a little time.  It’s time to recap what I know of the Louisville game on Saturday.  My wedding ended at about 1:30AM on Saturday morning.  I woke up and it was time to greet the remaining family members/wedding goers at brunch.  At about 10:50, I decided to gather up everything in the room to get ready for our little half honeymoon weekend in Cape May, NJ.  I was able to see Pitt’s first drive and Louisville tie it up.  After that, it was hit and miss, and then I was able to turn on the radio (thank you XM) for the drive down to the shore and listen to the second half.

Let’s get a few things straight….I did not get to watch the game or gather the information to really form an opinion, but here is what I do know:

·         Whether you like it or not, Louisville is a pretty good team.  Pitt hung around with them and the defensive effort was disappointing, but it doesn’t change the fact that Pitt was right in it at halftime and even had a chance late to pull within 7 points.

·         Get it through your heads!!!!!!!!  Tino is not the problem here!  I’ll repeat that.  TINO IS NOT THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!

·         Rushel Shell is the man and Graham will come in to change the pace from here on out.  They can’t hide it anymore.

·         Pitt fans are impossible to please.  They hated Wanny’s passive approach to the game and playing it safe.  Now, they hate Chryst for going for it.  Kevin Harper has been TERRIBLE and yet, they wanted Pitt to try a field goal instead of going for it late.  Look, I don’t agree with everything Chryst does, but the reaction to his anti-Wanny way of coaching goes to show that Pitt fans are pretty impossible.

That’s about the best I have for this one.  It sucks that Pitt lost, but try and keep it in perspective that Louisville is pretty good.  Pitt now has two winnable games in a row and they are must-wins if the Panthers want a bowl game this year.  I don’t know if that is the goal right now….so much as improving as the season goes on.  I may be a little late on the Buffalo preview, but I will get one up this week that is a little more in depth than the last several posts.

PASSING NOTES ON LOUISVILLE...

As stated before....I'm getting married tomorrow.  Therefore, I will be traveling during the game on Saturday.  Thank God for technology.  If I can't get near a TV, I will be checking twitter and the smart phone for updates.

Doesn't this just feel like a game Pitt will win?  I don't know if they will....my gut says yes, my head says no.  I'll go with my gut and say Pitt 21 Louisville 20.

There will not be much of a recap after this one....as I won't even be back until Monday late in the day.

RECAPPING FINALLY....

As I told you before, it's wedding week for me, so this will be short, as will the Louisville preview later and the Louisville recap.  This....was a tough one to swallow, but it seems like I write (or a variation of that) a lot and I've only been doing this blog for a season and a half now.

I guess I'll recap it with a personal story of mine.  My entire family went to Topsail in North Carolina a few summers ago.  My youngest niece, Ayla, was four at the time.  One morning she woke up, had a big bowl of Lucky Charms, got her swimsuit on, and headed to the beach.  She played for a little while and was having a blast.  She decided to test out the ocean.  She was knocked on her ass by the first wave that came her way.  She struggled to her feet, coughing out ocean water and looked at my sister and proclaimed, "this is the worstest day ever!"

That is how I feel with Pitt football.  The morning of game days for Pitt football are just like Ayla's day started out.  It doesn't matter what their record is or who they are playing...I get up and am excited.  It's a great day.  I feel just like Ayla felt eating her Lucky Charms and walking to the beach and being in beautiful weather.  Unfortunately, I usually turn the TV off after at least half the games and say some form of "this is the worstest day ever."

Not too much to say...it's already been said about the game last Friday. They should have won.  No question about it.  One more thing before I go....I'm REALLY, REALLY, REALLY sorry Tino bashers, but this is NOT his fault.  Sorry guys, I won't even listen to arguments about this.  NOT HIS FAULT.  He had a great game. 
The preview will have a little twist later in the week and I hope you guys like it.  It won't be a long one, but it will be a little different. Things are crazy right now and going to get crazier leading up to the Friday evening ceremony.

PASSING NOTES ON SYRACUSE

The bye week is over and it’s time for Pitt to get back to the field.  The Panthers will travel up to Syracuse, NY to take on the Orange at the Carrier Dome at 7PM on Friday night.  The game will be on ESPN (apparently Syracuse/Pitt gets the prime time slot, while Louisville/Pitt gets stuck with a morning time kick off – can’t wait to be in the ACC).

The Orange are also coming off their own bye week and stand at 1-3.  Do not be fooled by the losing record. Syracuse almost pulled off a dramatic comeback over now #24 Northwestern before losing in week one.  They also hung with USC for a while, and lost a tough one to Minnesota, so it is not like they have been drug all over the field this season.  Their lone win came against Stony Brook, which was a 28-17 win. 

Syracuse is 10^th in passing and 83^rd in rushing, and finally 68^th in points for in the NCAA.  The defense has struggled somewhat, coming in at 81^st in points allowed per game.  Pitt will have to build on their Virginia Tech and Gardner Webb games to keep Syracuse’s passing game off the field.

When the Orange offense takes the field, they are led by Senior QB Ryan Nassib.  Nassib has 1,367 yards in 4 games, 10 TD passes, 5 INTs, and has been sacked 6 times.  Nassib has tons of experience and will also take off on the run from time to time.  When Nassib is not putting the football in the air, Junior RB, Jerome Smith is the main man to run the ball…..for now.  Smith has put up 227 yards, so his numbers don’t jump off the page.  Junior RB Prince-Tyson Gulley has been getting a little more of the load lately and now has 182 yards and 2 TDs.

The receivers are led by Senior WR Marcus Sales.  Sales has pulled in 27 catches for 382 yards and has already hit pay dirt 5 times this season.  Sales is complimented by Jarrod West, who has 267 yards of his own and scored once.

Syracuse has their own struggling kicker this season in Ross Krautman.  The Junior kicker is 4 for 7 and has missed both kicks from 40+ yards. Pitt can relate when it comes to those struggles, so it would be interesting if this came down to the kickers.

This game is shaping up to be a close one.  BOTH teams are getting healthy right now, as Syracuse should be getting their stud left tackle, Justin Pugh back on Friday.  Also returning from injury could be (not definite yet) WR Adrian Flemming and CB Brandon Reddish. Pitt is also getting healthier at the moment with Aaron Donald and Hubie Graham expected to play after sitting out the Gardner-Webb game. Jack Lippert also could return, along with the anticipated return of LB Todd Thomas.

Pitt must keep Syracuse’s offense off the field and control the line of scrimmage.  As I pointed out, Syracuse’s offense is good when it is clicking and they are getting a big lift with Pugh coming back on Friday.  This team is NOT as bad as their 1-3 record indicates and the Carrier Dome can get loud.  I think Pitt continues to improve and I believe both teams will be better each week moving forward.  I like the Panthers in a tight one, 27-24. 

My apologies for the lack of information and fun links in this preview. The recap of this game and the Louisville preview and recap will be VERY short.  My wedding is only 10 days away, so time is getting VERY tight. 

Also....breaking news just now as athlete Reggie Green has committed to the Panthers!