The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY     12/5/21

It has been 40 long years, with several coaching and player goals being accomplished last night by winning the ACC championship.  DC Randy Bates did not wait until halftime to make adjustments to help “wake up” his unit, he changed “something” at the end of the first quarter after Wake Forest torched his defense for 21 points to start this championship game.  Thank goodness he did not wait, or it could have been too late.  The result was an amazing display of shutdown, lockdown defense that pitched a shutout for the next three quarters of football.

You had to see it to appreciate the defensive change, and you probably had to be a Pitt fan to really notice.  The Wake Forest QB, Sam Hartman who was ranked in the top five nationally in several offensive categories surely did notice.  After having his way with the Panther D to start the game, Hartman found himself being benched only a few minutes into the forth quarter after throwing his fourth interception.

There is a lot more “good” (better & best) to point out than the bad and ugly.  I’ll give you my abbreviated list and let you add to it in the comments section.  I hope everyone arrived (and arrives) home safely after that very entertaining ACC championship WIN in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Good:

1. Kenny Pickett’s fake slide that lead to a first drive TD (may warrant a rule change).
2. Air Addison’s down field blocking and of course he had 8 catches for 146 yards.  One of those catches was spectacular and seemed to even amaze Jordan himself (probably not).
3. DC Bates adjustments after the 1st quarter instead of waiting until the halftime snuzz.
4. The defensive shutout in the 2nd, 3rd & 4th quarters. 
5. Izzy rushing the ball with a bad hamstring. 
6. DC Randy Bates crediting Pitt for saving his life – cancer treatment at UPMC as commented by the TV crew.
7. Four INT’s with AJ Woods being the most entertaining, but S Hallet had two himself and one was a pick six.

Bad:

1. Two 15 yard penalties on the first Wake series – the Deacons moved easily down the field for a TD.
2. At the end of the first half it was mind numbing that Narduzzi did not call a timeout before Wake had to punt the ball. Then, not calling a time out (TO) with 22 seconds left after the long completion to Addison. Coach Duzz had two timeouts (he had called his first, a defensive TO earlier in the half… ikr) – went to the locker room with one TO in his pocket.  Capel and Duzz must have taken the same Time Management class.
3. Offensive line played poorly, IMO. 

Ugly: 

1. Drexel’s high snaps – four by the time there was 13 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. 
2. Seven penalties in the 1st quarter.

At one point early in the second quarter the TV sideline guy called Narduzzi’s CB schemes Gilligan Islandesq” The adjustments DC Bates made after the first quarter, like throwing more blitz packages, keeping fresh legs in the game, etc., put enough pressure on the Wake QB and allowed our DB’s to make some plays.

Win number twelve will create much discussion in the coming weeks!                             

H2P!