One of the complaints about the Pitt passing game last year was throwing to Tyler Boyd to the seeming exclusion of all other receivers (especially the tight ends). Those complaints seem to have lessened this year as the tight ends have been much more involved and at least Dontez Ford sees a couple passes a game.
Funny thing, though…
Last year, Tyler Boyd accounted for 41.4% of all receptions (78 of 188). This year he is accounting for only 42.1% of all receptions (69 of 164). Wait. What?
Here are the numbers for Boyd and the leading receivers from last year.
And this year.
In 13 games last year, Boyd had an average of 6 receptions/game for 97 yards.
In 9 games for Boyd, his receptions/game is up to 7.84 but his yards/game is down to 77.78. He’s only had one 100+ yard receiving game.
Additionally, Boyd has 28 rushes for 197 yards. Last year: 12 rushes for 63 yards.
Boyd is more active in the offense than ever, but his yardage is way down. Here are the factors probably go into that.
The first, obviously, is the loss of James Conner. Losing a workhorse star back put more pressure on making up that offense anywhere possible. Boyd is the obvious answer.
The next is that Boyd is being used much differently. He is not used nearly as often as a deep threat. Instead, getting more short passes. Teams are so aware of how dangerous he is, they have been extremely willing to give him a huge cushion for relatively short yardage rather than risk getting burned deep. Boyd and the offense have taken advantage of it.
The final difference is last year, Pitt ran the ball nearly 66% of the time on offense (310 passing attempts and 608 rushing). This year, the split is closer to 60-40 (413 rushing [61.3%], 261 passing [38.7%]). That means more opportunities to get the ball to Boyd — and other receivers.
Last year, the team averaged 23.7 pass attempts/game and 46.9 rushing attempts. This year the pass attempts are up to 26.1 while rushes are down to 41.3 per game.
Again, the lower rushing attempts have a lot to do with Conner’s injury. But they also have to do with the change from Chad Voytik to Peterman. Peterman can run, but he does not do it as much as Voytik did.
This is just roughing it out. Anyone so inclined could probably try to put together the number of times Boyd has been targeted. His numbers might be even higher. Or even imagine what they would have been if he had played even a half against YSU.
This increase in workload for Boyd would also explain the perception that is held that Boyd is dropping more passes this year. It might be true in total, but only because he is seeing so many more.
That was kinda my point. You hope every player is focused on team goals and doing what’s best for the team to win. If individual accolades come as a result, all the better.
I don’t see a change next year without an injury.
I do see a lot of upside with better pass protection and run production, both to be expected with a maturing offensive line.
The real question to me is can Narduzzi find some more impact defenders to go along with Whitehead. Hendrix should be one. If Price gets another year and Edwards is good, we may have a real pressure D-line. Will also be interesting to see how fast our two freshman linebackers mature.
He only has one more year so not playing him isn’t really a big deal especially when I think Pitt’s still not quite ready to take the next step. The talent gap between them and Clemson, Florida St and even UNC is pretty steep but closing.
So while NP has played okay he hasn’t made himself untouchable or knocked it out of the park. He should be better next year as you said, but how much better? I just don’t see a big leap.
Ibrahim has two years of eligibility left, he has some skills that none of our current guys showed this year. Hopefully he will be healthy.
I just don’t see it with NP. He doesn’t pass the look test IMO. I think he’ll be in the same position that Voytik was this year. The incumbent so the de facto starter but not untouchable.
My point with NP is more about not maintaining the status quo at Pitt. If Pitt wants to take a step forward and be mentioned with the Clemson’s and FSU’s, NP isn’t going to cut it. I just don’t see the explosive offense Narduzzi wants with him at the helm.
It’s not going to happen next year anyways so I don’t see any drawbacks to yet again starting a new QB.
Thanks for the pics. I can’t say that I find her(?) quite as attractive as you maybe do. But, she does seem to have a nice personality. 🙂
Glad that you (the new almost mellow Upitt) are with us I know that the hoops season is going to test you.
And, we never got to a UVA baseball game together last spring. Maybe in 2016. You promised to show me what Pitt needs to do to improve its ballpark.
