Pitt Offense Needs More From WR Corps
PITTSBURGH -- Replacing Jordan Addison's 1,600 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns was a tall task that the Pitt Panthers figured they were well-equipped to handle. But through two games, the transfer pass-catchers that Pitt brought in to help fill the hole Addison left behind - both trusted with starting duties - have not lived up to their preseason hype.
Against Tennessee this past weekend, two first-half miscues from Konata Mumpfield and Bub Means kept desperately-needed points off the board for the Panthers, who ultimately lost 34-27 in overtime. A third-down drop on a tunnel screen by Akron transfer Konata Mumpfield on the first possession of the game forced Pitt to settle for three instead of scoring six.
Later, with the offense knocking on the door of a score that would put them up 16-0, Means couldn't haul in a throw to the back of the endzone that fell into Trevon Flowers' hands for Kedon Slovis' first interception of the season.
Senior wideout Jared Wayne has accounted for nearly 30% of Pitt's receiving yards through two games and carried the burden of playmaking when the offense desperately needs a play while the rest of the unit struggles to get up to speed. Narduzzi said Wayne has been the Panthers' wide receiver one ever since Addison departed this past spring, but they planned on staffing the passing game with a larger committee and that hasn't happened so far.
"Jared Wayne has played outstanding," Narduzzi said. "He's the guy. We kind of knew that back in the summer. ... The other guys have had opportunities. We obviously played a lot more three wideouts in the game Saturday afternoon, and we've got to step up. We've got to make more plays. We've got opportunities to catch the ball, and we've got to make it."
The lack of production from Wayne's supporting cast is glaring when Pitt hits the redzone. Narduzzi said the key plays were right there for the Panthers, who's redzone touchdown percentage fell from 100% to 20% from Week 1 to 2, and they simply didn't execute.
“Got to make better plays and be crisp route runners, and really make better decisions down there," He said. "It comes down to that. Really, we had some plays ... that are there. We've got to finish the play. We've got to make the plays, and we didn't do that.”
This isn't the first time that Narduzzi has had to critique the in-game performance of his receivers this season, but he claims to have seen improvements week-to-week. They're adjusting to the new systems and personnel, albeit a little more slowly than he had hoped.
"I think that's part of new offense, second game," Narduzzi said. "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.”
Narduzzi said before the season opener against West Virginia that his receivers sometimes gave him "chest pains" when they weren't as attentive to the details and it's easy to see why. Outside of Wayne, no other Panthers pass catcher has proven that they are reliable in tight spots.
Means and Mumpfield's play hasn't matched their talent through some early season tests against Power 5 opponents and the Pitt offense, regardless of who is under center, needs those two to be better, particularly in clutch moments, if the Panthers are going to achieve the goals they've set out for themselves.
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