PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Believe you would call it a good response when Pitt scored the most points since 1926 and the most yards in school history (702). Panthers beat New Hampshire 77-7 Saturday afternoon at Heinz Field.
Kenny Pickett
The senior would complete his first 11 passes. Playing only the first half and the first series of the second half, Pickett was 24 of 28 for 403 yards and five touchdowns. It's his third career 400-yard passing game, he's the only Pitt quarterback to have more than one.
In basically three and a half games, Pickett is 98 of 130 for 1,344 yards, 15 touchdowns and one interception.
"It's big to wear the defense out," Pickett said of their quick, no-huddle offense. "We realize that those guys don't really sub a lot. To go four quarters with that is tough when you are going up-tempo. They don't have a chance really to breathe."
With his one-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, Pickett passed Rick Trocano as the Panthers all-time leader in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 17.
With his 12-yard touchdown pass to Shocky Jacques-Louis, Pickett broke a tie for fifth place on the Pitt all-time passing touchdowns list. Pickett now with 54, Tino Sunseri finished with 49. Next up is Rod Rutherford who had 60 career passing TDs.
Pickett is also just the second Pitt player player, joining Alex Van Pelt, to go over 10,000 total yards.
All-ACC Addison
Runner-up for ACC Rookie of the Year, receiver Jordan Addison with three touchdowns and a 47-yard reception. Addison's first touchdown from 26-yards out. Then he took a short pass and after a few sick moves ran past the entire Wildcats defense for a 47-yard touchdown. His third touchdown, a pure post route from 46-yards.
Addison would catch six passes on six targets for 179 yards. On the season, Addison has 23 receptions for 407 yards and eight touchdowns.
"We know each other's strengths and weaknesses," Addison said of his relationship with Pickett. "Every day in practice. He's a great competitor. Every day in practice we go full tilt. We work hard. So when game time comes, it's easy."
Hammond Hammer
Freshman tailback Rodney Hammond not only had his first three touchdowns of his college career, all three were him pushing the pile into the end zone. Hammond led all rushers with 100 yards on 17 carries.
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At one point in Spring practice, Narduzzi talked of the 5'9", 175-pound early enrollee being a potential starter.
Amazing start
Pitt won the coin toss and then destroyed UNH on the first series. First play, QB Bret Edwards sacked by Habakkuk Baldonado and Deslin Alexandre for a loss of 13 yards. Edwards would complete the next pass, but for a loss of two. On third down, Edwards would drop back into his end zone and with Pitt linebacker Phil Campbell draped on him. He would just throw it away. It's an intentional grounding call in the end zone resulting in a safety.
After the ensuing free kick, Pitt would drive 77 yards keyed by a Kenny Pickett 47-yard pass to All-ACC receiver Jordan Addison. Pickett would finish the drive on a one-yard run on fourth down.
Three plays later, Panthers corner Damarri Mathis intercepted his fourth career pass and returned it for his first career touchdown.
Following a three and out, Panthers moved 61 yards with Israel Abanikanda getting his second touchdown of the season, from 15 yards out. Pat Narduzzi promised to get Abanikanda more touches. He played every snap of the Panthers second series.
A couple more tackles for loss, Pitt moved 58 yards to expand their lead to 28-0 on a 12-yard touchdown from Pickett to Shocky Jacques-Louis.
Pitt would score on its first five offensive possessions.
D great as well
Twenty-two different Pitt players with a tackle for a defense with three sacks, eight tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hurries, fumble recovery, held UNH without a third down conversion, a pick six and safety.
The defensive touchdown, the first of his career by corner Damarri Mathis.
"I got vision on the quarterback," Mathis said adding he visualized an interception for a touchdown before the game. "I actually couldn't believe that he threw it. Once he threw it, my eyes got big. I was thinking, touchdown, end zone. I saw a lot of green in front of me."
Non-conference Over
From here on out, Panthers play conference opponents starting at Georgia Tech on October 2. It's a noon kick with pregame starting at 9a on 93.7 The Fan.
