Pitt's quarterback injuries complicate matters for passing game in transition

No one expected the metamorphosis of Pitt’s passing game to be clean and efficient through only two games. After all, coach Pat Narduzzi replaced his top quarterback, wide receiver and playcaller — all in one offseason.

Throw in injuries last Saturday to quarterbacks Kedon Slovis and Nick Patti, and perhaps it makes sense Pitt (1-1) struggled to score enough points, especially in the red zone, during the overtime loss to Tennessee.

Pitt managed one touchdown in five trips inside the 20-yard line. That doesn’t include a play that started at the 21 on which a Slovis pass into the end zone bounced off wide receiver Bub Means’ hands and into those of Tennessee safety Trevon Flowers.

It was not an easy catch for Flowers or Means, who leaped high trying to make the catch. But the play resulted in a swing of 14 points. Instead of Pitt jumping ahead 17-0 late in the first quarter, the interception led to a Tennessee touchdown and a lead of only 10-7.

The good news after two games is senior wide receiver Jared Wayne has performed well after the departure of Jordan Addison to USC, producing big plays on the field and handling a leadership role off it.

With 10 receptions for 171 yards, Wayne is one of only six ACC pass catchers with double-digit receptions, and he leads that group with a 17.1-yard average.

“He’s such an unbelievable young man,” Narduzzi said. “He’s a man. He’s probably not even young anymore (21 years old). He’s an old man.

“He’s the leader of that room, and we need him to even lead more. We’ve got to get those other young guys, those new guys … they’ve got to mature a little bit faster than they are right now. We need those other guys to make plays if we’re going to put them on the field.”

Konata Mumpfield and Means, sophomores who transferred from Akron and Louisiana Tech, have assumed important roles in an offense not averse to putting three wide receivers on the field at the same time.

Mumpfield has nine catches for 105 yards, Means six for 70; neither has scored. If you watch video of Izzy Abanikanda’s 76-yard touchdown run, it’s clear he wouldn’t have scored without Mumpfield’s downfield block.

Overall, however, Narduzzi said he’s looking for crisper routes and “better decisions” in the red zone.

“We’ve got to finish the play. We’ve got to make the plays, and we didn’t do that,” he said. “I think that’s part of a new offense, second game. Again, it’s learning situations for our kids. They’re going to continue to learn how we want to do it and how it has to be done, and there’s no wiggle room for it to be done any other way.”

Of course, the question this week is who will be throwing to those wide receivers Saturday night at Western Michigan. Narduzzi offered no updates Monday on the health of Slovis and Patti.

He did suggest Patti, who limped noticeably after suffering what appeared to be a foot injury in the fourth quarter, wasn’t hurt as badly it seemed.

“It didn’t look that bad from the videotape I saw,” the coach said. “You guys, maybe, make it worse than it was. First of all, Nick’s tough. Nick doesn’t like to get hurt. Nick’s going to say, ‘I’m good,’ and we’re going to believe what Nick says.

“If he’s not good, we’re going to pull him out of there for health and safety reasons.”

Narduzzi hasn’t named a third-team quarterback, noting that it’s a “toss-up” between redshirt freshman Nate Yarnell and Dartmouth transfer Derek Kyler.

On the subject of players’ well-being, Narduzzi said he didn’t notice any lingering effects on his players after the second consecutive game lasted more than four hours.

“They’re noisy as can be,” he said of the players’ energy level at their Sunday meeting. “They weren’t just sitting here exhausted or tired. They’re energetic still. They’re kids. We (adults) would feel four hours, but I don’t think they feel four hours.”

Asked if the games are too long, Narduzzi mentioned the abundance of video reviews and officials huddling after flags are thrown.

“A lot of officials hanging out together going, ‘Yeah, that was holding, but let’s wipe it off.’ I’ve never seen so many in two games, flags picked up off the ground (calls that would have benefited Pitt).

“But the games are getting longer, I think. You’d like them to be somewhere in the 3½(-hour) range, but a lot of indecision on the field.”

Pat Narduzzi, on the various talents of WR Jared Wayne pic.twitter.com/SHJoauRxev

— Jerry DiPaola (@JDiPaola_Trib) September 13, 2022

Officials called only five penalties for a loss of 28 yards on Pitt, but one was especially damaging: Wayne’s holding call on Patti’s 6-yard run into the end zone that would have tied the score in the fourth quarter. The play was nullified, Patti was sacked and injured two plays later and Pitt settled for a field goal.

“I thought Jared Wayne not only caught the ball well, ran with it well after catches,” the coach said. “I thought he blocked really well, too. Put it that way.”

NOTES: Abanikanda was named ACC running back of the week after rushing for 154 yards against Tennessee. … Kickoff for Pitt’s game against Rhode Island on Sept. 24 will be noon at Acrisure Stadium.