Opportunistic Pitt defense looks to keep interceptions coming vs. Miami

When it comes to interceptions, Pat Narduzzi is a hard man to please.

Before Pitt’s fall camp broke in late August, Narduzzi relayed to reporters that he and his staff had counted 19 dropped picks from 2024 — missed opportunities they felt players should have come down with.

Ultimately, the Panthers finished the season with 13. Heading into the 2025 regular-season finale against No. 13 Miami on Saturday, No. 24 Pitt (8-3, 6-1 ACC) has posted 14.

“Last year, that was a big talking point,” safeties coach Cory Sanders said. “I remember during camp, (reporters) asked me about the dropped interceptions. I think last year, we had opportunities, (but) we didn’t pull them in. This year, we’re just executing at a higher rate, making the most of it.”

Unsurprisingly, the most interceptions recorded by a Narduzzi defense came in 2021, when the ACC champion Panthers had 16.

Already, this season’s total ties with 2022 and 2020 for the second-most since Narduzzi became coach in 2015.

Interceptions played a key role last weekend in the Panthers’ upset of No. 15 Georgia Tech, with safety Kavir Bains-Marquez and linebacker Braylan Lovelace picking off Haynes King.

King, who had thrown just two interceptions before the Panthers arrived in Atlanta, doubled his season total in a single game.

Lovelace’s interception went for a pick-six, while Bains returned his 10 yards to the Georgia Tech 28-yard line, with Pitt scoring a touchdown off it only four plays later.

“They’ve been very impactful, just changing the game,” cornerback Rashad Battle said of the interceptions. “This year, we’re more versatile in the coverages that we run. We run a lot more adjustments than we made last year, and it’s helping the (defensive backs), even with the linebackers. Coaches have been doing a great job with putting us in situations and players have been making plays.”

Battle himself has gone the year without a pick, partially owing to the role and coverage coordinator Randy Bates plays him in, but position mates Shawn Lee, Shadarian Harrison and Tamon Lynum all have one.

Pitt’s linebacker trio of Lovelace, Rasheem Biles and Kyle Louis have contributed heavily to their team’s tally, recording two picks apiece, or a combined 43% of all interceptions.

Christopher Horner | TribLive

Pitt’s Rasheem Biles returns an interception for a touchdown during the first quarter against Louisville on Sept. 27 at Acrisure Stadium.

The Panthers have also scored four pick-sixes on the year (Lovelace, Lee and two by Biles).

But leading the way in the interception department is Bains-Marquez, who has continued to demonstrate his value after transferring this offseason from UC Davis of the FCS.

“What (people) see him do, he did the same thing at UC Davis,” Sanders said. “It doesn’t matter what level you play. He has the traits from being able to run fast enough, being able to jump high enough — he has those traits. He’s a little bit undersized, but when you put the kid’s film on, he just made plays, made plays and made plays.

“Some kids have an innate ability to make plays. Those interceptions … that’s him. That’s his instincts and his feeling out there. He did the same thing when he was at UC Davis.”

For Bains-Marquez, Saturday was his second game in a row with a pick, as he had one (and a 49-yard return) against No. 9 Notre Dame on Nov. 15, one of Pitt’s two interceptions on the day.

Recording multiple interceptions against solid quarterbacks and ranked teams in back-to-back games bodes well for the finale against the No. 13 Hurricanes (9-2, 5-2) at Acrisure Stadium.

Miami signal caller Carson Beck, while doubtless a talented veteran, has shown a propensity for throwing picks in his collegiate career.

He has nine so far in 2025, tied for second-most in the ACC, and last year at Georgia he threw 12.

Granted, four of those nine interceptions came on one night, when Miami lost to Louisville on Oct. 17, 24-21.

While a totally different kind of player than the mobile King, Pitt is still giving Beck all due respect.

“He’s a very talented kid,” Sanders said. “You’ll see some times where he’s throwing balls off his back foot and is placing things in some good holes. He’s also mentally sharp. You can see before the plays, him checking his protections, checking things with the looks that he gets. You can see he’s in the film room a lot in a week.

“ … You’re looking at a quarterback that’s mentally sharp but also has the physical tools as well to place the ball where it needs to be based on what he sees.”

Beck has played clean in recent weeks, throwing eight touchdowns with no picks in Miami’s last three games.

With the Hurricanes having an even more complex path to the ACC Championship than Pitt, which needs a win and either Virginia or SMU to lose, Beck will look to be at his best.

But Pitt has disrupted good quarterbacks and offenses repeatedly this season with interceptions.

If and when those opportunities present themselves Saturday, the Panthers will hope to take advantage.

“It’s about takeaways and trying to get our offense more possessions,” Sanders said. “Trying to get (coordinator Kade) Bell the ball so he can go down there and put it in the end zone. … The interceptions are great. We’ve got 14 this year … but most importantly, it’s about getting the offense the ball back.”