November 7, 2021 – Another spot on piece by Erie Hemingway!

Pitt won their seventh game of the season in Durham, NC yesterday to barely stay in first place in the Coastal division with a 4-1 record and 7-2 overall. Even though the Panthers scored first in this game, the slow start reference is because of the ease in which Duke took the opening kick-off down to the Pitt goal line, only to fumble the football away to the Pitt defense. That slow start produced an ugly 1st quarter look on the scoreboard, with the Blue Devils leading 12-7.

Pitt would rally nicely with 23 points in the 2nd quarter and take a 30-19 lead into the half. The defensive coaches “seemed” to have made halftime adjustments as they held Duke to just 10 2nd half points. Let’s not forget that the Blue Devils have lost all of their ACC games played so far this season and their starting QB left this game with an injury. Never the less, the Pitt D stiffened and Kenny Pickett lead the charge to victory 54-29.

Now moving on to THE GOOD, THE BAD and THE UGLY.

THE GOOD: 🐾🐾

1. Kenny’s overall stats look very good and he played a clean game except for the fumbled turnover – 416 yards passing; 3 TD passes; 1 TD rushing; 57 yards rushing on 8 carries or 7.1 ypc.
2. Jordan Addison – you know he has looked really good during his time at Pitt, but yesterday I saw something special that I did not see in the past. He looked like his moves were effortless and smooth as butter. His stats were 171 receiving yards on 8 catches; 2 TD’s (1 receiving & 1 rushing); 2 punt returns for 30 yards.
3. Sam (from Erie County) Scarton – we have a kicker folks. Sam the man was 4 for 4 in FG’s with a long of 47 yards and he was a perfect 6 for 6 with extra points. Sam’s leg may be needed for some late season heroics very soon.
4. Blue Mountain Bart – none other than our FR TE Gavin Bartholomew from Blue Mountain HS near Schuylkill Haven, PA, who “catches” one or two balls per game and runs with authority. Give me some more please.
5. RB’s Izzy and Hammond combined for 24 carries and 148 yards rushing with 1 TD.
6. The D giving up only 10 points in the 2nd half.

THE BAD: 🦟

1. Our Safeties – do I need to say any more? I miss Hamlin and Ford. What is Paris doing right now?
2. Injuries to starters DT Camp and RT Houy. Neither appeared short term. Next man up.
3. Starters missing – WR’s T.Mack and J.Barden (undisclosed injuries); LG Minor and WR Stovall (undisclosed reasons for the portal transfers).
4. Fumbles by Kenny Pickett and WR Bradley. Not overly costly yesterday but could be UGLY in the next 3 games when we face tougher competition with good QB’s.
5. TE Krull with more drops than catches yesterday.

THE UGLY: 🐀

1. The 2 point safety that actually was (undeniable). This added to my perception of a “slow” start for Pitt.
2. Duke with 200 yards in the 1st quarter.
3. Officiating, again. While both teams had 5 penalties for 42 yards (exact same stats), the calls and non-calls were obviously bad, but you know what, it’s not just in the ACC.
4. BB SG Ithiel Horton’s name scrolled at the bottom of the ACCN screen the entire game for being arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting a police officer — a second-degree felony — resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness, according to court documents.

There you have it, my version of THE GOOD, THE BAD and THE UGLY. Next up is North Carolina on Thursday night on Prime Time TV in downtown Pittsburgh. Each of our final three games will get bigger and bigger and bigger. Hopefully, this team, lead by our record shattering QB Kenny Pickett will rise to the levels needed to be better than the other team we face.

A win in November is GOOD, but multiple wins in November could be GREAT.

Go Pitt!