Virginia Tech goes to Pittsburgh in search of a turnaround
By Norm Wood
North Carolina's Myles Dorn (1) looks to tackle Virginia Tech quarterback Ryan Willis (5) during the second half of a game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. Virginia Tech won 22-19. (Gerry Broome)
Ryan Willis realizes playing the blame game to explain Virginia Tech's struggles won't do much good, but he also has the benefit of knowing a thing or two about slumping.
Two years ago, he lost 10 of his last 11 games at Kansas. That's the kind of futility that could make Tech's three losses in its last four games seem like a minor blip. Yet, there's no denying the Hokies are headed in the opposite direction from ACC Coastal Division-leading Pittsburgh (5-4, 4-1 ACC) at exactly the wrong time going into Saturday's meeting in Pittsburgh.
Willis and his teammates understand the urgency.
"We just need to be better as players," said Willis, who will be making his sixth start at quarterback for the Hokies in place of the injured Josh Jackson. "We need to take a lot of the responsibility. ... We just can't let any opportunities slide by, especially in close games."
Tech (4-4, 3-2) looks to stay in control of its own destiny in the division with a victory, knowing that a loss eliminate it from the division race . Pitt will just be trying to stay hot. The Panthers have won three of its last four games, including a 23-13 win at Virginia when the Cavaliers were ranked No. 25.
The recent surge came after a 3-4 start that included a 51-6 September home loss to then-No. 13 Penn State, a 45-14 loss in October at then-No. 13 Central Florida and a 19-14 loss in October at then-No. 5 Notre Dame. Since then, Pitt has hit its stride against the softer part of its schedule, using a surging pass rush and productive ground game.
The Panthers sacked U.Va.'s Bryce Perkins five times, while Pitt running back Darrin Hall ran 19 times for 229 yards and three touchdowns.
Tech hopes to have defensive tackle Jarrod Hewitt and linebackers Rashard Ashby and Dylan Rivers – all starters who sat out last weekend's loss to Boston College with injuries — back Saturday. The Hokies gave up an average of 306.3 rushing yards per game in its last three outings (at North Carolina, against Georgia Tech and against BC).
As disastrous as the tough early stretch could've been for Pitt's psyche, the challenging nature of that early schedule was certainly by design. During eight seasons (2007-2014) as Michigan State's defensive coordinator, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi took notes on scheduling and its affect on a team from Spartans basketball coach Tom Izzo.
Narduzzi, whose team lost 39-36 two seasons ago at home to Virginia Tech and 20-14 last season in Blacksburg, remains sold on the Izzo philosophy.
"You watch (Izzo) play in Kansas (on Tuesday night), and his philosophy has always been to play the best, and it's going to make you better in the end," said Narduzzi.
"Michigan State is always in the Sweet 16 because of the grueling schedule that they had. They played the No. 1 team (Tuesday night), and to me, I learned from Tom Izzo just who you're playing and what it does for you, win or loss. It's making you stronger, it's making you better and it's really prepared us for where we are today."
From Tech's perspective, playing its final road game may be a good thing, considering Lane Stadium hasn't been terribly inviting for more than a month. In October, the Hokies lost all three home games, leaving them with a home skid of more than two games for the first time since the end of the 1994 season and first two games of the '95 season .
At Pitt, the Hokies will be revisiting a defensive scheme they had success against earlier in the fall. Pitt prefers to play press coverage against wide receivers and challenge them at the line of scrimmage. That's a defensive approach 6-foot-2 Virginia Tech receivers Damon Hazelton and Eric Kumah have exploited by going up to make catches over smaller cornerbacks.
Willis leads an offense that has struggled to sustain early success in games. Against BC, Tech scored touchdowns on two of its first four possessions, then went nine drives without scoring. In the loss to Georgia Tech, the Hokies got into the end zone on its first three drives, before going six consecutive drives without a score. In its victory at North Carolina, Tech scored a touchdown on its opening drive, only to fail to score on eight straight possessions.
Getting receivers to take advantage of Pitt's aggressive coverage will be a top priority as Tech tries to get its offense back on track.
"I think that's always going to be important, not just for us but for everyone that plays them," Tech coach Justin Fuente said. "You'd like to find a way to get some easy completions, but when it comes down to it, there's going to be times when you're going to have to make contested catches, and I don't think this game will be any exception to that rule."
VIRGINIA TECH (4-4, 3-2 ACC) AT PITTSBURGH (5-4, 4-1)
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When/where: 3:30 p.m./Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
TV/radio: ESPNU/790AM, 910AM, 93.5FM, 107.5FM
Favorite: Pitt by 3
The buzz: Pitt and Tech have gotten used to playing each other close, with the teams splitting the last four games by an average margin of 4.5 points per contest. Tech is running short on opportunities to make this season an indisputable success. Slowing down Pitt running backs Qadree Ollison (team high 819 rushing yards and seven touchdowns) and Darrin Hall (658 rushing yards and seven touchdowns) and forcing quarterback Kenny Pickett (121-of-202 passing for 1,217 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions) to throw will be Tech's primary defensive goals. That'll require a much more determined effort against the run than Tech showed in the last three weeks. Tech will likely start Hampton High alum Jovonn Quillen at cornerback to replace regular starter Bryce Watts, who broke his left forearm in last weekend's loss to Boston College. If Tech is able to establish running back Steven Peoples (team high 497 yards and five touchdowns) against Pitt's rush defense, which is 74th best in the nation (giving up an average of 169.8 rushing yards per game) out of 130 Football Bowl Subdivision programs, it'll free up quarterback Ryan Willis (121-of-204 passing for 1,539 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions) to attack Pitt's press coverage with wide receivers Damon Hazelton (team high 37 catches for 636 yards and seven touchdowns), Eric Kumah and Hezekiah Grimsley, a Lafayette High grad. Tech has to protect Willis, who got beat up against BC and will be facing a Pitt defense that sacked U.Va. quarterback Bryce Perkins five times last week.
The pick: Tech 30, Pitt 28
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