H2P
The only poor play I’ve seen out of Peterman at all this season was the 1st half of the ND game and even then there were three drops on larger yardage plays – one of which would have been a TD for sure.
But he sure stunk the joint out then and his 3-18 passing in that half drags down his stats considerably. However, that is the only extended period of play where I can review at and say he played poorly.
I too think he’s going to do well, maybe much better, next season and I personally don’t feel there is a chance in hell of Voytik or DiNucci or Bertke taking his starting job away from him. I doubt we’ll be looking at a grad transfer in because when a team usually does that it is to bolster the QB depth at the position – but Pitt will have Peterman & Voytik and two other kids at the position. Narduzzi will stick with NP & CV and save that scholarship for someone else.
I also doubt Voytik is going to transfer anywhere. If he goes to a D1 school he has to sit out a season then compete with other D1 scholarship QBs already on that school’s roster. I’m not sure he’s good enough to do that. Remember he got the Pitt job by default as there was no other valid competition at the position – Trey Anderson was never going to be a starter here.
So then his choice would be to go down in Division and do what Mark Myers did – but Myers did that early enough that the staff at John Carroll, his new school, knew they would have him for three years… that won’t be the case with Voytik, he’ll have only one wherever he goes. I just don’t see him doing it.
Just as I think that Voytik would probably still have the job had he had a 8+ win season last year; Peterman will have the job next year with this winning season under his belt.
While he’s been a terrific game manager ( no turnovers since Iowa), he made at least 3 NFL throws vs Duke.
A lot of his Notre Dame first half problems had to do with the entire O line being pushed back in his face….and dropped passes from receivers who found the moment too big for them.
I dare say we would not be 7-3 with any other Pitt QB.
To be clear, I never said NP played poorly. I just said he’s a game manager and I don’t see much play making upside. I was clearly wrong in the QB battle and the best QB won.
That doesn’t mean Pitt should settle though. I haven’t heard much about Bertke so I don’t expect much from him. I would think on the currently roster DiNucci is his biggest competition.
I expect NP to start but I would no be surprised if it’s another Pitt player or a grad transfer at the helm either.
After 10 complete games our rushing offense produced this:
’14 – 2780 yards for a 5.4 ypc with 253.4 yards per game and 27 TDs
’15 – 1798 yards for a 4.4 ypc with 179.8 yards per game and 15 TDs
So – this year we are minus (-)982 rushing yards, (-)1.0 yards per carry, (-)73.6 yard per game and (-)12 TDs short of last season.
Anyone who wants to look at our offense’s total yardage and points production last season and say Voytik was responsible for that output is just wrong. Peterman is playing with a huge handicap in not having any sort of a solid running game behind him.
Hell, Peterman’s down 12 TDs because of that rushing drop off already. If we would have had that alone we’d be at least 9-1 at this point.
Conner is a DIFFERENCE Maker.
pitt89, the reason I used those 2 examples are that they are the 2 Biletnkoff winners that Pitt had. It’s funny that Bryant came here as an unknown and turned into a diva … while Fitz was a legit 4 star and maintained his humility.
However, it needs to be noted that Fitz was accused by his child’s mother of abuse about 7 years ago .. which as ultimately swept under the rug.
NP has an odd motion, almost a straight arm guide, if you will. If he had to throw, short under cut routes across the middle, I could see many passes being knocked down. Surprisingly we don’t run many short crossing routes. He has done a great job this year and we are a better team with him than without him.
What about Bertke? Does he transfer or does he have a shot. There were questions about Dinucci traveling with the team and I think he was being rewarded. The Werner videos of practice just show the three qb’s only, although it is a small sample size.
Bottom line… little disagreement now (except for maybe Emel) as to just how OVER-RATED Voytik was. Came from a SMALL High School in Tennessee. Scouts actually TOUTED his arm which we now know is AVERAGE at Best. Couple in the fact that he NEVER LEAD his HS Team to a Championship. REALLY good HS QBs usually do that.
A lot of people on this Blog know that I was never a big Voytik fan. But I did a 180 and rooted for the Kid going into the Season based upon the improvement he showed late in the Season a year ago.
