North Carolina Exposes The Fatal Flaw In Pitt’s Defensive Scheme In 38-35 Win

Pitt will have to wait. Nearly 10 years if they are lucky enough to beat North Carolina. That’s because the last time the Panthers did so was when Dave Wannstedt was Pitt’s Head Coach and they beat the Tar Heels the day after Christmas on Dec 26, 2009. Pitt won 19-17 in the closing minutes of the Continental Tire Bowl on that day. Since then, the Tar Heels have beaten Pitt 6 straight times.

This past Saturday was no exception as the Tar Heels had relatively no trouble disposing the Panthers 38-35 in Chapel Hill, NC in a game the Tar Heels dominated.

North Carolina stopped Pitt on its opening drive and then proceeded to score with relative ease on a 7 play 70 yard drive that was capped off by a 37 TD run by Tar Heels RB Antonio Williams. He wasn’t even touched. NC 7 Pitt 0.

Pitt did answer right back though. Panthers senior tailback Qadree Ollison ran for 28 yards to the North Carolina 47 yard line before before sophomore QB Kenny Pickett missed a couple of throws.

On 3rd down, Pickett used his legs to gain 8 yards but left Pitt in a 4th and 2 situation. He then proceeded to pick up the first down himself with another 9 yard carry.

Senior tailback Darrin Hall then added 3 yards before Pickett missed on a pass to Pitt senior H-back George Ashton. Pickett would then flip a 6 yard pass to junior WR Maurice Ffrench for 6 yards to the North Carolina 21 yard line.

That set up the Pitt offense to grind the rest of the drive on the ground. Pickett picked up another first down on 4th and 1 and then Ollison scampered 13 yards to the Tar Heels 7 yard line. Pickett would salt the drive with a 7 yard TD run. Game tied 7-7.

The Tar Heels easily answered back. Once again, on 3rd down the Panthers failed to get off the field. Playing in its base defense, Pitt allowed Tar Heels sophomore QB Nathan Elliott to toss a perfect pass over Pitt junior cornerback Dane Jackson’s head and connect with North Carolina senior WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams for 37 yards.

In almost every third down in the game, North Carolina continued to spread Pitt’s defense wide with multiple wide-out formations. In almost every instance, Pitt lined up 3 linebackers on the field. This defensive scheme has been continually exposed as ineffective to stop this type of attack yet Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi continues to run it. Isolating linebackers on receivers is never a good defensive idea without the speed necessary to cover.

Nonetheless, North Carolina’s Antonio Williams salted the drive with a 1 yard TD run. North Carolina 14 Pitt 7.

After Pitt was forced to punt on the ensuing series, the Panthers fortunes seem to change momentarily when North Carolina’s Ratliff-Williams fumbled at the Pitt 49 yard line. The play was forced by Dane Jackson and recovered by Pitt’s backup linebacker Cam Bright.

Capitalizing on the Tar Heels turnover, Pitt found a way to get the ball to true freshman tailback Mychale Salahuddin who ran for 23 yards to the North Carolina 41.

Ollison would add a run of 4 yards before Pickett connected with Ffrench for 9 yards to the Tar Heels 28.

Ollison added another 1 yard run before Pickett tried to hit senior WR Rafael Araujo-Lopes but the pass went incomplete.

Pickett, though, completed passes to Ffrench for 14 yds and 11 yards before Ollison ran untouched into the end zone.

Ollison would finish the day with only 12 carries for 72 yards and 1 TD. The game was tied again – this time at 14.

The Tar Heels had no trouble responding. On a 6 play, 75 yard drive North Carolina made it look easy. Aided by a personal foul on Pitt junior DT Amir Watts, Elliott tossed an easy 31 yard TD score to a wide-open tailback Michael Carter. Once again, Pitt remained in its base defense which isolated linebackers on receivers. The blown coverage gave North Carolina the lead 21-14.

Pitt would however make it look interesting before the end of the first half.

On its next series, Pickett missed on a pass to Aston but handed the ball back off to Salahuddin who dashed 9 yards to the Pitt 24 yard line.

After Ollison added 2 yards to the Pitt 26, Hall tacked on 3 yards to the Pitt 29.

Pickett would set up the big play when he completed a 6 yard pass to Aston to the Pitt 35. This led to the gigantic run by Hall who burst 65 yards almost untouched for the score. The game was once again tied at 21.

The Panthers then forced the Tar Heels to punt and found a way to end the half in the lead.

After Ffrench ran for 2 yards to the Pitt 46 yard line, Pickett connected on consecutive 5 yard passes to Araujo-Lopes and Ffrench. Pickett then connected the big pass play to junior transfer WR Taysir Mack for 42 yards to the North Carolina 2 yard line.

Pickett tried the QB sneak but only gained 1 yard before he flipped a jet sweep toss to a crossing Aston a 1 yard TD score. Pitt led 28-21 at half.

That’s when it all went downhill as usual for Pitt this season.

The teams would trade punts before North Carolina scored easily again on a 7 play, 56 yard drive. Elliott had no trouble exposing Pitt’s base defense with easy passing completions to WR Dazz Newsome for 9 and 15 yards and 19 yards to the seldomly used sophomore TE Garrett Walston. Tar Heels junior tailback Jordon Brown punched in the easy 1 yard TD score to tie the game back up at 28.

Pitt would punt on its ensuing series and this would set up yet another 3rd down and long on North Carolina’s next possession.

On 3rd & 17 at Pitt 44 yard line, Elliott tossed yet another easy first down for 21 yards to Ratliff-Williams. Narduzzi and new Pitt Defensive Coordinator Randy Bates continued to play in its base defense with a delta package of a 5th defensive back. It was of no consequence.

Elliott seized the Tar Heels lead with a 19 yard TD strike to freshman WR Dyami Brown. North Carolina 35 Pitt 28.

On the resulting kick-off, Pitt’s Maurice Ffrench fumbled and the Tar Heels recovered. This led to a 37 yard field goal from Tar Heels senior placekicker Freeman Jones. North Carolina 38 Pitt 28.

The teams would trade punts before the Tar Heels’ Jones missed a 38 yard field goal.

Pitt would try one last time to get back in the game. After Pickett missed on a pass to Araujo-Lopes, he connected on a nice pass to Mack for 34 yards to the North Carolina 45.

Pickett then tossed a screen to freshman WR Shocky Jacques-Louis for 9 yards before missing on a pass back to Mack.

This led to consecutive 10 yard runs by Ollison and Pickett.

Pickett would then throw another incomplete pass before he connected on a beautiful flag route by Ffrench for a 16 yard TD. The officials tried to wave it off but upon instant replay review, the call was overturned. North Carolina 38 Pitt 35.

Pitt made a star out of Nathan Elliott who threw for 313 yards and 2 TDs on the day.

Next up: Pitt at #13 Central Florida, 3:30pm EST on ESPNU

Series history: Pitt has only played UCF one time. Pitt won that game 52-7 on Oct 13, 2006 in Dave Wannstedt’s second season at the Panthers Head Coach.