While the wide receivers comes in for more scrutiny, the tight ends are looking even better.
Youth is the general excuse for the WRs slow progress. Unfortunately, that doesn’t explain the lack of any advancement with a number of players from last year to this year.
The Panthers are set to finish camp tomorrow and likely will do so with a depth chart at wide receiver that is unsettled. And unlike other positions, such as the defensive line, where the depth chart is cloudy because so many players have performed well, the receiver position is unsettled because of inconsistency.
Junior Derek Kinder is the only receiver who has consistently played at a high level throughout training camp. He is the veteran of the group and the leading returning receiver from last year. The coaches also believe redshirt freshman Oderick Turner has played well enough to separate himself from the rest of the pack and become a second viable option at receiver.
But after Kinder and Turner, there is no third option.
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Hill pointed out that the receivers’ failure to progress as fast as he would like hasn’t been completely about a lack of ability. There have been injuries — McGee (calf) and Turner (ankle) have missed some time — and off-field issues — Porter left the team for a day and senior Joe DelSardo has been suspended for two weeks — that have hindered their progress as well.
The group also is extremely inexperienced — Kinder and DelSardo are the only two with more than five receptions in a game.
But the explanations for the state of the receiving corps don’t erase the fact that there is a game to be played in 11 days and the Panthers have only two receivers ready to play.
Kinder said he has seen a lot of improvement on the unit. The receivers have talked about holding on to the tradition of “Wide Receiver U.” and, as the veteran of the group, it is his job to help mentor the younger players.
He said most of the younger players have had trouble making the transition from high school to college, where receivers are asked to block and need to be a lot more physical to get open.
Seems like plenty of excuse making at the moment. Turner, by the way, tweaked his ankle in practice yesterday.
The better excuse might be that the receivers have been raided of the potentially best and/or fastest players for other positions. Elijah Fields is now a safety and Dorin Dickerson is practicing with the running backs. That I would actually buy.
The flip side is that the other part of Pitt’s receiving corp, the tight ends looks like it’s the strongest it has ever been. There is no question the depth there is best I’ve seen at Pitt, but Pitt has had an all-conference quality TE there the last 4 years. Kris Wilson was tremendous there for 2 years. Erik Gill really came into his own taking over for Wilson — though Gill had a bad senior year.
Pitt is turning its sights toward its tight ends, not only its biggest targets but also its most reliable. The Panthers are showing signs that three-tight end sets featuring fifth-year senior Steve Buches, junior Darrell Strong and freshman Nate Byham could become commonplace this season.
“As of right now, I think we should be the best targets on the team,” Strong said. “We’re still trying to find the second receiver, so that’s putting pressure on the tight ends. That’s going to be a big part of our offense this season.”
In such packages, Pitt will likely use a one-back set or an empty backfield and substitute a tight end for a fullback. Buches and Strong have lined up tight, next to the tackles, while Byham is split wide as an additional receiver.
“If you see three tight ends in a game, most defenses are thinking run,” Buches said, “so it can only help.”
Although the formation gives defenses a run-first look, any of the three tight ends – and, sometimes, all three – can release and go out for a pass.
“It gives us a luxury to try to get mismatches with corners or linebackers on our tight ends,” Pitt tight ends coach Brian Angelichio said. “When they see three tight ends on the field, they’re going to defend the run. With the athleticism of some of the guys we’ve got, they can catch the ball and stretch the field.”
The three tight end set will definitely see a fair number of appearances. What has me drooling with hope and anticipation is that the single back would be Dorin Dickerson. That could create some tremendous opportunities with misdirection and four very big targets. All of whom could catch the ball, plus the versatility of just giving it to Dickerson. It could even create the space to allow Palko to scramble for yardage.
Not to mention that both Dickerson and Strong played QB and could pass the ball on a trick play. We just have to depend on creativity from OC Cavanaugh and the rest of the offensive staff. Gulp.