Unfortunately, Voytik made it very clear early on that he really wasn’t the Starter… and Chryst wasn’t around any longer to protect him.
Now, Bertke accomplished all the things in HS Lthat you expect of a REALLY good QB. Lead his HS Team to a Championship… NOT once… but THREE TIMES. And we’re talking about a HS not too much smaller than Voytik’s.
Granted, Bertke does have a bit of an ODD Sidearm Delivery. And there must some reason in Narduzzi’s mind why we haven’t seen him, not even for one play.
But a WINNER is a Winner. My support for Bertke was based MORE on that simple fact… than anything else including his being 6-6.
All of this withstanding… Peterman has clearly earned himself deserving of remaining the Starter. The Kid is showing himself to be someone with a more than a little ICE WATER in his veins and enough Athletic Ability to get the job done both on the Ground and in the Air… despite an apparently awkward throwing motion which frankly I don’t see.
The D held Iowa to 6 2nd half points (we scored 21;
GT scored 7 second half points (we scored 10);
Da Cuse scored 2 (?) second half points (we scored 13;
Duke scored 3 second half points (we scored 21).
The D has been terrific in the 2nd half; the O has been OK.
I would contend that without this defense, we’re looking at last year’s record — if we are really lucky!! I really believe that the D (and the defensive coaching/halftime adjustments) is much more responsible for our record, than the play of anyone on the offense!
Yes, the Glorious Old Pitt (“GOP”) should beat everybody on the schedule. That’s coming.
Even when he was our entrenched starter few here felt that he was an excellent Div 1 QB. His best attributes were his leadership abilities, toughness, and loyalty to his team. Considering that loyalty aspect, I think he remains at Pitt next year and competes with the reserves for the backup spot again next year.
Now with both Bertke & DiNucci having a year in the Chaney system and MacVittie coming in next fall, why would Chaney undermine the perceived confidence that he should be showing towards those guys by bringing in yet again another grad transfer? Don’t see that at all.
Next year we’ll never know who actually has won the competition for the back up spot unless NP gets hurt. That’s because even if mop up duties go to a reserve QB next season I feel Chaney would give game time to an untested player like Beetke or DiNucci rather than the known entity of CV, even though Chad might get the nod if NP were to go down with an injury.
Louisville will double team him when he is a WR, but not when he is a RB or QB. Many options to get the ball into our best player’s hands this Saturday.
Aaron Mathews and Lamont Wade from Clairton will be watching. We’re due for a Pat Signal.
HTP!
As I said earlier in the season when Conner went down, the NCAA has a special insurance policy for ‘exceptional athletes’ that covers injury that stops a football (or any sport) career.
If he were to come back and have a monster season his draft status would be that much better… along with James Conner’s should he return.
I don’t know about Boyd but I think Conner has to return to set himself up for the draft and to show the nFL scouts he’s recovered from the injury. That is why I also think he’s shortsighted if he plays again at all this season.
“He’s just a fast guy. We try to get him the ball and put him in space, try not to over coach him, just let him go,” Powell said.
“He made some plays where he probably did the wrong thing, but his speed was the eraser, negated the issue of not going into the right hole.”
********
Hello SNP (Sensational New Pitt)
What if UNC beats Clemson, then they would have the same record as ND and ND lost to Clemson.
The conferences should stonewall ND, then they would be forced to join one.
Will we see an undefeated team not get in?
Iowa Loss – Offense scored 3 points in 2nd half
Akron Loss – offense scored 3 points in 2nd half
UVA Loss – Defense gave up zero points in 2nd half
The bottom line is that in those games our offense didn’t score enough points in the 2nd half of those games to win them. They were all close games at the half and even giving up some points on defense there were two games right there against Iowa and Akron that we should have won had our offense moved the ball downfield and scored TDs.
Maybe we could look at the first three games these guys played as starters (or games when when they took the majority of the snaps in Peterman’s case).
Voytik played against Delaware; BC & FIU – not exactly Murders Row. Voytik’s stats in those three games were:
29/60 436 yards; 43%, 5 TDs and 2 INTs = 130.2 QB Rating
Peterman played against Akron, Iowa and VT – much tougher opponents than CV’s first three. Peterman’s stats in those three games were:
41/62 477 yards; 66%, 4 TDs and 3 INTs = 142.3 QB Rating.
