PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Clemson's offense has been average, to be kind, heading into Saturday's matchup at Pitt. They've struggled scoring points, but they haven't struggled preventing them.
Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney said the defense is playing at a championship level.
Stats back that up allowing only 12.5 points a game, second best in the nation. Only eight touchdowns this year, also second best in FBS.
In order to crack the defense and allow Kenny Pickett to have success. Pitt needs an impact on the ground.
"Run game is important, it ain't going to be easy," said Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi. "They are so good. It's like the Steel Curtain coming back to Pittsburgh."
"They are impressive. We got to be able to get it. We can't let them just tee off and think it's a pass every down. We got to be able to mix it up with the run game in there."
"It's huge," Pickett said of the run game. "You got to have balance. You can't be one dimensional especially against a team as good as Clemson. Let them key on certain things and pin their ears back and come after us."
"The running back room as a whole has really done a good job and it's a credit to the guys up front."
There is only one tailback who could really step up and make a difference; Israel Abanikanda.
The sophomore from Brooklyn is coming off his first career 100-yard game, going for 142 yards at Virginia Tech. The day was impressive, but the final drive was even more so. Up by 21 points, the Panthers ran 11:28 off the fourth quarter clock as Abanikanda rushed for 78 yards on that drive alone with the Hokies knowing he was going to get the ball.
"He's just gaining confidence, things we know he has the talent to do," said Pitt offensive coordinator Mark Whipple. "Coach Dre (Running backs coach Andre Powell) has done a good job, that room has been really good."
"His experience and coming through and seeing things. Understanding fronts better, understanding blitzes and trusting some of the things. I got a better feel on the runs he likes. He's been more patient."
"He's a little bigger guy than you think he is. Really coming into his own and what we thought when we recruited him."
Narduzzi challenged Abanikanda to have a great week of practice to follow up the game. The Pitt head coach said Thursday Abanikanda did that. He's also confident in running backs Vincent Davis and freshman Rodney Hammond.
Even though Davis rushed for 247 yards against Georgia Tech last year and Hammond rushed for 100 against New Hampshire. No one in their room as the combination of size, speed and skill like Abanikanda.
A huge key for Saturday, how successful Abanikanda will be.
Defensive key
Games like this are not just won by great offensive plays or players. Even with the Tigers struggling; the Pitt defense must come to play. They will need splash plays and no defensive player does that better, than linebacker SirVocea Dennis.
Pitt coaches moved Dennis from outside to inside this year. He's leading the team in tackles playing in only five games, but the overall havoc he creates leading to 14.5 tackles for loss in 10 games in 2020 isn't there. So Dennis is moving back outside against the Tigers.
"He's a smart guy and sometimes you feel like he makes more plays on the edge just because he has a little more opportunity," Narduzzi said. "He's good at Mike linebacker too. You just don't notice the splash plays because he's in his gap. Besides being really smart, he has a nose for the football."
"I think he's comfortable anywhere. He's good at both."
Both Dennis and fellow New Yorker Abanikanda are good. Pitt needs them to be great on Saturday.
-blitz pickup always an issue with young guys
-learning how to read safeties
"It just takes time for the outside guys and TE to get blocking
-will be toughest challenge all the way through
PAT NARDUZZI: Those 'Ors' will be taken off Friday, Thursday afternoon after our third practice. Every defense is a little bit different, okay. We're playing the best defense in the country in my opinion. I mean, maybe Georgia is right there. But this is a top-notch defense that we've got to be able to pick up all the pressures.
So it all depends. I mean, the way he ran the ball last week, yeah, I'm ready to get rid of that 'or' – pass protection and how you practice this week, he's still a baby. Vince is an older guy that's been in some of these games before and has played against Clemson. So this will be a big week for him, and again I think he's up to the challenge and he's confident and I think he'll be okay.
Q. Is that where the competition really pays off where they have to go back and earn a starting job during the week?
Pickett on Izzy
"It's really reps in practice and film with Coach Powell and seeing all of those different looks and how to scan a defense to make protection pickups. Those are kind of game-changing plays. If he doesn't make a block we don't score a touchdown or make big plays down the field."
