Pitt Searches for Answers to Fourth Quarter Woes in Practice

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers' last two losses to Louisville and North Carolina can be summed up easily. They did not play their best game in either instance but still entered the fourth quarter tied or with the lead.

But the final frame of the past two weeks has been unforgiving to the Panthers, who have been outscored 38-0 over their last two fourth quarters. Their late struggles have been dumbfounding to the players, who aren't able to explain why things have gone south when crunch time hits.

"That’s a good question," senior receiver Jared Wayne said. "Probably a better question for coach. Honestly, I don’t really have an answer for you. I thought we still stuck to our game plan. They made some adjustments after we hit some shots on them but I think that’s a better question for coach."

Wayne said he did notice some more soft coverage from the Tar Heels in the second half, after Pitt had hit on some deep shots early in the evening, and secondaries coach Archie Collins thinks the defense could have been better when backed up in their own territory.

Whatever is behind the fourth quarter struggles, whether it's fatigue, opponent adjustments or something else, the Panthers have said finishing games is a priority this week, as they prepare to host No. 22 Syracuse. Starting middle linebacker and team captain SirVocea Dennis says that the road to closing games better starts in practice.

"We try to start here at practice, the fourth quarter," Dennis said. "That’s what we’ve been doing this past week and making sure that we can finish in the fourth quarter. So like I said, it goes back to practice so that when Saturday comes around, we know what to do.”

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