Both of those kids had just about the same playing experience before going into their respective seasons… with Peterman having a bit more with 20 pass attempts to Voytik’s 11.
But I’m posting this stuff about the two QBs not to show that CV was a poor QB, that isn’t my intent at all. I think he progressed very well during 2014 and I was really looking forward to seeing what he would do as a 2nd year starter in 2015. My point is to show that the decision to sit him down – however that decision was arrived at – was a good one for the team.
Peterman has pretty soundly outplayed Voytik at respective points in their first seasons whether it be the first three games or the first ten games.
My point is that we have seen – numerous times on this blog – that posters get critized for using stats to “prove” their point: i.e. “stats can be used to prove anything”.
Yet when someone wants to justify NP, they do exactly that – show one side of the stats, only. That really ticks me off, and I feel I must point that out whenever I can see an opposite side.
Truth be known, I like Chad a lot, and I think he brings a lot to the table that NP doesn’t. BUT, I think NP brings a lot to the table that Chad doesn’t (as has been cited on this blog ad infinitum!).
This is OCJC’s decision, as is the game plan, and play selection. I try not to critize OCJC for what takes place on the field, as he has these guys everyday, and knows what each is capable of. I try to remember that his (OCJC) job depends on 18-23 year olds’ performance – not a great position for job security. And I think he’s done a great job thus far with a team that was recruited for an entirely different offense.
Obviously there has been a whole lot of teaching going on since the first of the year, and I think we are seeing continual improvement week by week. I commend the coaching staff for installing their systems with these guys – at the same time, I’d like to critize them for trying to put square pegs in round holes! But I can’t have it both ways.
Hell, we are 7-3, and have a real shot at 8 or 9 wins. I guessed 8-4 in the summer, but thought I was way out of bounds! These guys know what the heck they are doing! and I am in their corner, all the way. I’m satisfied if we end up with 7 wins this year (no comment, TT!).
Just don’t use half the stats in order to prove a point!
NOTE — Pitt athletic director Scott Barnes expressed approval for the Steelers’ plans for a $10 million renovation to their South Side practice facility, which is shared with Pitt. Barnes noted that the Panthers will specifically benefit from a renovated hydrotherapy area, a new lobby, as well as an overall facelift to the indoor practice field.
“Absolutely, as [Steelers president] Art [Rooney] was looking at those renovations, he and I sat down and he walked me through what he was doing, and we looked at somewhere where we might partner,” Barnes said. “That’s what this is.”
H2P
Obviously NP is the better all-around QB — anyone who doubts that just needs to watch how he drove against Iowa. I just want the offense to open it up downfield more since we have a great talent at WR, good TE’s, and a QB that should be able to get them the ball.
Pitt #11 Total Offense, Passing, Receiving
Pitt #7 Rushing
In the ACC 2014
Pitt #6 Total Offense Pitt #11 Passing
Pitt #3 Rushing Pitt#10 Receiving.
Perhaps Pitt’s record is due to a much better defense. CV and NP seem to be about the same without parsing within an inch of my life.
I liked CV because he was/is a Pitt man. he was recruited and chose to come to Pitt. NP is here because of McRib and that he could not make it at UT. I think CV will leave, if not he will be 3rd team Pitt needs to bring along a QB for the future. CV gets in the way.
The Big 12 is foolish to not add a conference championship game after what happened to TCU last year. Until they do, I’m fine with the conference champions of the ACC, Big 10, SEC, and Pac-12 being the 4 teams in the playoff.
Big 12 can’t add a championship game . With 10 members NCAA currently does not allow a conference championship game. Big 12 needs to add two new members, which waters down members share of Conference revenues or NCAA needs to waive its rule. Waiving of rule could impact Pitt in the ACC, eliminating the need for two divisions could open the doors for the ACC to select the two highest ranked teams for championship game.
H2P
I would want to add the 2 teams asap and get that conference championship. Memphis and Houston seem to fit right into their region. It would take some time, but get it going so that your teams aren’t getting excluded from the playoff just because there isn’t a conference championship.
