UNC Tops Pitt 34-31

Losing to a 1-8 team (North Carolina) is never fun. A team decimated by injuries. A team that was starting a new QB for his first start ever. Pitt did just that last night at Heinz Field losing to the Tar Heels 34-31 during “Star Wars” night in what should have been a revenge game for the Panthers.

In sum, Pitt laid a big egg on National TV (ESPN). It may have been “Star Wars” night for Pitt, but the force surely wasn’t with the Panthers.

Pitt in reality is a team that is in disarray on defense. The players are constantly out of position, there’s no pass rush (one of the DEs has zero sacks on the season) and playing with a walk-on LB, a converted WR at LB and a hobbled corner.

Its been like this all season and for the 3rd year in a row, Pitt will finish near the bottom in every measurable defensive category.

Offensively, Pitt has a good running game with a strong offensive line (running the ball but not in pass protection). Led by junior Darrin Hall, who rushed 23 times for 121 yards and 4 TDs.

If you add in starting sophomore QB Ben DiNucci’s 83 yards, junior WR Quadree Henderson’s 40 yards, sophomore WR Maurice Ffrench’s 20 yards and a few others, you will see Pitt again mauled their opponent on the ground with 45 carries for 265 yards. That’s getting it done on the ground.

Through the air, though, the story a lot different. DiNucci is a serviceable QB but isn’t a starting QB at this level. His 11 for 17 for 142 yard night is basically pedestrian in the ACC, if not below-average. He takes way too many sacks and whether by design or pure inexperience, he breaks the pocket far too often to be an efficient passer.

Pitt’s receivers fail to get open (some have contributed little to nothing this year) and the Panthers rarely (if ever) throw the ball down field. The offense is requiring opposing defenses to defend 20 yards of ground. Not a big patch of land.

In sum, Pitt has one of the worst defenses in the ACC and a putrid passing game. Neither of those things are a recipe for success in this league.

Last night, it all started with the opening kickoff when North Carolina’s WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for the early 7-0 lead over Pitt.

Pitt’s special teams have been missing tackles several times this season. This was not the first time Pitt has surrendered a score. Its not a schematic problem (a sign of bad coaching) but rather players just not making plays despite being in the right position.

The Panthers responded on their opening drive with Alex Kessman 42 yard field goal to cap a 7 play 51 yard drive. North Carolina 7 Pitt 3.

After the teams traded punts, UNC would strike again. This time first-time starting southpaw QB Nathan Elliott connected on an 11 yard TD pass to TE Brandon Fritts. UNC 14 Pitt 3.

The teams would trade punts again before Pitt finally found the end-zone.

DiNucci opened the Panthers’ 4th drive by slinging the rock to junior tailback Qadree Ollison for 9 yards to the Tar Heels 40. Hall then tacked on a 3 yard run (which ended the 1st Quarter) and then opened the 2nd Quarter by catching a beautiful wheel route pass from DiNucci for 30 yards to the UNC 7 yard line.

Hall then burst straight up the middle to pay-dirt to pull Pitt within 4 points. UNC 14 Pitt 10.

After forcing another UNC punt (something the Panthers rarely did in the second half), Pitt went right back to work on offense on its 5th possession.

First, Hall pounded the rock for 3 yards and this was followed by Henderson’s jet sweep run for 5 yards to the Carolina 30 yard line.

That’s when Hall took over. He scampered 11 yards to the Tar Heel 19 yard line, then lost 2 yards before Panther WR Maurice Ffrench took a brilliant jet sweep for 20 yards (and nearly scored) to the Tar Heel 1 yard line.

Hall then capped the drive with a 1 yard TD plunge. Pitt 17 UNC 14.

Carolina answered back with a bit of trickery that Pitt should have stopped. Tar Heels WR Ratliff-Williams took a reverse hand-off and tossed a 35 yard TD pass to a wide-open WR Josh Cabrera. Noone on the Pitt defense was within 10 yards of Cabrera. UNC 21 Pitt 17.

This all set up what basically became known as the “The Fumble” on Pitt’s ensuring series.

DiNucci started the brilliant drive off with a 15 yard sideline pass to Panther senior WR Jester Weah to the Pitt 40 yard line.

After Hall tacked on 2 more yards, DiNucci connected on a pretty curl route to Maurice Ffrench for 12 yards to the UNC 46 yard line.

Hall and DiNucci then hit the ground running trading nice gains. Hall for 3 yards, DiNucci for 6 yards and Hall for 17 yards before DiNucci tried to throw downfield to seldom-used Pitt TE Chris Clark.

