No 1-trick Pitt
PITTSBURGH — Designing a defense that will be effective against Pitt has never been this difficult since coach Dave Wannstedt took over nearly five years ago.
A year ago, the Panthers offense largely consisted of LeSean McCoy running the ball — which he did for 1,488 yards and 21 touchdowns. The passing game never really took off, especially following quarterback Bill Stull's midseason concussion, yet the Panthers still finished 9-4.
Playing Pitt this season is like trying to defend against an NFL team, and not just because Wannstedt is the former Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins coach. Deciphering what the Panthers are doing and getting the best defenders on the field to match it can be a challenge, or exactly what Connecticut coach Randy Edsall expects Saturday at Heinz Field.
Edsall ran down a list of about a dozen different personnel groups the Panthers use, some with tight ends Dorin Dickerson and Nate Byham switching in and out and others with them playing at the same time. He also said that wasn't all the Panthers (4-1, 1-0 Big East) are doing now that many in Wannstedt's first few recruiting classes are juniors and seniors.
"They're a very multiple team and we're going to have to be multiple with what we want to do," Edsall said.
Stull is the primary reason for the multiple personality Pitt's offense is taking on. Much improved from a year ago, Stull has thrown 11 touchdown passes and only one interception, with Dickerson (6 TD catches) and Jonathan Baldwin (nearly 20 yards per catch average) having big seasons. Stull has already thrown for two more touchdowns than he did last season.
"We want to maximize our possessions on every series," offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said.
Connecticut (3-1, 0-0 Big East) is No. 4 nationally in total defense but it hasn't seen an offense this versatile. No doubt Edsall and his staff probably enjoyed having two weeks to prepare for UConn's Big East opener after the Huskies beat Rhode Island 52-10 on Sept. 26.
"They're sound, they don't make many mistakes or give up too many big plays," Stull said of the Huskies. "They run the ball and they stop the opposing teams from running it. That's obviously what we want to do well, too. We've had some big plays through the air, but it all starts with the guys up front."
Pitt freshman Dion Lewis is No. 6 nationally in rushing, averaging 116 yards per game, and backup Ray Graham ran for 75 yards and a touchdown as Pitt beat Louisville 35-10 last weekend.
Connecticut also has two productive backs in Jordan Todman (99 yards per game) and Andre Dixon (92 yards per game), but starting quarterback Zach Frazer has missed two games with a knee injury and isn't expected to play.
That means Cody Endres, who grew up about 30 minutes from Pittsburgh in Washington, Pa., is expected to run the offense in a stadium where he always wanted to play but didn't in high school. Only the district championship games are held at Heinz Field, and Endres' Trinity High teams didn't qualify.
