Pitt Take 5: Panthers hope to end touchdown drought against Miami

Let’s get the obvious facts out in the open immediately.

Although it’s true Pitt takes a three-game losing streak against Miami into its game Saturday at Heinz Field, those three games have nothing to do with what will happen after someone’s toe hits the football at noon.

For the record, however, Pitt has scored only one touchdown in those three losses, and that was a 1-yard flip last season in Miami Gardens, Fla., from Joey Yellen, who was subbing for an injured Kenny Pickett, to tight end Daniel Moraga, who transferred after the season. Also out for that game were defensive tackle Keyshon Camp, tight end Lucas Krull and running back Izzy Abanikanda, who might miss this one with a concussion. Pitt lost 31-19.

The other scores were 16-12 and 24-3, but — remember! — they don’t matter. Perhaps that was the Hurricanes’ Revenge Tour for Pickett ruining their perfect season in 2017.

Yet, it’s not difficult to envision a scene from a Pitt staff meeting where Pat Narduzzi gathers his coaches around him and tells them — no, demands — that scoring failures against this annual foe end now.

All signs indicate Narduzzi won’t have to worry too much about points, but I wonder about giving Miami (3-4, 1-2 ACC) those nine by which Pitt (6-1, 3-0) is favored. Meanwhile, ponder these five points:

1. ACC standings update

A Pitt victory would dismantle Miami’s ACC Coastal hopes and push Virginia Tech further into the shadows. But it only increases the No. 17 Panthers’ edge over Virginia (6-2, 4-2) from half to a full game. The Wahoos are outside the conference Saturday at No. 25 BYU.

There was so much talk before the season about Pitt’s three-game gauntlet of Virginia Tech on the road, Clemson and Miami. Now that Pitt has won the first two, the most important game of the season might be contested Nov. 20 at Heinz Field against Virginia.

Before we get too far ahead of reality, however, a Pitt loss Saturday would trim its lead over Miami to one game and give the Hurricanes the tiebreaker advantage. Any coach will tell you: When you play only 12, they all matter.

2. ACC quarterbacks

The ACC Quarterback Honor Roll has taken an interesting turn. While everyone was praising North Carolina’s Sam Howell and Miami’s D’Eriq King before the season, three others have jumped over them.

King played only three games before shoulder surgery ended his season, and Howell is fourth in passing yards per game behind Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong (402.5), Pickett (324.4) and Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman (296.1).

New to the party, Miami redshirt freshman quarterback Tyler Van Dyke confronts Pitt and Pickett on Saturday. He already has thrown for nine touchdowns and more than 1,000 yards in five games.

• Armstrong, who is the nation’s second-leading passer, was responsible for 495 yards (99 rushing) and six touchdowns in a 48-40 victory last week against Georgia Tech.

• Hartman threw five touchdown passes and ran for another while completing 23 of 29 passes in a 70-56 victory against Army, which had been No. 6 in the nation in fewest yards allowed. The 126 points were the most involving an ACC team since Pitt beat Syracuse, 76-61, in 2016.

• Pickett used his arm and legs to secure the victory against Clemson, which boasts the ACC’s best defense in terms of points allowed. Pickett’s big stat: No interceptions for the sixth time in seven games.

• And don’t forget Syracuse’s Garrett Shrader, who threw two touchdown passes in the final 2 minutes, 28 seconds and rushed for 174 yards while beating Virginia Tech, 41-36. Pitt meets Shrader on Nov. 27 in the Carrier Dome. Sounds like November might be more fun than October.

3. Walking a thin tightrope

Two years ago, LSU coach Ed Orgeron won a national championship. He’ll be gone from Baton Rouge at the end of this season, relieved of his duties. Some profession, huh?

Given such job insecurity, Narduzzi was asked this week about the industry in which he works.

“It’s crazy, but what can you do for me lately?” he said. “I tell our kids that all the time. You can be the starter this week and the backup next week. You’ve got to step up and make plays every weekend. As a coach, you’ve got to do the same thing. You’ve got to produce. Nobody cares 6-1, all that baloney. Doesn’t matter what bowl game you won, national championship, where your ranking is.”

4. What a relief

Pitt defensive coordinator Randy Bates might have had a few sleepless nights this summer, especially after Pickett carved up his defense in training camp.

“I wasn’t sure how good we were going to be on defense because we couldn’t stop him,” Bates said.

It turned out to be the quarterback and not the defense. Bates is coordinating the No. 20 defense in the nation (No. 2 in the ACC at 318.7 yards per game allowed).

5. Pickett Recruiting Update II

Not many coaches know New Jersey’s fertile recruiting area as well as Pitt tight ends coach Tim Salem. If you want to give anyone on the staff credit for getting Pickett — Narduzzi last week credited his wife, Donna, who accompanied him on the home visit — you should point the finger at Salem.

“I knew (he would be successful) when I had a chance to watch him play when he was this tall back in New Jersey when he was a little kid,” Salem said. “He pretty much, in a matter of months, grew from 6-foot to 6-2.”

Salem didn’t actually see Pickett in T-ball games, but he did watch him play baseball as a high school sophomore.

“I’ve seen him in baseball games, with no effort stealing bases, throwing guys out from deep left field and smacking the balls for doubles. He likes to play. He likes to compete. He has so many mannerisms to play the position, so many mannerisms to play sports.”