| 30 September 2011
Eventually, it was going to click. After looking lost against Buffalo and Maine, Pitt together three quarters against Iowa and played a solid game against Notre Dame. But the "complete game" had eluded the Panthers through the first third of the season.
No more.
The Panthers put together a complete game - offense, defense, special teams - and did it for four quarters against a Bulls team that was looking to carry the banner of the conference this season. For the
First Half
It started out like Pitt's critics could have predicted: Pitt put together a solid opening drive, only for freshman Darius Patton to fumble on a gadget play. Worse yet, BJ Daniels marches right down the field and puts the Bulls up 7-0.
And as if it couldn't get any worse, guard Lucas Nix was injured on the play with a knee injury. With Chris Jacobson already out for the season, Pitt was forced to play backup guards Cory King and Ryan Schlieper. Thankfully, both players - along with the entire offensive line - was able to play at a very high level.
With Ray Graham manning the kick return game for the time-being, Zach Brown was able to get some work on Pitt's second drive. The transfer senior from Wisconsin alternated with Ray Graham as the two methodically marched Pitt up the field. A pair of Shanahan catches helped move the chains and Sunseri was able to run it to tie the game up.
I'd assume Pitt's defense had that first USF scoring drive still in their minds because they promptly forced the Bulls into a three-and-out the next series.
With the ball back to the Panthers, Tino Sunseri and Ray Graham once again drove the offense down-field. Helped out by a roughing the passer penalty on third down, Pitt put themselves in position to score. On second down, Sunseri gave wide open Mike Shanahan a look, but the usually sure-handed junior saw the ball hit him in the hands and land on the turf. On third down, Sunseri once again went back to Shanahan with the same results. Two drops for Shanahan on back to back plays has to be a first for him, but Pitt was able to get points on the board after a 47 yard field goal.
For the next few possessions, Pitt and South Florida traded sloppy play and defensive stop. Chas Alecxih almost took a guy's head off with a huge facemask 15 yard penalty, luckily USF couldn't capitalize. Another field goal gave Pitt a six point lead. Jarred Holley had a nice sack, but USF was able to eventually gash Pitt running it up the middle for a touchdown to put the Bulls up 14-13.
On the Panthers' next drive, Ray Graham took over. The junior running back did his best LeSean McCoy impression and willed the Panthers down the field and punched it in for the touchdown. After a USF field goal, Pitt took a 20-17 lead into halftime, but the Bulls would never lead again.
Second Half
To properly analyze the second half, please listen to this song and check out the picture to the right. The third quarter belonged to the High Octane. Like the fourth quarter against Iowa when nothing could go right, the third quarter against USF nothing could go wrong.
The defense set the tone by starting with a three-and-out. Sunseri and the Grahams (you guys, can this be a thing?) drove the offense down the field and capped it off with a Hubie Graham TD. The defense once again stopped the Bulls, this time on a six play drive and the offense again took advantage. With an absolute clutch tip-toe catch by Cam Saddler (I know, right?) Ray Graham made maybe the play of the game on third-and-13 to keep the Panthers alive. Another highlight reel run later, and Pitt was in position to hand-off to Zack Brown to punch it in the endzone. 34-17 Pitt and the rout was on.
On the USF posession, Jarred Holley makes an absolutely clutch tackle to make it fourth-and-short. On fourth-down, Greg Williams almost sacks Daniels, and Todd Thomas finished him off for a big loss.
Game.
Well, not really. But the rest of the game was Pitt's defense not allowing the first-down yardage and Pitt Ray Graham milking the clock for all that they could.
Stars of the game:
Really a lot of good options here.
Third Star: Tino Sunseri. He really deserves to be higher than this. 22/33 for 216 yards and a touchdown plus 35 yards on the ground a score. His stats could have been much, much better with some more help from his receivers.
Second Star: Jarred Holley. The junior safety was all over the field Thursday, with 10 tackles, 2 for a loss, a sack and a forced fumble. The most important tackle might have been in the third when Holley made a shoe-string tackle on third-and-five to save the first down.
First Star: Ray Graham. Graham could get all three stars. an incredible performance. 226 yards on the ground, 42 in the air, and a handful in the return game. A special night for a special player.
Honorable mention: Cam Saddler, Todd Thomas, Andrew Taglianetti and the entire offensive line.
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