BLACKSBURG, Va. — Pitt cornerback Avonte Maddox had just one word to describe the type of defense first-year coach Pat Narduzzi is installing for the Panthers
“Great,” Maddox said with a grin.
That defense was on full display Saturday as Pitt ground out a 17-13 win against Virginia Tech in Narduzzi’s first ACC game.
The Panthers sacked Hokies quarterback Brenden Motley seven times, and Virginia Tech’s offense managed 100 total yards, including just 9 on the ground.
“Today might have been the [most fun] game we’ve had so far,” defensive end Ejuan Price said. “This happens to be the most successful, so that goes hand in hand.”
Price had 3.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks, including one on third-and-9 in the fourth quarter as the Hokies tried to drive for a go-ahead touchdown.
As Pitt’s offense struggled to salt the game away in the fourth quarter, the Panthers got defensive stop after stop to snuff out any hope of a late Virginia Tech comeback.
“They were just after them,” quarterback Nate Peterman said. “We’ve got to be better in those [offensive] situations, obviously, but our defense is really a championship-level defense. It’s great to have them.”
Peterman made his first start after officially being named the Panthers’ top quarterback by Narduzzi last week. He wasn’t asked to do too much, as Pitt passed just 15 times compared to 46 rushing attempts. Peterman finished 9 of 15 for 110 yards and one touchdown.
As Narduzzi promised, though, backup quarterback Chad Voytik was sprinkled in early in the game, as well. The idea was to take advantage of Voytik’s mobility; he rushed for 118 yards against the Hokies last year.
He had four first-quarter rushes for 37 yards, but only got one carry after that. Regardless, Voytik, who started 15 consecutive games for Pitt until the Iowa game two weeks ago, said he’s happy to accept whatever role the coaches set for him.
“I love all those guys in that locker room,” he said. “I’ve been with them for four years. If I can do anything — even if it’s not on the field — if I can do anything to help those guys win and have success, nothing makes me happier.”
Narduzzi and Voytik said the Hokies started bringing an extra safety down when Voytik was in the game, which led to limited opportunities for Voytik’s package on offense.
Instead, the Panthers opted to match power with power. Leading, 10-7, at halftime, Pitt came out in the second half with three tight ends, a fullback and running back Qadree Ollison. It only took two plays for Ollison to run 68 yards for a touchdown that extended the lead to 17-7.
“We put a few more pounds on the field and it was successful for us in the third quarter,” Narduzzi said.
Pitt’s offense sputtered in the fourth, with its three drives ending in two punts and a missed field goal. Narduzzi admitted he and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney also started getting a bit more conservative in the fourth quarter when they saw how well the defense was playing.
After an Ollison fumble led to a third-quarter Virginia Tech field goal that cut Pitt’s lead to 17-10, for instance, Narduzzi counted that as a win for the defense.
“I told Chaney, ‘They aren’t going to score again,’ ” Narduzzi said. “So hold onto the football, be smart, pound it.”
Ultimately, Narduzzi’s faith was rewarded. Virginia Tech had three fourth-quarter possessions with a chance to take the lead, but one ended in a punt and two ended in Pitt interceptions. In total, the Panthers picked off Motley three times.
“When you’re getting pressure on the quarterback, it makes them rush the throws,” Maddox said. “It’s not going to be a good throw, it’s going to be a bad throw and that sets us up for picks.”
According to Maddox, it’s all just part of “Narduzzi’s defense.”
“It’s not complicated,” he said. “We’ve just got to do our job, play our keys, run our keys and get it done.”
Sam Werner: swerner@post-gazette.com and Twitter @SWernerPG.
First Published: October 3, 2015, 7:13 p.m.
Updated: October 3, 2015, 9:15 p.m.