Inside The Panthers

Pitt to Avoid Struggling Punters, Be More Aggressive on Fourth Down

Pat Narduzzi said the Pitt Panthers will go for it on fourth down more often this week.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt to Avoid Struggling Punters, Be More Aggressive on Fourth Down
Pitt to Avoid Struggling Punters, Be More Aggressive on Fourth Down /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers' poor punting performances have plagued them all year. From blocks to short kicks to shanks, special teams coordinator Andre Powell's unit has struggled to not even flip fields, but get snaps and kicks off cleanly. 

Pitt has employed three different punters at various points this season, with preseason starter Sam Vander Haar being replaced by Cameron Guess midway through the season and Caleb Junko has been added to the mix as of late. But none of these three have provided better results on the whole. Against Duke, Vander Haar averaged less than 40 yards per attempt while Junko got blocked and dropped the snap that set up the Blue Devils' potentially game-tying touchdown. Narduzzi said he's struggling to come up with solutions for that underperforming unit.

“We have a punt blocked, which again is disappointing and we talked to our punt team and all that," Narduzzi said. "But again, they get seven points off that. They get seven points off another punt issue."

In the absence of any concrete improvements at punter, Narduzzi says the offense will have the license to be more aggressive this week against Miami. They'll be on the field for more fourth downs. 

"I told the offense, we’re going to go for it on fourth down a lot, so that’s what we should be ready for,” Narduzzi said. “Might as well, right? Just go for it on fourth down. If you have it right there, you at least have a chance to get a first down. I think we had a fourth and 18 or a third and 18 the other day and we just completed it, did a nice job. So just throw it or run it.” 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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