On this week's Peak at the Panthers, Cale Berger and Chris Peak recap Pitt's loss to Notre Dame, discuss the opt-out of safety Paris Ford and preview Saturday's trip to Tallahassee.
With the Panthers returning from their bye week, Cale and Chris look back to the drubbing Pitt took at the hands of Notre Dame two weeks ago. Chris struggles to remember the last time a Pitt team looked like they didn't belong on the field with an opponent, which he feels was the case. He also continues to have concerns about the offense, which failed to accomplish anything significant against a stout Irish defense.
As for Cale, he agrees with Chris, and feels the main area where Pitt struggled was in the trenches and at the line of scrimmage. Offensively, the Panthers could not find any consistency on the ground running the football. Pitt's defensive line stopped the run and continuously pressured Irish quarterback Ian Book, but did not sack him enough or prevent him from scrambling and making plays with his legs.
In a surprise this week, Pitt star safety Paris Ford announced that he was opting out of the remainder of the 2020 season seven games in. The guys agree that the timing is strange, and discuss if the move it the right one for Ford as he prepares for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Previewing this Saturday's matchup against Florida State, Chris sees it as a battle of strengths between the Seminole offense and Pitt defense. The Panthers lead the nation in rush defense, while the Noles have excelled on the ground since installing the dual-threat Jordan Travis as their starting quarterback. Cale and Chris agree that FSU's horrible defense does present an opportunity for Pitt to kickstart their offense, but that would be much more likely if injured quarterback Kenny Pickett is able to return.
On the Seminole offense, Cale is looking at wide receiver Tamorrion Terry, who is one of the best receivers in the country but has missed the last few games with an injury. With the Panthers inability to limit explosive plays in the passing game over their four-game losing skid, he believes it is crucial that Pitts stop him, or it will be a long afternoon otherwise.