Syracuse v. Pittsburgh Scouting Report with Panther Lair

Syracuse faces Pittsburgh at Yankee Stadium this weekend with an opportunity to snap a five-game losing streak.

To get ready for the game, with spoke with Panther Lair's Jim Hammett to get a preview of the game.

I just think the totality of why this team is bad is the biggest storyline itself for Pitt football. The Panthers enter this game with a 2-7 record and that was hardly the expectation for the team this season. Pitt won the ACC in 2021 and posted nine wins last season. There were some big departures from those teams, but a lot of guys came back who contributed to those successful seasons to create some optimism. Obviously it did not pan out for the team.

Pitt did not have a great plan at quarterback this season. Phil Jurkovec showed serious signs of struggles early on in Pitt’s second game and they never got better. The offense has been one of the worst in the country this season, and while the team ultimately made the switch at quarterback to Christian Veilleux, it may have been a little too late to really try to salvage anything. Pitt’s defense has had some very good performances this season, but has not been overly consistent. That was kind of the expectation going in with them because they lost a lot, so the 2023 season feels a lot more tied to how inept Pitt’s offense has been.

I think the biggest adjustment was already made for a personnel standpoint back when Pitt opted to bench Phil Jurkovec in favor of Christian Veilleux at quarterback. Jurkoevec’s struggles were apparent and he was probably kept in a game or two too long as the starter. Veilleux has a strong arm and Pitt’s passing game looks better overall because of it, plus he has a couple of really impressive throws every game, but the offensive output has not been markedly better. Pitt has only scored four offensive touchdowns over its last three games.

I think what Pitt can do differently is to target the best weapons on offense more. Pitt has a pretty solid tight end in Gavin Bartholomew who is averaging 18.1 yards per reception, but he only has 18 receptions. Rodney Hammond is a talented back who has not gotten enough touches either. Pitt also has an explosive freshman wide receiver in Kenny Johnson, who did not even touch the ball once last game. So the simple answer is for the play calling to be more friendly to a young quarterback and get him simple concepts to maximize Pitt’s weapons.

Pitt has underutilized some of its offensive weapons, but a couple of them are starting to flourish. Wide receivers Bub Means and Konata Mumpfield combined for 10 catches and 197 yards and a touchdown against a pretty good Florida State defense last week.

Means specifically has really turned his season around after a slow start. He only had seven catches in Pitt’s first five games, but has had 23 over the last four. Means has four touchdowns this season, and some have come on long plays. He has a 46 and 75-yard score this year, so he is the team’s deep threat. Mumpfield has not been as flashy as Means perhaps, but has been a little more consistent.

Pitt’s defense does not have the same star power it has had in recent years. I think this group has been solid and competitive most of the year, but is missing a real impact player. The cornerbacks: MJ Devonshire, Marquis Williams, and AJ Woods are solid, and the safeties, Donovan McMillon, Javon McIntyre, and PJ O’Brien, have all gotten better as the season has progressed. I would say secondary is probably the biggest strength overall, but linebacker Solomon DeShields is a name to keep an eye on as an impact player this weekend.

Somebody has to win, right? When one team comes in a five-game losing streak and the other having lost three in a row, there is no real conventional wisdom in who to take. Both teams are not very good right now. I know this Yankee Stadium special was planned thinking both teams would be better, but the records of the two teams kind of sucked the excitement this game could have had.

I wonder about the status of Garrett Shrader and if he can’t go, then I think Pitt has the advantage. Pitt won last year’s game 19-9 when Shrader was out and I could really see it being something similar unfolding on Saturday.

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