David Green Breaks Down Pitt's Key Two-Point Conversion Stop

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers had come to the verge of complete collapse and the game was on the line.

After scoring with 9:28 left in the game to pull within eight points after trailing by 14, the Blue Devils failed to score on an oddly-timed two-point conversion. Still down by eight, Duke quarterback Riley Leonard tacked on another score - a 19-yard pass to Jaylen Coleman - for the Blue Devils after Pitt punter Caleb Junko fumbled a snap.

Duke needed to breach the endzone one more time and reached deep into their bag of tricks to try and do so, running a double reverse to stud receiver Jordan Moore - listed as a quarterback on the roster as well - who was promptly swallowed up by SirVocea Dennis for a loss. Pitt then recovered the ensuing necessary onside kick and knelt out the remainder of the clock.

Head coach Pat Narduzzi said the Pitt defense knew that Duke likes to run trick plays down by the goalline and studied them on film this week, but they didn't necessarily see that specific play coming. But the defense was able to overwhelm the Blue Devil line and blow up the double reverse before it had a chance of working.

“They like trick plays down there," Narduzzi said. "I can’t tell you I saw the exact one but it was a great play by our defense and they like their reverses and flea-flickers. We didn’t call it out before the snap, I can tell you that much but it was a great play by our defense.”

Defensive tackle David Green, who filled a massive void left by Calijah Kancey's exit due to injury, was on the field for that final stop and said that even though Duke tried to confuse them, Pitt's preparation allowed them to remain calm and make the play.

"Every week, we go through plays and every Friday, we start off with trick plays that they ran in the past and this, that and the third," Green said. "So, really just seeing it was a reverse and pitch back, all our minds already went to 'Oh, it's a trick play,' so instead of looking all crazy, we knew exactly where the play was going to be at and made the stop."

Green added that, even though Dennis will get credit for the sack, it was defensive end Deslin Alexandre that created the opportunity for him to finish off the Blue Devils.

"[Alexandre] got great penetration back in the back end and the front end," Green said. "He blew up I want to say their tackle and [Moore] had to roll all the way back. Then our linebackers were just flying to the ball."

Earlier in the season, this Pitt team seemed to love to find opportunities to give games away but recently, the defense has been able to close games out with key plays late in the fourth quarter. Green said it's gratifying to know the team can lean on him and his unit when the game is on the line.

"It's such a great feeling," Green said. "I love these guys with all my heart. We've been through hell and high water each and every week and we continue to keep grinding. It's a blessing and shows that hard work really pays off at the end of the day."

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