PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – “I was just showing them me,” said Pitt tailback Israel Abanikanda after breaking the Pitt single-game rushing record in a 16-point Homecoming win over Virginia Tech.
He would compare it do a game he remembered scoring seven touchdowns, saying this is nothing new to him. That game was when he was a Little League football player in New York.
It seemed that easy to the 5’11” junior.
“It’s super-exciting,” said Pitt offensive lineman and Butler native Jake Kradel. “Izzy had a hell of a game, six touchdowns, 320 yards, that’s amazing. I’m super-excited for him and our offensive line. We finally put a full game together and ran the ball.”
Those 320 yards put him 17 past the school record set by Tony Dorsett in 1975 against Notre Dame.
“Breaking a record, Tony Dorsett’s record that’s been there for a long, long time,” said Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi. “He’s got breakaway speed. If he pops through there, good luck to you. Not many guys catching him. Over 300 yards rushing and he only had 36 carries, we probably could have given it to him another 10 times. He cramped up a little bit and I was like, ‘get him out’.”
“Izzy is a football player. Izzy’s really good.”
“It feels amazing, unreal, but I also know what I’m capable of,” Abanikanda said. “I know what I can do. It feels unreal breaking these legendary players records.”
Abanikanda said he was upset after he had to leave the game against Georgia Tech in the second quarter last Saturday, a game the Panthers lost as heavy favorites. He said he knew after that game he would return this week.
“I was angry after the game,” Abanikanda said. “I wanted to show it during this game, show people what I am capable of.”
He became the first player in ACC history to rush for six touchdowns in a conference game. That number also tied him with Norman Budd in the Pitt record books, a record set in 1910 against Ohio University in a 71-0 win. Abanikanda did this knowing he had to have those numbers for his team to win.
“I won’t say I had to carry them, I did what I had to do,” Abanikanda said. “I did what my job was to help my team win. I’m not the only one that led to that win. It’s a team effort.”
“I told one of our assistants I have the best seat in the house,” said Pitt QB Kedon Slovis. “I see the plays develop. On that last one, I saw (OL) Marcus (Minor) pulling up and working to the linebacker. I’m thinking ‘Izzy, hit it right, hit it right’. Of course, he hits it perfectly. I kind of watch it all unfold and once he gets to that second level, you know he’s gone. It’s really nice as a quarterback to have that.”
Abanikanda said his improvement started in the film room. He studies so much more and is familiar with what is happening during a game and knows what to do. He also has a burst that few do in college football.
“His speed, even that one run he had inside the 20-yard line,” Narduzzi said. “It looked like he was stopped on a third-down and he popped out of there and goes. He’s strong, he’s physical and he’s really fast. That’s a good combination to have as a tailback.”
“It’s amazing,” Kradel said. “This is what I came here to do. I came here to play high-level football and block my ass off. We are in the history books now.”
Abanikanda said he knew after his fourth touchdown that something special was happening at Acrisure Stadium. His favorite score was the final one where he exploded 80-yards untouched.
The Brooklyn native said he was honored to do what he did. He gave credit to all-God, family, offense and defense, offensive line, coaches. Now with 830 yards on the season, Abanikanda said he has no limit on his game. He’s not done.
“Since I was four-years-old, I knew I was going to be great.”