Now James Conner? Now that’s an intrequing subject. Does Conner show up again this year, if not does another season at Pitt make sense? Well, does Miles Sanders flip from psu? So many variables!
One important thing to consider however for those that continue to preach the issue of the finite life of a RB in the NFL. This guy James Conner has only played two seasons of football in college.
Pitt PSU would be great…but as a SoCal resident, I’d love to see Pitt-USC. Based on what I’ve seen, Pitt could beat the Trojans, and El Paso is much healthier for those of us who have become hot house flowers in our absence from Pitt. Plus, it would be a chance to shake off another demon–0-3.
DTom brings up a really good point. If Sanders is seriously contemplating a flip, it will be important for him to know that Conner will be leaving after this year. If I was the Pitt Administration, I would put in the contract with Sanders that we will not block him from any school if he decides to transfer. If I was Duzzi, I would also put in there that if I leave, you will be able to transfer to any school without blocking said transfer. These kids can get this into their aid deals, right? It would be a great recruiting advantage if we could do that. Most big time coaches, restrict player movement once the player becomes disgruntled. I would take the problem and turn it into a strength….within the rules of course, but I think control over transfers falls to the coach/administration.
Also, offer a 4 year grant in aid and not a series of one year renewables as is currently the practice of most schools. A skoach tired so this may be hogwash!
I have no inside info, have not read anything, but when you put everything in the basket, all the reading, vibes etc. etc. and pull something out,
I say the 8 team playoff will be coming sooner than later.
I think the 4 team thing is contracted for 10 or 15 years (not sure, just a guess from something I remember seeing last year)
Maybe it’s 5 years??
but I would not be surprised if they don’t move it to 8 if not next year, the year after.
I have believed 8 is right number all along.
I know some may say, if you move it to 8, then
#9 and #10 will be bitching. My personal opinion, is football is a lot different than hoops. In college football, I think most of us know that the top team in the country is one of the top 5 or 6, teams that really set themselves apart from the others.
Not like hoops where, there are some dominant teams like Kentucky has put out, but really, over the years, there are about 20 or 25 teams that could win the tourney. (most years when Calipari doesn’t have his squad of NBA players.)
Anyhow, I really can’t see a #9 or #10 team with maybe even 2 losses bitching that much. They will, sure.
They certainly won’t have as much credibility as a #5 team being left out of the playoffs now.
So, I think 8 teams will be coming, and that is where it will settle for quite awhile.
1 top ranked of the “group of 5” smaller confrncs
2 at large bids.
The powerhouses, Alabama, OSU, etc. want to keep it at 4 because it benefits them. By putting it at 8, it increases the difficulty of their cream puff scheduling. For the most part over the last 5 years, OSU only needed to show up twice per year. Michigan St and the big10 Championship game. Alabama only had Auburn and occasionally LSU.
Expand to 8 is coming in 2-3 years. They are just figuring out how to maximize the $$$ right now.
Dan, I disagree with you on your formula. To me, it is the best 8. Just because you are in a conference, doesn’t get you a spot. A 3 loss PAC12 team should never be in the final 8, yet this year it would be very possible for that to occur under the scenario. I think a conference champ gets you a bonus point, but that is it for tiebreakers. I think the antiquated BCS rankings with a Committee oversight/vote group would be a good way of running it.
I want the best teams to play, period. Regardless of conference affiliation. I would also like to keep on their current schedule. When teams don’t play for 4-5 weeks, you aren’t getting the best team at the end of the year. They are not as sharp when they push out the season.
Agreed on the best 8.
If you went to 8, they would start at least a week earlier, just because of the numbers.
No, can’t be pushed back any further. Never understood how they let that get that way, the waiting 45 days to play a game.
Do you have any idea, or seen anything on how the people pick the top 4??
Is it they just each give a rankings and determine the combined rankings.
I would hope they wouldn’t be able to vote for anyone they had an affiliation with.
Also, I hope it’s not some bull session where people try to convince others.
I guess that would be good in some respects, to get some points across, or hidden stat or something no one has thought of.
But I hate to think there are cheerleaders in the group trying to push for their own agenda.
Answers to my own questions.
