Previewing the Schedule: How OSU Matches up Against a Rebuilding Pitt Defense

Tulsa | S. Alabama

In Week 3, the Cowboys head to the Steel City for the second leg of a home-and-home non-conference series with Pittsburgh. The Cowboys took care of business last year in Stillwater. Now let’s see how they do on the road.

Particulars

When: Saturday, September 16, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. CDT

Watch: ABC or ESPN2

Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Capacity: 68,400)

Last meeting: September 17, 2016 — Oklahoma State won a weather-delayed battle in Stillwater 45-38. Last year’s meeting was the first between the two schools.

Offense

Pitt welcomes a new offensive coordinator for the second-straight year. During the off season, Matt Canada was hired away by Ed Orgeron at LSU. Now it’s up to Shawn Watson, former QB coach and — at one point — acting OC under Charlie Strong at Texas. He has the task of replacing the production of starting quarterback Nathan Peterman and star running back James Conner.

One of those needs looks to be filled by a west coast grad-transfer. Former USC starting quarterback Max Browne will play out the final year of his eligibility at Pitt. Browne won the Trojans’ starting job during fall camp 2016 but kept it for exactly three weeks before being supplanted by current Heisman favorite Sam Darnold. Browne was a five-star recruit and the No. 1 pro-style QB in the 2013 class according to 247 Sports.

Browne does have some weapons like the nation’s top returning deep-threat, Jester Weah (24.2 yards per catch) and Quadree Henderson who racked up 164 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in Stillwater last year.

Defense

The Panthers will be without seven starters from last year’s defense including defensive end Ejuan Price who led the ACC with 23.0 tackles for loss (No. 2 nationally) and led his team with 13.0 sacks in 2016 (two of those were of Mason Rudolph). Nine of the 12 leading tacklers at Pitt last year were seniors. But that 2016 team also ranked 106th in scoring defense, allowing 35.2 points per game and 109th allowing 2.9 points per drive. They were decent against the run and horrible against the pass.

The 2016 Panthers ranked 127th out of 128 teams in opponent passing yardage allowed and allowed the most long passing plays from scrimmage in the nation (both plays of 10-plus and 20-plus yards). Its secondary will be without corner Ryan Lewis and safeties Terrish Webb and Reggie Mitchell, all seniors in 2016.

Pitt does get some help in the form of junior strong safety and 2015 ACC Rookie of the Year, Jordan Whitehead, who missed the last three games of 2016 due to injury. Can Whitehead and some young corners help the Panther defense take a step forward? They’ll have to to keep up with the Pokes this year.

Key Matchup

Pat Narduzzi, who is just in his third year at Pitt, has yet to assemble the talent to fit the type of defensive scheme he runs. The Panthers like to bring a ton of pressure up front, leaving their cover men on an island. We saw that last year and it produced record-setting performances from both Mason Rudolph and James Washington.

Which looks something like this.

Conclusion

This will be the stiffest competition the Cowboys will have faced to date and Pitt will be one week removed from their trip to University Park to visit rival Penn State. How much does that take out of the Panthers, and has their offense found its way under newcomer Max Browne? Can they stop anyone?

As far as the Cowboys are concerned, they should be able to stretch the field against an unproven and isolated secondary. How does Oklahoma State’s own secondary match up against Pitt’s playmakers? How effective are the Cowboys at slowing down Pitt’s running game? These are questions we will likely get at least a few answers to in the first two weeks against Tulsa and South Alabama.

Summer Prediction

The Pokes stay perfect and win one on the road in the neighborhood of 42-28. Pitt has too many question marks and too much to replace to keep up with the loaded Cowboys.