PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The Pick-Six resulting in the go-ahead touchdown with 2:58 to play against the Mountaineers earned Pitt cornerback MJ Devonshire the ACC Defensive Back of the Week award.
Following a tying touchdown, Devonshire grabbed a tipped pass and bolted, untouched, 56 yards for the touchdown and a 38-31 win. Last year, Devonshire ended the overtime win at home against North Carolina with an interception.
O-line regroup
One of the areas of needed improvement from the Backyard Brawl win is the play of the offensive line. The senior dominated group struggled at times, not only protecting the quarterback, but averaging only two yards a rush attempt.
“We didn’t really play to our standard,” said Pitt Offensive Line Coach Dave Borbely. “We did a poor job overall protecting the quarterback. We did at times, but they hit us with things-twists, simple linebacker pressure. We did not handle that well at all.”
“Back to the fundamentals of the position and of protection. Honestly I was not pleased.”
Following a couple of days off, first it was meetings and then a first full practice to prepare for Tennessee Saturday.
“I think they got the message loud and clear,” Borbely said. “They know when they haven’t played well. We had some guys perform individually ok, but we’ve got to perform as a unit. I think they were disappointed.”
“There is a standard and we know what the standard. I would say we didn’t come close. The good news is we had a lot of resolve and toughness. We’ve got a battle-tested group. I think they bounced back (Tuesday).”
That group will be challenged by the Volunteers. Borbely said they have nine starters back on defensive including their starting defensive line and two of their three starting linebackers.
“They have the biggest, strongest, fastest front that we’ve faced since Clemson,” Borbely said Tuesday.
Johnny Majors Classic
Borbely started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Evansville for two years before a season as the defensive line coach at Penn. His first break in major-college coaching came when Johnny Majors hired him as a graduate assistant at Tennessee in 1984.
“Coach Majors was all business and all football,” Borbely said. “The thing he always preached to us as graduate assistants-enthusiasm, fundamentals and the kicking game. I think he’s famous for that and he didn’t just say it, he truly believed in that.”
“I loved working for Coach Majors.”
Borbely directly reported to offensive line coach Phil Fulmer with several other future head coaches on the staff including defensive coordinator Larry Marmie, Ron Zook and offensive coordinator Walt Harris.
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