PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Probably lost in the overtime loss Saturday at Acrisure Stadium were a number of big plays and a pretty solid defensive performance by the Panthers.
Run Izzy Run
Knowing they didn’t have week one leading rusher Rodney Hammond, it was up to Israel Abanikanda. The junior rushed for only 16 yards against West Virginia and after gaining only three in the first drive, Abanikanda splashed.
He burst 76 yards for the longest run from scrimmage for the Panthers since 2018.
“Once when I made that first cutback, I saw green,” Abanikanda said. “I just have to make stuff happen with the opportunity.”
Abanikanda made sure to thank the offensive line, the receivers, fullback and tight end. He said he knew he didn’t do well enough last week and focused during practice to improve. He wasn’t surprised by the results, finishing with a career-high 154 yards and the touchdown.
“He was outstanding,” said Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi. “He ran hard. I just kept saying when the team went down, just keep feeding the horse. Just keep giving it to him. He had some nice runs out there today.
Leaping TE
Sophomore Gavin Bartholomew caught a pass down the sideline in the first half, jumped over Tennessee’s Jeremy Banks, and another 20-plus yards into the end zone for a 57-yard touchdown. He said he did it earlier in the game, but it wasn’t as successful and no one noticed.
“It happened so fast,” Bartholomew said. “I just knew he was going to tackle me low and I was like ‘screw it, I’m jumping him’. I was in the end zone.”
“I knew he was the only defender in the area, just trying to make a play.”
After only one catch in the WVU game, Bartholomew finished with five catches for 84 yards and the touchdown.
Punt block
Special teamer and reserve defensive back PJ O’Brien blocked a punt in the third quarter and recovered it. It could have been the play that won the Panthers the game, down seven points getting the ball at the Tennessee 19-yard line.
“We block a punt, heck of a job by P.J. O'Brien,” Narduzzi said. “Shoot, I thought we were going to score on it. Just a game of inches. Sully (Solomon DeShields) kind of bumps into him and knocks him out of bounds. We should have scored there. That's one of the field goals that we don't make. We should have not let it happen.”
Defense
Only Alabama and Georgia have held the Josh Heupel-led Volunteers to fewer yards than Pitt has. The Panthers limiting Tennessee to 416 total yards, 150 yards and a 51-yard field goal in the second half Saturday.
“We just executed better,” said Panthers senior Haba Baldonaldo. “The D-line stepped up and played to our standard which we didn’t do in the first half. We just executed.”
“When you look at what we did to them defensively, I think Coach Bates, the defensive staff, and those defensive players played their hearts out,” Narduzzi said. “That is a tough offense with a tempo, and they started off with probably three three-and-outs. We've got to be more consistent. We would like to get 15 three-and-outs. I know that's not really, but they did a heck of a job really for four quarters.”
Narduzzi said they were in Cover-3 on the touchdown pass in overtime as Cedric Tillman beat MJ Devonshire. He called it a critical error.
“It was a zone pressure. We're in cover three. They got behind it, which it shouldn't. That's why you call it. I think it got behind M.J. on that one.”
“I think we gave up two explosive passes, but when you look at overall, solid performance. If you look at the yards we gave up to that explosive offense, I don't know if anybody will match what we did this year.”
The 1-1 Panthers play their first road game at Western Michigan at 7:30p on September 17.
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