Mark Whipple wants Pitt's Kenny Pickett to take cue from Ben Roethlisberger

Pitt has plenty invested in Kenny Pickett’s arms and legs, but if he must throw himself at a defensive tackle who is almost 100 pounds heavier, he said he’ll do it.

It might have happened Friday night in the fourth quarter at Syracuse.

With Pitt ahead 27-20, Syracuse’s 308-pound defensive tackle K.J. Ruff wrestled the ball from Pitt running back Vincent Davis.

Ruff fell to the Carrier Dome turf — and Pitt eventually kept the football because Davis’ knee was ruled down before Ruff gained possession — but offensive coordinator Mark Whipple warned Pickett he needs to give himself a chance to make the tackle.

Whipple has experience with his quarterback making a game-saving tackle.

He was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterbacks coach in a playoff game after the 2005 season, when Ben Roethlisberger tackled the Indianapolis Colts’ Nick Harper, who had recovered a fumble and appeared to be running for a winning touchdown.

“Vince lost the ball, but Kenny has to get back a little more like Ben did in the Colts game,” Whipple said. “Teaching moments. You just keep trying to grow. The ball’s fumbled, you gotta be ready to make a tackle … You’re the free safety. That’s something (Roethlisberger) talked about a lot. You can save the game.

“We got away with one. His knee was down, but it should never come to that.”

Pickett said he can handle the responsibility.

“I played defense in high school, so I’ll be ready to tackle somebody if I have to,” he said.

“That’s just being smart. When I came to the sideline, (Whipple) said, ‘Make sure you track the ball and stay behind it.’

“Hopefully, I don’t (have to make a tackle),” Pickett said, noting he hasn’t made a tackle since his senior year (2016) at Ocean Township (N.J.) High School when he played cornerback, safety and defensive end. “I’ll be there if I have to.”

Leading nation not enough

Defensive tackle Amir Watts knows Pitt leads the nation in sacks (36, seven more than second-place Ohio State and SMU). But he is not impressed.

“We’re not done yet. We have not arrived,” he said. “Can’t be satisfied, can’t be fat and lazy. We’re doing great things because we’re preparing every week the same way as we would for the ACC championship and national championship. We prepare for Delaware the same way we prepare for Penn State.

“The key to that success is us being consistent. Everybody measures toughness in different ways. We measure it in consistency.”

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