Pittsburgh Football: How the Panthers Teased and Delivered in UD Demolition

Pitt began its 125th football season with a 62-0 blowout of the Blue Hens last Saturday, and at the risk of sounding trite—or just plain cruel—it wasn't that close. But for the Panthers, there was another way to describe their 2014 opener: liberating.

Under Paul Chryst, the program has been facing the challenge of giving Heinz Field patrons a product worth watching. Beyond morbid curiosity, not much has motivated them to keep returning to the North Shore, as evidenced by a crowd that looked smaller than the announced one of 40,549.

However, those who soaked up every moment of that bloodbath witnessed the Panthers make the inspiring first impression they have waited to see for a while. Even in recent cases where Pitt did not flop in its first game, the team's success was tenuous. Before those fans could settle in their seats, it became clear there would be nothing tenuous about this lid-lifter.

The Panthers promised at the end of last season the program was in capable hands. For the time being, they've proved it. Let's look at how they delivered on that promise versus Delaware.

What the Panthers said

They were determined not to repeat the Youngstown State fiasco of 2012, which marred the Pitt coaching debut of Paul Chryst. Senior safety and defensive captain Ray Vinopal made it clear the team had responded to Chryst's admonition to check its collective ego at the door.

"I've heard a few comments along those lines, and everyone knows to squash it right now," Vinopal told Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via Pitt LiveWire. "I'm making sure everyone knows this team is very capable of beating us. We need to prepare like it's any other game in the ACC."

What the Panthers did

Powered by the indomitable running of sophomore James Conner, the Panthers made Delaware look like a team that couldn't beat anybody.

To put it another way, they did to an FCS opponent what a power-five program with lofty goals is expected to do to an FCS opponent.

Pitt found paydirt the first six times its offense took the field, and Conner's four touchdowns helped turn the game into a 42-0 slaughter by halftime. Chryst sat Conner for the second half after he had racked up 153 yards on just 14 carries.

As announced Tuesday, that was good enough for the Erie, Pennsylvania, native to earn the first of what could be many ACC honors in 2014:

James Conner named ACC Offensive Back of the Week. Matt Rotheram named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week #H2P pic.twitter.com/byfekUXSG4

— Pitt Football (@GoPittFootball) September 2, 2014

Even as Chryst used the second half to integrate his freshmen, the Panthers never took their paws off the pedal. The 62-0 final represented their largest season-opening margin of victory in more than a century (Pitt defeated Ohio Northern 67-0 in its 1913 opener) and their best single-game output at Heinz Field.

"There's been a culture change. The atmosphere on the team is a lot different," Vinopal said afterward. "And it definitely felt different from past openers."

What the Panthers said 

Last year they played a dozen freshmen regularly, and at his first weekly press conference of the season, Paul Chryst told us to expect more Pitt newcomers to get valuable playing time in 2014.

"[Cornerback] Avonte Maddox is going to play, [safety] Pat Amara is going to play, [linebacker] Quintin Wirginis is going to play, and [tailback] Chris James will play," he declared in his opening remarks. "[Chris] is a different kind of back than James [Conner], Isaac [Bennett] and Rachid [Ibrahim]. Both he and Qadree [Ollison] came in with real intentions of diving in, and both have done that.

"Chris just gives us a little different style of back with Isaac and James."

What the Panthers did

Although one rookie running back didn't see the field, another tore it up in his collegiate debut. James demonstrated he had learned his lesson early in training camp about shying from contact with 77 hard-earned yards, plus the first two touchdowns of his Pitt career.

Chryst used four different tailbacks last Saturday, and James matched Conner and Ibrahim's 14 carries apiece. Bennett "settled for" one touchdown and 32 yards on six carries.

Thanks to yeoman's work up front—especially from right guard Matt Rotheram, as previously mentioned—the Panthers collected 409 total rushing yards against Delaware. It was their most since a 444-yard effort versus Army at old Pitt Stadium in 1976, their last national championship campaign.

"Throughout camp, there was a great vibe within the team, and the O-line was clicking," Conner said after the game. "[Running backs] coach [John] Settle did a great job preparing us, and we just wanted to go out and execute. That's what we did today."

Seven rushing touchdowns against arguably the weakest opponent on Pitt's schedule may not seem like a big deal. When considering that, essentially, the Panthers are halfway to their 2013 total of 15, it does.

"I know that if we keep moving the ball, Coach will keep running it," Conner said. "I'm definitely prepared to carry the load."

What the Panthers said

They were determined not to let opponents push them around on the line of scrimmage like they did last year to the tune of a 10.72 sack percentage, which was the worst in the ACC.

"This is a different group of guys," right tackle and offensive captain T.J. Clemmings said. "Coach says we're a young team, but we have a good senior class, and we're still preparing to have a great season. We're in a different place."

What the Panthers did

While they declared victory as a team last Saturday, redshirt sophomore quarterback Chad Voytik could declare victory on a personal level after his first game as full-time starter. He kept things simple; with help from Chryst and his ground game, he picked the right spots to lean on the skill of his receivers, and most importantly, he didn't turn the ball over.

Of equal importance to Voytik's 10-of-13 performance, which amounted to 84 yards and touchdowns to Tyler Boyd and Scott Orndoff, was the fact his line did something it struggled to do throughout 2013: Keep the QB upright.

"Awesome. Those guys just dominated the line of scrimmage," Voytik boasted to Jim Colony of 93.7 The Fan (KDKA-FM) via Pitt LiveWire. "I'm so proud of those guys."

Matt Rotheram, part of a unit that didn't even allow any quarterback hurries, put the praise into perspective.

"You can always do better," he said at a media event, "and we're going to keep working to improve."

