Coach Murphy’s Corner: Pitt vs. Boston College: Déjà Vu

By Terry Murphy

First, let me state my unwavering support for Coach Duzz. If a coach’s job, like that of a university professor, is to prepare students for the next level, then Coach Narduzzi’s record deserves recognition.

Throughout his twelve years at the helm, thirty-two players have been selected in the NFL Draft, with at least one selection in eleven consecutive drafts. Coach Duzz has done an exceptional job of developing young men for the NFL, and I’m willing to accept some losses along the way in recognition of that work. Well done, Coach.

Now for my game review. Offensively, today’s game looked much like last week’s. Corey Dailey came out strong and appeared to execute the opening script almost flawlessly. As the game progressed, however,

Dailey seemed less certain of his reads and progressions. His throws became late and reactive rather than anticipatory, causing him to rush his delivery and sacrifice sound mechanics. Much like Geriner last week, Dailey was throwing into closing windows instead of anticipating openings and throwing his receivers open. His base became inconsistent, his release angles varied, and he sometimes overstrided. That resulted in inaccurate throws and missed opportunities.

Unlike last week, Pitt established a strong running game against Boston College, only to move away from it at inopportune times. With nearly two hundred yards on the ground and Damon Ferguson Jr. averaging seven yards a pop on seventeen attempts, it seemed reasonable for Coach Bell to lean more heavily on the run. A reliable running game is a quarterback’s best friend. It eases the pressure on an inexperienced passer, creates more manageable down-and-distance situations, and helps an offense control the clock. It also keeps the opposing offense on the sideline, limiting its opportunities to score.

But Pitt seemed to abandon the run game, screen game, and quick passing game when they were needed most.

Keeping Geriner on the sideline also cost him an opportunity to build confidence, improve on last week’s performance, and develop a better understanding of the offense. Over the past two weeks, we’ve seen a similar pattern with two young quarterbacks: a strong start followed by struggles as the game progresses.

Coach Bell is an exceptional play-caller. He clearly has a smorgasbord of plays and concepts that get receivers wide open downfield. But with two inexperienced quarterbacks, this might be a situation where less is more. An open receiver only becomes an opportunity if the quarterback recognizes the coverage, works through his progression, and delivers the ball on time. These young quarterbacks might benefit from a smaller menu of concepts and more repetition.

Coach Bell can disguise the same concepts through different formations, shifts, and motion. To the defense, the presentation changes. For the quarterback, the underlying reads and progressions remain familiar. That familiarity allows them to anticipate, play faster, and think less. The question is whether these quarterbacks have mastered enough of the offense to execute it consistently once the opening script ends.

Condensing the playbook could help them develop that command. There’s a coaching philosophy that applies here: “Don’t just run a play until you get it right. Run it until you can’t get it wrong.”

Defensively, the performance was disappointing. The undisciplined penalties were especially frustrating and didn’t reflect the standard I associate with a Coach Duzz team. His aggressive style can produce flags, but there’s a difference between penalties that come from playing aggressively and penalties caused by a lack of discipline.

Today, too many fell into the latter category.

One hundred thirty-three penalty yards is significant, but the hidden yardage makes the damage even greater. When a holding penalty wipes out a long run or a completed pass, you lose the gain in addition to taking the penalty. When a penalty brings back an interception return, you surrender valuable field position.

Those losses don’t all appear in the penalty total, but they affect the game. Knowing Coach Duzz, I expect that to be corrected by next week.

Speaking of next week, we travel to No. 3 Miami with two inexperienced quarterbacks at the helm. Unlike E-40, Coach Duzz doesn’t have many choices. Starting a true freshman against a team of that caliber risks
damaging his confidence if things go badly. Benching a young quarterback after a subpar game can also erode his confidence. It’s one thing to tell a player you still believe in him. It’s another to show it by trusting his preparation and giving him the opportunity to respond.

Regardless of who gets the start, the question remains the same: What happens after the scripted plays? But that’s why the coaches get paid the big bucks.

Terry Murphy is a former Pitt Panther WR, football coach and guest contributor to DreamBackfield since October 2026.