Breisinger: Pitt Football’s Ground Game Has to Step Up at SMU

Up to this point in the season, Pitt has not required its run game to carry the burden.

The passing attack pulled Pitt out of the depths against Cincinnati and West Virginia and stayed hot against North Carolina. Pitt’s defense answered the bell against Cal and delivered the knock out blow against Syracuse.

Where has the run game factored into all of Pitt’s success this season? Quietly, Pitt has rushed for 160.9 yards per game — 64th in the country, while only scoring three times this season. Against conference opponents, the Panthers have rushed for 118.7 yards in three games, ranking 7th in the conference.

Not awful, but nothing to hang your hat on.

While the run offense has done it’s part at the minimum asking price, it’s also fair to say that Pitt has failed to establish any meaningful ground game.

Take away Desmond Reid’s 72-yard touchdown run against Cal. That leaves him with 15 attempts for 48 yards in a 17-15 win.

When Pitt needed to run out the clock against the Golden Bears, the run game should have been leaned on but it provided very little help and Pitt continued to pass the ball.

Here are the final two offensive drives in the Cal game:

Reid 5-yd run; First-down completion; Incomplete; Incomplete; Holstein run for no gain; Punt.

Cal goes on a long drive only for Ryan Coe to miss a 40-yd field goal.

Then Pitt goes, Reid 3-yd run; Holstein loss of 4; Short completion; Punt.

Pitt had the opportunity to seal that game if it simply ran the ball on three straight plays with purposeful runs. Instead, Pitt opted to throw the ball and then got stuffed on the final drive.

Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) October 12, 2024 David Hague/PSN

They have not been in the spotlight at all this season, but its been far too many times that Pitt has been unable to establish any serious ground threat.

The stable of running backs in Reid, Rodney Hammond Jr. and Daniel Carter all have the ability to put their shoulders down and drive for the necessary yardage, especially the latter two, but the Panthers have yet to do that.

It could be from the lack of push from the offensive line, but I would not pin it all on them. Yes, defenses often penetrate through way too quickly at times, but Pitt’s running backs have to get more physical and drive forward in those scenarios.

The offense under Kade Bell is certainly far removed from the Pat Narduzzi ground and pound offenses of the past and can beat you through the air, but at some point, a ground game that can pick up big chunks and run the clock will be imperative as Pitt starts playing tougher competition.

Narduzzi acknowledge that the run game is far from meeting expectations.

“Not really. It’s not where you want it to be,” he said on Thursday.

Saturday’s top-20 matchup features one of the best run-stopping defenses in the country. SMU limits opponents to 88.4 yards per game — fifth-best in the nation and first in the ACC.

The weather is also questionable in Dallas, Texas around game time.

A ground presence is massive for Pitt and will be of heightened importance on Saturday night as it very well could be the deciding factor against a stout SMU run defense.

Even though Reid is a threat at any time to take off on a home run score, there needs to be more of a reliance to pick up simple yards when it matters.

It’s been the pass game and then the defense to win games for Pitt. It’s time for the run game to make a statement and solidify a win for the Panthers.