What the Panthers said

They knew the universal question facing their defense did not concern the personnel they have in 2014, but rather, the most noteworthy player they don't have anymore.

Erstwhile All-American Aaron Donald, who turned heads for the St. Louis Rams this summer, left some mighty big cleats to fill on Pitt's defensive line. Back in training camp, defensive coordinator Matt House (who, coincidentally, once worked for the Rams) was convinced the Panthers could replace him as a team, if not individually.

"Aaron was obviously an unbelievable player, but we feel like we've got a bunch of good players there," House said. "It's really going to be about production by the whole group. You're not going to replace it with one guy, but I feel like we've got a bunch of guys who can make plays."

What the Panthers did

Perhaps the most inconspicuous stat of Pitt's season opener was the leading tackler against Delaware was a cornerback: Ryan Lewis recorded five solo tackles and six altogether. The secondary barely had to lift a finger thanks to the dominance of the Panthers' front seven, which held the Blue Hens to 64 total offensive yards. It was the fewest Pitt had allowed in a game since 1998.

Even considering the opponent, the Panthers proved, defensively, the pantry is not bare when it comes to playmakers. Defensive end David Durham registered his first career sack—marred only by a baffling unsportsmanlike conduct call from referee Duane Heydt—and Reggie Mitchell, on a safety blitz, got his first since transferring from Wisconsin.

In all, Pitt forced eight three-and-outs and spoiled Greensburg Central Catholic alumnus Trent Hurley's return to Heinz Field by intercepting him three times.

What the Panthers said

They didn't necessarily have to say anything about having faith in their linebackers this season. The fact they named one of them, Nicholas Grigsby, a team captain (albeit for special teams, not defense) suggests they trust them. The fact they invented a new position for Grigsby on their official depth chart ("Freeze linebacker," apropos of his nickname) suggests they trust them even more.

Nevertheless, the unofficial leader of that group, Todd Thomas, talked like a confident man, not to mention a changed man, during training camp. During last year's camp, Thomas found himself in a controversy that initially saw him dismissed from the team, but that ultimately proved to be just a footnote in history.

"After that incident I came back a whole different person," he told Pitt LiveWire. "On the field, when I make a play, I'm not saying as much. I've matured a lot."

What the Panthers did

For at least one week, Pitt's linebackers let their play do the talking and got the naysayers off their backs. Delaware finished with only five first downs, and as previously suggested, the Panthers played so well up front that fans would have had time to check out Ribfest and return to their seats by the time the Blue Hens finally strung a couple of first downs together.

The only remotely tense moment of the game came early in the second quarter. With a 21-0 lead, Pitt receiver/specialist Kevin Weatherspoon, giving Tyler Boyd a breather, fumbled away a punt deep in his own territory. However, Thomas intercepted Trent Hurley two plays later, and the ensuing 99-yard scoring drive made it clear this was going to be Pittsburgh's day.

In addition, Thomas was one of seven different Panthers to record a tackle for a loss, and fellow linebacker Matt Galambos matched him with an interception of his own, which he nearly took all the way. It was such a good day for that group that redshirt sophomore Mike Caprara made five total tackles, the second-most on the team, in mop-up duty.

"It's night-and-day for them. They're really just scratching the surface of their potential," safety Ray Vinopal said. "It's fun to play behind them."

When the new AP college football poll was released Tuesday, Pitt had received a vote for the first time under Paul Chryst, as local participant Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette corroborated:

By my count, this is #Pitt’s first time receiving votes in the AP poll since week one of the 2011 season.

— Sam Werner (@SWernerPG) September 2, 2014

Having said that, the best thing Pitt can do entering its ACC opener at Boston College (besides buy club seats for that voter and his family) is not to Pitt all over itself, so to speak.

When the Panthers meet the 1-0 Eagles on Chestnut Hill Friday at 7 p.m. EDT on ESPN, it will be like looking in a mirror. Chryst will oppose Boston College head coach Steve Addazio, who has also gone through the trials and tribulations of rebuilding a program.

BC, like Pitt, is a team with a lot of young and relatively unproven talent on both sides. BC, like Pitt, features a new full-time quarterback who likes to run. Furthermore, BC is coming off its own season-opening blowout at home, having made regional rival UMass its punching bag.

For the Panthers, the key difference between Delaware and Boston College is the size possessed by the latter on its defensive front. Plus, for what little experience the Eagles do return, they have plenty in their secondary.

They also have history on their side. For whatever reason, the Panthers simply didn't play well up there when these schools were in the same conference. A 2003 win in which Larry Fitzgerald set the NCAA record for most consecutive games with a touchdown catch snapped a five-game losing streak at Alumni Stadium for the Panthers.

Tyler Boyd, who might leave a legacy at Pitt to match Fitzgerald's, is expected to play against BC despite dislocating a finger in the season opener, which certainly helps Pitt's chances of not turning this into a trap game.

But it seems to be in the DNA of this program, every year, to lose at least one game it probably shouldn't, and that game is often a critical one. This has the potential to be such a game for the 2014 Panthers.

Pitt is favored in Friday's game. Then it travels to dysfunctional Florida International next weekend. It has a chance to start 3-0 and build some buzz going into its next home game against Iowa—which had trouble with Northern Iowa last weekend.

Fans have seen this movie before, but when was the last time it had a happy ending?

Chryst, in his weekly press conference, did not fear his team would get caught looking ahead. Hopefully, for the Panthers' sake, he's right.

Highlights courtesy of the ACC Digital Network. Statistics courtesy of Phil Steele's 2014 College Football Preview (purchase required) and the University of Pittsburgh Athletic Media Relations office. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.