UNC Football Opponent Preview: Pittsburgh Panthers
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
North Carolina is looking to end their current two game losing streak. To do so, they will have to go on the road and beat the Panthers. Luckily for the Tar Heels, the last time they played Pittsburgh on the road they won. Will it happen again?
The Opponent
All-time Record
778-571-42, 15-23 in bowl games
Best Former player
The Panthers have 11 former players who have been inducted into the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame. While at most schools it would be easy to pick players like Mike Ditka, Tony Dorsett, Larry Fitzgerald, and Darrell Revis, at Pittsburgh they are all just runner-ups to the man who gets the call here, former Panther’s QB Kenny Pickett. Pickett was a first round pick, and — okay I have to stop there, obviously I am joking.
No offense to Pickett, but the answer here is none other than Dan Marino. Outside of a very memorable performance in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Marino was a nine-time pro bowler and eight-time All-Pro who led the league in passing yards five times. He was also an NFL MVP and a Super Bowl runner-up who spent his entire career with the Miami Dolphins. He holds three NFL records and is currently top 10 in career passing yards, being the first guy to throw for over 60,000 yards in his career. He is also top 10 in career passing touchdowns, while also being the first guy to throw for over 400 touchdowns in his career. He is often mentioned in any list that includes the top five quarterbacks of all time, and he did it in an era when running backs were still important to the offense.
Head Coach
Pat Narduzzi. Narduzzi, a former Youngstown State and Rhode Island linebacker, is the third straight coach the Tar Heels will face who has spent his entire head coaching career at one school. In his twelve seasons with the Panthers, Narduzzi is 85-61, with a 54-39 conference record and an ACC Championship in 2021. Narduzzi is also just 2-6 in bowl games.
Last season
Last season, the Panthers went 8-5 overall and finished in a messy five-way tie for second in the ACC that somehow led to Duke playing Virginia (and all the chaos that went with that). Pittsburgh ended up playing East Carolina in the Military Bowl to end the season, where they lost 23-17.
When the Tar Heels are on offense
When North Carolina is on offense they should look to the passing game as Pittsburgh has the second-best run defense in the country. In what was the closest game of the season for the undefeated Panthers, Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns. While he did also throw two interceptions, Grunkemeyer completed 73.2 percent of his passes for over ten yards per completion. In other words, Billy Edwards Jr. needs to know where Jordan Shipp and Jelani Thurman are at all times, as Hokies wide receiver Que’Sean Brown and tight end Luke Reynolds combined for 14 catches, 240 yards and a touchdown.
When the Tar Heels are on defense
When North Carolina is on defense, they should be sending pressure at Pittsburgh quarterback Holden Geriner. For the second time in three weeks, the Tar Heels will be facing a quarterback who is making his first career start. However, unlike Tait Reynolds, Geriner is not a freshman but a fifth year senior who is playing for his third different school after spending the past two seasons at Auburn and Texas State. North Carolina found early success against Reynolds by getting to the young quarterback with three sacks before wearing down in the second half. They will need to do the same to make sure Geriner never feels comfortable and the Panthers are forced to run the ball more.
This game has been described as a turning point to the Tar Heels season. Win it and bowl eligibility is within grasp. Lose it and Bill Belichick should probably be updating his resume on Indeed. The fact that the Panthers joined the top 25 this week despite losing their star quarterback to a season-ending injury is probably the final nail in the proverbial coffin, but as they say, that’s why they play the game.
What do you think about the Tar Heels’ next opponent? Let us know in the comments below.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos