Here's another guy who knows exactly what to expect from the Pitt pass defense. Wake Forest, Pitt's opponent in the ACC championship game Saturday, is coached by Dave Clawson, who has known Pat Narduzzi for twenty-five years. The
Clawson knows what makes Narduzzi’s defense tick.
“Pat has always been what you call a press-quarters guy,” he said, referring to the defense that relies on cornerbacks pressing the wide receivers off the line of scrimmage and getting little help in pass coverage from the safeties.
“He’s had excellent corners, and he puts those guys on islands and they’re good,” Clawson said. “Because of that, the safeties can get very involved in the run game and you get eight- and nine-man boxes that you can’t block them all.
“In years when he has those really good corners, it’s tough to beat. They don’t concede anything. They make you execute. It’s a lot like Clemson in that they’re always attacking. This is not a bend-but-don’t-break defense.”
Narduzzi said defense wins championships, but there’s a good chance the ACC championship will be decided by the quarterbacks.
“He’s had excellent corners, and he puts those guys on islands and they’re good,” Clawson said. “Because of that, the safeties can get very involved in the run game and you get eight- and nine-man boxes that you can’t block them all.
“In years when he has those really good corners, it’s tough to beat. They don’t concede anything. They make you execute. It’s a lot like Clemson in that they’re always attacking. This is not a bend-but-don’t-break defense.”
Narduzzi said defense wins championships, but there’s a good chance the ACC championship will be decided by the quarterbacks.
As were the
and Miami games, Pitt's only two losses. Narduzzi must not get outcoached again. His defense is a holdover from his B1G days, where offense historically is three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust. It makes sense against those offenses to position the safeties to stop the run. But the ACC this year is like the old WAC air raid offenses. It makes zero sense against a pass-happy offense to leave your corners on "islands" and gear your safeties to stop a run game that is not there. Why did God create linebackers if He intended safeties to stop the run? Narduzzi must adjust, make his linebackers the second line of defense against the run, let safeties play their natural positions and dare Wake Forest to run the ball. If he doesn't, Wake has an excellent QB, as Tyler Van Dyke was, as Sam Howell was, and a coach, like Tim Lester, who knows exactly what the
are going to do in pass coverage. Will Narduzzi adjust? No. The ACC championship will be a shootout, the next-to-last stop on the Kenny Pickett traveling road show, Izzy Abanikanda will get spare usage and the outcome will be a crap shoot, as were the Western Michigan, Miami, and North Carolina games. Pitt is 1-2 in those.
and Miami games, Pitt's only two losses. Narduzzi must not get outcoached again. His defense is a holdover from his B1G days, where offense historically is three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust. It makes sense against those offenses to position the safeties to stop the run. But the ACC this year is like the old WAC air raid offenses. It makes zero sense against a pass-happy offense to leave your corners on "islands" and gear your safeties to stop a run game that is not there. Why did God create linebackers if He intended safeties to stop the run? Narduzzi must adjust, make his linebackers the second line of defense against the run, let safeties play their natural positions and dare Wake Forest to run the ball. If he doesn't, Wake has an excellent QB, as Tyler Van Dyke was, as Sam Howell was, and a coach, like Tim Lester, who knows exactly what theare going to do in pass coverage. Will Narduzzi adjust? No. The ACC championship will be a shootout, the next-to-last stop on the Kenny Pickett traveling road show, Izzy Abanikanda will get spare usage and the outcome will be a crap shoot, as were the Western Michigan, Miami, and North Carolina games. Pitt is 1-2 in those.
