Virginia will be tough for Pitt to beat, ACC analysts believe

ACC Network analysts Tim Hasselbeck and Jon Beason didn’t come out and directly predict Pitt will lose to Virginia on Saturday night.

But while speaking to reporters on a conference call Monday morning, they gave a clear indication the Cavaliers will be tough to beat.

“It’s going to be tough for Pittsburgh to have a chance in this one,” said Beason, a former Miami linebacker who was the Carolina Panthers’ No. 1 draft choice in 2007.

Added Hasselbeck, a Boston College product who played quarterback for six NFL teams: “(Pitt) really didn’t pass the ball well, especially in tough contests, a year ago.”

Hasselbeck will be the color analyst for telecasts of Georgia Tech’s game at Clemson on Thursday and Pitt’s game against Virginia at Heinz Field.

Beason said Pitt’s personnel losses after last season will be difficult to overcome.

“(Quarterback) Kenny Pickett last year relied on two outstanding runners in Darrin Hall and Qadree Ollison,” Beason said. “So, Kenny’s been there for the last couple years. He’s played a lot of ball. He has a lot of experience, but they went as the running game went.

“And now you’re saying, ‘Hey, it’s all you and you got to do it by yourself. You got to find a new Batman to kind of lean on.’

“And as good as Virginia is defensively, it’s going to be a tall order for Pittsburgh to have a chance in this one.”

Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins has the ability to take over a game, but that won’t be Pitt’s biggest problem, Hasselbeck said.

“Probably the bigger determining factor in my opinion is that UVA’s got a very good defense,” he said. “I think that they’re really talented on that side of the ball. And then when you look at Pittsburgh offensively, obviously it’s a change in coordinator … find a new runner. I think there’s been enough change that how ready they are for prime time, and then the fact that they’re going up against a really talented defensive group.

“I think that if it’s going to be a game, then Pittsburgh’s really going to have to play well offensively and be able to kind of stack up against a really talented group on the other side of the ball.”

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Perkins the key

Hasselbeck said the key for Pitt is containing Perkins, who rushed for 923 yards last season. He was sacked five times in Pitt’s 23-13 victory in Charlottesville.

“I would start off by saying he is a better runner than passer,” Hasselbeck said, “so the emphasis in terms of containing him, I think, still ultimately comes down to how you defend him as a runner.

“With that being said, he has the ability to make the throws necessary in terms of the stuff that they do.”

Hasselbeck believes if Pitt’s defense can throw some disguises at Perkins, it has a chance to contain him.

“I think, ultimately, defending him as the runner is first and foremost,” he said. “And then forcing him to pass and causing a little bit of confusion should help Pittsburgh quite a bit.”

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Go get the QB

When Pitt played Virginia last season, it was Nov. 2, the ninth game of the season.

“We were in midseason form as far as hitting a quarterback,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “We stayed off the quarterbacks (in training camp this month), which scares me. We’re going to have to hit the quarterback this week on the scout field. They’re going to have the green light to go light a quarterback up.”

Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.