'Pretty perfect' Pitt seeks improvement entering ACC opener vs. Syracuse

On the surface, Pitt’s next challenge — moving beyond a performance Pat Narduzzi called “pretty perfect” — sounds impossible.

Pitt’s coach offered his players that ultimate compliment Monday after reviewing video of Pitt’s 55-0 victory against Austin Peay on Saturday.

“That’s what it’s supposed to look like in a perfect world,” he said of the first half when Pitt built a 42-0 lead

Yet, he knows reality dictates the easy victory was nothing more than a tune-up for the start of the ACC season Saturday against Syracuse at Heinz Field.

He said Syracuse (0-1) will be better prepared than his Panthers (1-0) because the Orange played — and lost to — No. 12 North Carolina, 31-6. Syracuse trailed 7-6 until late in the third quarter.

“To their advantage, they’ve been in a war already,” Narduzzi said.

So it is the coach’s responsibility to point out mistakes from the Austin Peay game — no matter how insignificant they might have been to the outcome — and work to correct them. The one-game, nonconference season is over. Every game matters from now through the regular-season finale Nov. 28 against No. 1 Clemson in Death Valley.

“I walked in there (to the team meeting room Sunday night) and said, ‘Nice win,’ ” Narduzzi said.

“I said, ‘Defense, can you get any better (after allowing 1 net yard on the ground)?’

“Oh, yeah,” the players responded.

“They know they can get a lot better. No question about it.”

Two points of emphasis this week might be turning short runs into longer ones and getting better blocking from the wide receivers in the ground game.

Pitt amassed 147 rushing yards, which isn’t bad but only ranks 25th in the nation.

Narduzzi said running backs coach Andre Powell noted his players managed to gain the yards that were made available by the blockers — and not much beyond that.

“When we blocked for seven (yards), we got seven. When we blocked for eight, we got eight. When we blocked for three, we got three,” Narduzzi said. “You’d like to block for three and get eight. You’d like to block for eight and get 28.

“There are blocks being made. They’re not going to be held forever.”

Narduzzi said a good running back will live by the initials BYOB. “Be your own blocker,” he said, noting sophomore Vincent Davis made would-be tacklers miss.

“You have to make people miss, and that’s the one thing I saw Vince do. He’s a good back.”

Another point of discussion and practice this week will be blocking by the young wide receivers.

Freshmen Jordan Addison and Jaylen Barden started against Austin Peay. Seniors Taysir Mack and Tre Tipton and sophomore Jared Wayne did not play, although all three were on the bench.

Addison led Pitt with seven receptions for 35 yards; Barden tied teammate Shocky Jacques-Louis for the longest catch of the day (68).

“I’m happy with what those young guys are doing,” he said. “They have to do a better job blocking in the run game so we can have some explosives.”

Narduzzi was mainly pleased with how sophomore cornerbacks A.J. Woods and Marquis Williams played as replacements for senior Damarri Mathis.

“A.J. got beat on the one thing,” said Narduzzi, referencing a 57-yard reception by wide receiver Baniko Harley that turned out to be 41% of Austin Peay’s total yardage output.

“He got spun around, didn’t play it very well; his first time playing corner in a game. Marquis was physical, made some nice tackles. He has to be a little better as far as the approach to the tackle. I felt both of them played solid out there.”

Some positives perhaps got lost in the 55-point margin of victory (largest in six seasons).

• Kirk Christodoulou caught the coach’s eye with an average of 49.3 yards on three punts, including one downed on the 13.

• Pitt committed only four penalties: illegal formation, illegal shift, false start and a personal foul on redshirt freshman Deandre Jules during safety Erick Hallett’s runback of an interception. Narduzzi called it “kind of a tick-tacky one.”

“Our guys were disciplined. They did the right thing,” he said.

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