Pitt Take 5: Can one game in September set tone for the season?

There is an argument to be made that Pitt’s game Saturday at Tennessee could set the tone for the season.

A victory, even against a second-tier SEC team, might get people talking and cause them to pay attention to the events at Heinz Field when Pitt is playing.

A loss to a team that is 20-27 over the past four seasons, while not devastating in Week 2, would raise questions about Pitt’s ability to win more than eight games. It also would dilute the interest in the next two games against Western Michigan and New Hampshire.

Here are five thoughts about Saturday’s matchup:

1. Perception means nothing

Just because Tennessee is an SEC team and Pitt hasn’t played one since the BBVA Compass Bowl after the 2012 season, the game seems to have generated added importance.

That may be true in the minds of some fans, but Pitt’s players aren’t buying the hype.

Let’s be clear: Players still respect the Volunteers, but they’re focused on taking a consistent approach to every opponent.

“We try to focus where are feet are,” wide receiver Jared Wayne said. “We treat every week the same, every opponent the same. It’s an exciting environment, but nothing really changes for us. There is a lot of hype around SEC teams, but we’re attacking it the same. We play up to our standard, not to who we’re playing against.”

Free safety Erick Hallett kept up the same theme.

“It’s another game, really,” he said. “It’s the next (game) on the schedule so it’s the biggest game. Winning last week made us 1-0. Winning this week would make us 2-0. No matter who we play, no matter where it’s at, is the biggest game because it’s next up.”

2. Speed, speed, speed

Perhaps Tennessee is just another team blocking Pitt’s path toward success. But they aren’t merely standing in the way. The Volunteers will be in a hurry, leaving only 11 seconds between plays, if they follow the script from their 38-6 victory against Bowling Green.

Pitt outside linebacker Phil Campbell III said the scout team ran plays in 7-second intervals in practice. Defenders and fans watching on TV need to keep their eyes glued to the action.

”With their scheme, they’re putting pressure on our conditioning,” Hallett said. “That’s something we’re going to have to step up to the plate to answer.”

Added Wayne: ‘That’s kind of the name of the game nowadays, play fast. Don’t let the defense get set up. We’re going to come out and play fast, too, and show we can hang with guys in the SEC.”

3. Good start on the line

Offensive line coach Dave Borbely is pleased with his group’s physicality and intensity, but he also likes the way they use the muscles between their ears.

When UMass presented a defensive front that Pitt hadn’t practiced, running back Rodney Hammond was stopped for no gain on consecutive third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 plays.

“The kids were all over it. They knew exactly what happened,” Borbely said. “Having a veteran group really helps. They didn’t get shook up. They can tell me and we can make adjustments.”

Borbely’s review showed no holding penalties or false starts and only two mental mistakes.

In the end, Pitt averaged 5.4 yards per carry. Four of the starters — Carter Warren, Marcus Minor, Jake Kradel and Gabe Houy — have started in three seasons. Center Owen Drexel, a full-time starter for the first time, “plays like a veteran,” Borbely said.

The trick will be getting the same results when the defenders start getting bigger and faster.

4. Climbing the ladder

It may not happen Saturday, but Kenny Pickett is within a game or two (certainly no more than three) of moving into second place on Pitt’s all-time passing yardage list.

Pickett has thrown for 8,256 yards, trailing No. 4 Tyler Palko (8,343), No. 3 Tino Sunseri (8,590) and No. 2 Dan Marino (8,597).

Alex Van Pelt, who is the Cleveland Browns’ offensive coordinator, sits atop the list with 11,267. Sunseri coaches quarterbacks at James Madison.

5. Remembering Jackie

Coach Pat Narduzzi asked former coach Jackie Sherrill to address the team before the game. Sherrill said he will keep it brief.

“You only have 3-5 minutes to talk,” Sherrill said. “Coach (Bear) Bryant would always tell us, ‘If you talk more than 10 minutes, you’re BSing, anyway.’ ”

Sherrill is one of only three Pitt coaches in the past 83 years to win 50 games (50-9-1 in five seasons). John Michelosen (56-49-7 in 11 seasons) and Walt Harris (52-44 in eight) are the others.

Sherrill said this week that his quarterbacks called 70% to 80% of the plays. Of course, one of them was named Dan Marino.

When Pitt beat Tennessee, 30-6, in 1980, Marino missed the game with a knee injury, forcing Rick Trocano to move from free safety. Trocano was Pitt’s quarterback in 1978, the year before Marino arrived. In the spring of 1979, he requested a move to safety.

“You can move to free safety,” Sherrill said, “but only if you’re going to be good one. If you’re an average free safety, you’re going back to quarterback.”

Sherrill said he made the move over the protest of offensive coordinator Wally English. Sherrill remembers the conversation with English this way:

English: “You can’t do that.”

Sherrill: “Well, I just did.”

After Trocano helped defeat Tennessee, he remained the starting quarterback for the rest of the season. He went on to set a Pitt record for career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (16). Pickett is one behind him.