Pitt football head coach Pat Narduzzi has seen a lot of dominating defensive performances in his 30-plus years of coaching, but he admitted that he has never been around a performance quite like the one that the Pitt defense put on display against Syracuse last Thursday.
“I’ve never been around three interceptions for touchdowns. Five total interceptions first time since 2008 you had five interceptions in a game. That’s dominating. We’ve had some pick-sixes wherever I’ve been. But to have three of them in one game. Hope we didn’t use ’em all up. We need to save a couple,” Narduzzi said following the win.
It was the first time since 2008 that Pitt recorded five interceptions. The three pick-sixes were the most in a half by a FBS team since 2005.
“This got to be the best performance of all-time on this team,” linebacker Kyle Louis said. “Someone’s got to show me something better. That’s crazy. We got five picks, four pick-sixes, four sacks, they had like six rushing yards. Somebody search that up in the history books, we got to get put on a wall after that performance.”
Over the years, Pitt has taken advantage of splash plays: M.J. Devonshire’s pick-six to win the 2022 Backyard Brawl, Devonshire’s pick-six last season to upset Louisville, back0-to-back pick-sixes to open the Virginia game in 2022, three interceptions against Wake Forest in the ACC title game in 2021, including an Erick Hallett pick-six and so on.
The last time the Panthers forced five turnovers prior to Syracuse came in the Sun Bowl against UCLA. Pitt needed every one of those takeaways in order to defeat the Bruins 37-35. 18 of those 37 points came off of turnovers for Pitt.
When Pitt lands several splash plays in a game, whether that’s an interception, a fumble recovery or numerous sacks, they have found ways to win.
Under Narduzzi, Pitt is 18-6 when scoring a defensive touchdown.
“We’re always working on turnovers. You guys come out to practice tomorrow and you’ll see the first period is always turnover circuit. It doesn’t always work out the way you want it, but you’re always emphasizing making plays. You want your guys to make big plays. That’s what they want to do, whether it’s punching a ball out or a pick six,” Narduzzi said on Monday.
This season, the Pitt defense is tied for first in pix-sixes nationally with four. Pitt has forced 13 turnovers with 10 coming via interception.
For all the success taking the ball away, Narduzzi points at Pitt’s defensive discipline and positioning over anything else.
“You think about Jordan Bass coming out there and getting a tipped ball for PJ’s interception. It was just guys making plays and being in the right place,” he said. “Jordan Bass is in the right spot, and he’s not supposed to turn around and get the pick on that coverage, and again, that’s kind of the way it’s supposed to be done.
“So it’s just fun to watch guys make plays and do it the way they’re supposed to, whether they’re splash plays or not. You don’t necessarily win with splash plays. You can blow somebody out with splash plays, I can tell you that, but it’s about the details.”
The 19th-ranked Panthers travel to Dallas to take on No. 20 SMU, a team that is coming off a game in which it failed to take care of the ball. Quarterback Kevin Jennings threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball twice. Tight end Matthew Hibner also coughed up the ball once.
With the speed and intensity that the Pitt defense is playing with over the past few weeks, it will look to wreak havoc on an SMU team and once again take advantage of splash plays.
It’s time to splash around Sharks.