Kenny Pickett throws two interceptions, defense struggles in No. 17 Pitt's loss to Miami

When Pitt’s players, coaches and their somber faces gather Sunday to point the finger of blame, there will be many appropriate places where it should land.

Start with the defense — a repeat offender — that kept missing tackles while allowing five touchdowns in Miami’s 38-34 victory Saturday in front of a crowd of 46,977 at Heinz Field.

“To be honest, I don’t really have an answer for (the missed tackles),” linebacker SirVocea Dennis said. “We just missed tackles all over the place, not just one person, a lot of people, including myself.”

Or, as coach Pat Narduzzi phrased it, not so eloquently, “Crappy tackling.”

Miami redshirt freshman quarterback Tyler Van Dyke threw for 426 yards and three scores, and running back Jaylan Knighton went 40 yards, nearly untouched, for another. The result became 490 yards of total offense, giving Pitt’s only two conquerors this season — Miami and Western Michigan — a grand total of 1,007.

Pitt’s defense was so far out of alignment that not even a school-record day by Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett — 519 yards passing — could save it. Pickett threw for 901 yards and nine touchdowns against Western Michigan and Miami and has an 0-2 record to show for it.

“We felt like the game fell on the defense,” linebacker John Petrishen said.

But don’t dare excuse Pickett, who threw two interceptions among his 55 pass attempts. Pickett, who came into the game with only one pick, went to the air that often because Pitt’s coaches, who had been praising the run game during the four-game winning streak that ended Saturday, decided to ignore it. Miami took advantage to sack Pickett four times.

“We didn’t protect the quarterback like we need to,” Narduzzi said.

The first interception by cornerback Tyrique Stevenson at the sideline set up a Miami touchdown in the second quarter, and Petrishen said Pickett accepted total blame for it. Left unsaid was Pickett didn’t see Jordan Addison open down the middle.

The other came with 4 minutes, 7 seconds left in the game at the Hurricanes’ 4 when a Pitt touchdown might have completed the second-half comeback from 14-, seven- and four-point deficits. Pickett threw behind wide receiver Jordan Addison, and freshman safety James Williams was there to pick it.

“Miscommunication on the route read. I’ll go watch with Jordan, and we’ll fix it,” Pickett said.

“I’m not sure what happened there,” Narduzzi said. “I’m not sure it was a Kenny throw behind or Jordan looked like he didn’t look quick enough. We have to make a play there, throwing to your best player.”

The interception allowed Miami to maintain its 38-34 lead, but Pitt still had hope.

Officials penalized Miami’s Gilbert Frierson for taking off his helmet in celebration, and the ball was placed at the Hurricanes’ 2.

On the first play, Pitt linebacker Phil Campbell III knifed through the line and appeared to tackle Knighton before he got to the goal line. Safety? Not quite.

Officials ruled Knighton got beyond the goal line, and it was merely a loss of 1 yard.

Nonetheless, Pitt had Miami backed into a corner at the 1 but allowed the Hurricanes to scrap their way out of it. Van Dyke hit two passes for 22, Knighton ran for 7 and Miami was able to run out the clock.

Pitt placed itself on shaky ground throughout the game by committing nine penalties for 107 yards, including two roughing-the-passer penalties against Dennis and defensive end John Morgan in a span of three plays. Those mistakes in judgment only led to a Miami field goal, but they still were part of a big problem.

“Didn’t keep their composure at times,” Narduzzi said.

At the end of the day, Pitt’s lead in the ACC Coastal that had looked comfortable Saturday morning was trimmed to one game only 3¹⁄₂ hours later. The victory led Miami (4-4, 2-2) to within striking distance of the first-place Panthers (6-2, 3-1). Plus, the Hurricanes own the tiebreaker, if it comes to that.

Now, Pitt has to find a way to recover like it did after losing to Western Michigan.

“Tough one to swallow, but we will bounce back,” Narduzzi said. “All our goals are still in front of us.”

That would be the ACC Championship as those wild dreams of impressing the College Football Playoff committee have vanished. Yes, people outside Pitt’s team were talking.

“This game feels extremely similar (to the Western Michigan loss),” Petrishen said. “It’s really an emotional roller coaster. Hopefully, we can stay focused on being even-keeled going forward and not get too far ahead of ourselves. Keep the standard the same from week to week.”