Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Stephen Thompson

Ahead of Louisville's matchup with Pitt, Louisville Cardinals On SI sat down with Stephen Thompson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to find out more about the Panthers.

Nov 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) runs the ball against the Clemson Tigers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program is finally returning to L&N Stadium after a month away from home, hosting Pitt for their final home game of the 2024 season.

Ahead of the matchup, Louisville Cardinals On SI sat down with Stephen Thompson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to find out more about the Panthers.

1. Pitt got off to their best start since 1982, but have lost three games in a row after winning their first seven. What has been the key difference in the Panthers from their winning streak to their losing streak?

The high-flying, fast-paced offense led by new offensive coordinator Kade Bell has fallen flat over the past five games. The Panthers are averaging just 335.4 yards of offense and 20.2 offensive points (21 of their 41 points scored against Syracuse came on three pick-sixes) per game since October 12. While they have surpassed 400 yards of offense in two of the past three games, it hasn’t led to points on the scoreboard.

It didn’t matter much when they squeaked past Cal by two points and dominated Syracuse behind a trio of defensive touchdowns, but as the schedule got more difficult, Pitt has struggled to keep up. These struggles aren’t necessarily random — teams have more film to go off of, injuries have mounted on the offensive line and starting quarterback Eli Holstein has been in and out of the lineup as well.

But for whatever reason, Pitt isn’t moving the ball or scoring as much as they were early in the season.

2. QB Eli Holstein has had a phenomenal redshirt freshman season. What has made him so good this early in his career?

Holstein has been dangerous as both a rusher and passer this season. He’s been able to hit on big throws to a number of talented receivers and keep plays alive with his feet. The system certainly helped Holstein hit the ground running but his moxie, creativity and fearlessness in pursuit of explosive gains has made him one of the most productive freshmen quarterbacks in the country.

3. The Panthers have been one of the most penalized teams in the ACC and FBS as a whole. Has that played a role in Pitt’s recent slide?

It’s been a massive hindrance to Pitt’s chances of winning football games lately, mostly on offense. The shuffling along the offensive line — Pitt’s had to use five different starting lineups so far this season as they sort through injuries and promote some reserves to find solutions — was one of the reasons why they incurred three straight penalties while on the doorstep of a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter of last weekend’s game against Clemson.

The Panthers have had such little continuity up front and have moved the pieces around to accommodate injuries to such a degree that very few players are at the same position they started the year at. Chemistry is critical to offensive line play and this unit has had almost no time to develop any of it.

4. Pat Narduzzi is known for his defense, and this front seven has been incredibly disruptive. Where does this unit stack up when compared to his prior teams at Pitt?

The standard is so high for front seven play at Pitt, but this unit is pretty darn good. The interesting thing is they’re led by the linebackers, not the defensive line, which is a departure from recent history. Kyle Louis should, at least in my opinion, be the front runner for ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Brandon George and Rasheem Biles have been revelations in their first year as starters.

5. What is the one thing that Pitt has to do in order to pull off the upset?

The Panthers need to cut down on the penalties when they have the ball. This offense has committed 17 procedural penalties all season, nine of which came over the past two weeks. Pitt was, in somewhat surprising fashion, able to move the ball against Clemson’s defense despite all the new faces on the line and a backup quarterback in, but when they had to buckle down and make plays in plus territory, they stalled by shooting themselves in the foot.

Limit the penalties, and Pitt should be able to put points on the board, but it’s a big ask for an offensive line that still has lots of questions surrounding its health.

(Photo of Desmond Reid: Charles LeClaire - Imagn Images)

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