He’s either really that smart, or he’s just really well-coached. Possibly both.
That’s the read Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi has on N.C. State quarterback Ryan Finley, who rarely misses a read of his own. For all the talk of the 20th-ranked Wolfpack’s menacing defense, the offense has some stars, too, and they all revolve around Finley.
A 6-foot-4, 210-pound redshirt senior who transferred in from Boise State two years ago, Finley this season has completed 70.9 percent of his passes for 1,770 yards and 10 touchdowns without a single interception. In fact, his 288 attempts in a row without a pick dating to last year is the longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision. From watching film, Narduzzi saw maybe a couple of his throws that could’ve been intercepted — but only a couple.
“He’s smart with the football, he really is. … He’s just a smart guy that doesn’t turn it over and understands how important that is to a football team,” Narduzzi said. “He’s a team guy. He’s not worried about his stats ‘I think I can put it in there,’ that ego of trying to squeeze a ball into coverage.”
In that sense, Narduzzi has heard that Finley reminds some of Nathan Peterman, Pitt’s savvy quarterback a year ago. And like Peterman eventually did, Finley is also working his way into the discussion as an NFL prospect.
But at this point, it’s another current pro Finley is chasing. That would be Seattle Seahawks star Russell Wilson, who holds the school-record interception-less streak at 379. Incidentally, the last time these two teams met, it was Wilson who threw four touchdowns to rally the Wolfpack to a 38-31 win against visiting Pitt in 2009, before joining the ACC. These Panthers will try to make sure Finley doesn’t come anywhere near catching Wilson’s record by catching his first interception of 2017.
“If it’s not me, I know one of us will get one back there. … I’ll watch some more film, since I know that fact now,” safety Jordan Whitehead said with a smile. “I’ll try to get more tendencies so I can get one.”
For all he’s done with the ball, Whitehead hasn’t picked off a pass yet in three games this year and has just two in his Pitt career. A better bet to solve Finley might be redshirt sophomore cornerback Dane Jackson, who leads Pitt with two interceptions. Opposing passers also have just a 50.1 quarterback rating when targeting Jackson, which ranks him fifth among ACC cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
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— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) October 12, 2017
New face atop the leaderboard in the ACC for lowest passer rating when targeted. pic.twitter.com/ua8Iy5oc8f
But if you’re looking for someone else who has a chance to flip the field on Finley, get this: Saturday is actually the second time this year Pitt will face the FBS active leader in consecutive passes without an interception, as Oklahoma State star Mason Rudolph brought his string of 185 into Heinz Field in Week 3 (two more ensuing Pitt foes, Duke’s Daniel Jones and Virginia’s Kurt Benkert, entered the year No. 1 and No. 4 on that list, sandwiched around Rudolph and Finley).
Sure, Rudolph eviscerated Pitt’s secondary, but he did see his streak end in the third quarter, and it was senior cornerback Avonte Maddox who got him. Maddox said if he had a vote, he’d pick Jackson as Pitt’s midseason MVP, but the play of those two combined is a major reason Narduzzi said if he’s been happy with any area of his defense, it’s the corners.
“It’s a goal to be the first one to pick him off this year, but he’s playing great ball,” Maddox said of Finley. “It’ll be a challenge and an obstacle, but we’re willing to take it on. I love challenges. I don’t like ’em, I love ’em.”
The rest of Pitt’s defense better feel the same way. Because protecting Finley is right tackle Will Richardson, who hasn’t allowed a sack or even a hurry in the past three games. Taking handoffs will be 5-9 junior Nyheim Hines, who’s averaging 5.1 yards a carry. And doing a little of everything, that’s the calling card of 5-11, 223-pound senior Jaylen Samuels, a hybrid fullback/H-back/tight end who’s tied for second in the ACC with eight touchdowns already and is fourth nationally with 50 receptions.
“Jaylen, he’s ‘Waldo,’ if you remember that puzzle,” Narduzzi joked. “You've got to know where he's at all the time.”
And if the Panthers are consistently able to find him before Finley does, then maybe — just maybe — they’ll get N.C. State’s quarterback to finally make a big mistake.
Brian Batko: bbatko@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrianBatko.
First Published: October 13, 2017, 5:46 p.m.
