Pitt notebook: Pat Narduzzi says critics can point the finger of blame 'at me'

After four games, Pitt’s search for a balanced offense continues mostly unfulfilled, with the Panthers ranked 12th among 15 ACC teams in average rushing yards per game (130.5).

That’s a slight improvement over last season when Pitt was 14th in the ACC (118.8). Yet, Pitt has had only two 100-yard performances from running backs in the past 17 games (Todd Sibley and A.J. Davis, both last year).

Asked about Pitt’s offensive identity in that time under coordinator Mark Whipple, coach Pat Narduzzi said, “The identity is we scored 29 points (in the 30-29 loss to N.C. State on Saturday), which I hope is enough to win a football game.”

Pitt’s average yards on the ground fell 41 percent from 156 against Louisville the week before to only 92 in the N.C. State game.

“We just played average up front,” Narduzzi said. “So if we keep playing average, we won’t run the ball very well, but it all starts up front on the O-line and the D-line.

“We were on the right people most of the time, but you’ve got to move them off the line of scrimmage.”

The running game came under scrutiny when Pitt failed to score on four tries from the N.C. State 1.

“Blame me,” Narduzzi said. “If I don’t go for it on 4th-and-1 and I kick a field goal down there, maybe we win the game. I felt like we should be able to get it in. Maybe a stubborn head coach, but if I didn’t go for it on 4th-and-1, you guys would be yelling at me because I didn’t go for it on 4th-and-1 down there.

“So, either way you lose. But we expect to score touchdowns.”

He said quarterback Kenny Pickett played “maybe his best game this year so far” when he threw for a career-high 411 yards. Pitt is second to Clemson in the ACC with an average of 288.8 passing yards per game.

“The pass protection was great by the O-line, as well,” Narduzzi said. “Receivers caught the ball most of the time. But we’re not perfect, nor are those (NFL) guys on Sunday as I see dropped balls as I walk in and out of my office.

“There’s no finger pointing over here. You guys can point fingers all you want, but we don’t point fingers over here. This is the guy right here; you guys can point it at me.”

ACC recognition

Pitt wide receiver D.J. Turner, a transfer from Maryland who didn’t join the team until two weeks before the season, was named ACC co-wide receiver of the week with N.C. State’s Emeka Emezie.

Turner recorded 186 receiving yards, the most by a Pitt player since Greg Lee’s 188 in 2004. Turner leads the ACC and is eighth in the nation (319).

Turner averaged 23.3 yards on eight receptions.

Noon in Miami

After a 4 p.m. start Saturday at Boston College, Pitt returns to a noon kickoff Oct. 17 at Miami. The game will be televised by either ABC or the ACC Network. Officials won’t decide until after the games Saturday. No. 7 Miami visits No. 1 Clemson.