The play resulted, however, in a pass interference on Tar Heels middle LB Cole Holcomb and this placed the ball at the UNC 5 yard line.

The following jet sweep play left Panther fans speechless. Henderson took the ball and sprinted 4 and 1/2 yards towards the pylon when Tar Heels strong-side LB Carson Collins delivered a devastating hit, just as Henderson appeared to break the plane and jarred the ball loose while somehow managing to stay in-bounds. Collins then recovered the apparent fumble and ran it back 66 yards to the Pitt 34 yard line.

To add insult to injury, Pitt would hold the Tar Heels on 3 downs and force UNC to attempt a 51 yard field goal. As luck would have it, Carolina kicker Freeman Jones booted it through. It’s one of the longest field goals in Heinz Field history. UNC 24 Pitt 17 at half.

Pitt wasted no time to tie things up on its opening drive in the second half.

Rarely seen safety but sometimes wide receiver junior Jordan Whitehead started the drive with a 2 yard loss on yet another jet sweep play.

That didn’t stop DiNucci though from connecting an 11 yard pass play to Clark to the Pitt 34 yard line on the next snap.

After DiNucci ran it for 5 yards, he then found Ffrench again for 17 yards to the Carolina 44 yard line. Pitt then went back to the ground game.

Hall and DiNucci traded runs. Hall for 7 yards, DiNucci for 12 yards, then Hall for 5 and 11 yards to the Carolina 9 yard line.

This set up Hall, who scampered yet again 9 yards to pay dirt. Pitt 24 UNC 24.

After holding Carolina to just another field goal, Pitt took control of the game.

DiNucci started Pitt’s second drive of the 3rd Quarter with a 9 yard run. This was followed up by a rare appearance by sophomore tailback Chawntez Moss (who apparently has been lifted off suspension with no warning to the media) with a 3 yard run to the Pitt 37 yard line.

Then DiNucci floated a rare pass to Henderson for 10 yards which led to Pitt going back to ground game.

Hall maneuvered for 17 yards to the Carolina 36 yard line before DiNucci followed it up with a 5 yard run.

Former Pitt starting tailback Qadree Ollison would take the ensuing hand-off but get yanked down by a blatant facemask penalty by Carolina’s DT Jalen Dalton. The 15 yard infraction placed the ball at the Carolina 16 yard line.

Pitt began the 4th Quarter by eating clock and pounding the ball once again.

DiNucci ran for a yard before Hall finished the drive with runs of 14 yards, no gain (at the goal line) and a 1 yard TD plunge. Pitt 31 UNC 27.

The Panthers would then hold the Tar Heels to a 7 play 49 yard drive that ended when Jones missed a 43 yard field goal.

This was the moment in the game when Pitt should have salted it but it turned out that both Panthers coordinators really made crucial tactical errors.

Hall ran for a 1 yard loss (it was evident that Carolina was stacking the line) then DiNucci was flushed out of the pocket and threw the ball away. It was followed up by a DiNucci sack by Dalton.

UNC would complete the come-from-behind improbable win by driving 8 plays for 58 yards, most of which occurred on the ground. Elliott salted the Tar Heels victory by completing the easy 3 yard TD toss to WR Ratliff-Williams. UNC 34 Pitt 31.

Pitt’s defense wilted when it mattered most. DC Josh Conklin saw his players miss assignments and allow too many sure tackles get away. There was little pressure on Elliott all game and the defensive scheme basically failed.

Pitt did have one last chance to win the game. It even had the ball 1st and 10 at the Tar Heels 50 yard line. But for some odd, unknown reason, Pitt OC Shawn Watson called an Empty Set backfield and it resulted in 9 yard DiNucci sack by Carolina’s Malik Carney. A couple more incomplete DiNucci passes and the game was over for Pitt.

It’s obvious Pitt’s program took a major step back this season with 2 games remaining. The Panthers are now 4-6 (2-4 in the ACC) and now face the Coastal Division’s two best teams (at Virginia Tech and home vs Miami).

Head Coach Pat Narduzzi has some tough decisions in the off-season with his staff and will most likely be forced to make some changes.

Notes:

• Next up: at Virginia Tech, Sat 11/18 at 12:20pm TV: AT&T SportsNet

• Pitt has now lost all 5 games against North Carolina since joining the ACC. Pitt is a lowly 3-9 vs the Tar Heels all-time.

• Pitt is on the verge of seeing it’s 8 straight bowl game streak end in 2017. The longest in school history.