Pitt Game: 2021 Results vs. 2022 Expectations

[Hacksaw]

I call this BETTER, WORSE or SAME? I would be interested to hear others' thoughts, so feel free to add or expand. Here's how we played last season compared to how I feel we'll play Saturday.

QBs -- Hooker 15/21 for 188, 2 TDs/1 INT – he should play the entire game and he is much improved over the guy who was seeing his first playing time as a Vol against Pitt. We all remember Milton's performance, so no need to relive it. Let's just say that should he be needed, I expect he will also be a better QB than he showed a year ago. – BETTER

Run Game – Milton was the leading rusher with 54 yards. Hooker was second with 49 yards. Tiyon Evans, coming off a 120 yard game against Bowling Green, did not play due to injury. Small and Wright combined to lead the RBs with 19 carries for 33 combined yards and 2 TDs. – BETTER

WRs – Calloway led with 3 catches for 59 yards and 1 TD. Tillman had 1 catch for 20 yards and no TDs. Javonte Payton and Velus Jones had not yet emerged as the big play contributors they were later in the season. -- BETTER

TEs – Warren and Fant combined for 9 catches and 102 yards. I expect increased production from the WRs and RBs to limit this, although I hope the TEs contribute more than they did in the opener. – WORSE

Special Teams – Both McGrath and Brooks had good games in 2021 and I think we can expect similar production from them Saturday. OTOH, we don’t have anyone who has proven to be capable of replacing Velus Jones, who returned 4 kicks for 122 yards. – WORSE

Defense – We’re bigger, more experienced, and deeper across the board. Theo Jackson is gone, and we will miss him. They scored 41 on us last year with a better QB and WR who are both gone this year. – BETTER

 

[VolArmy74]

You can add in the fact that at the least Pitt is worse at the most important position on the field, QB. They also didn't look great on defense Thursday against an average to below average WVA offense. Taysir Mack had 4 catches for 100 and a td vs us last year. He's gone. Addison had 6 for 65 and a td, he's gone. We scored 34 in a game where we should have broke 50 but Milton was in air mail mode. I really believe Pitt will struggle to keep us under 50 unless a lot of things go wrong. I'm not sure they have the horses to outscore us.

 

[sjt18]

I call this BETTER, WORSE or SAME? I would be interested to hear others' thoughts, so feel free to add or expand. Here's how we played last season compared to how I feel we'll play Saturday

QBs -- Hooker 15/21 for 188, 2 TDs/1 INT – he should play the entire game and he is much improved over the guy who was seeing his first playing time as a Vol against Pitt. We all remember Milton's performance, so no need to relive it. Let's just say that should he be needed, I expect he will also be a better QB than he showed a year ago. – BETTER.

Both of UT's QB's should be better. Milton was more settled.

Run Game – Milton was the leading rusher with 54 yards. Hooker was second with 49 yards. Tiyon Evans, coming off a 120 yard game against Bowling Green, did not play due to injury. Small and Wright combined to lead the RBs with 19 carries for 33 combined yards and 2 TDs. – BETTER

Agree. It is encouraging that WVU ran on them like they did.

WRs – Calloway led with 3 catches for 59 yards and 1 TD. Tillman had 1 catch for 20 yards and no TDs. Javonte Payton and Velus Jones had not yet emerged as the big play contributors they were later in the season. -- BETTER

Like that UT has a bunch of "dudes". Still think they need to hone it down to 5 or maybe 6 main guys.

TEs – Warren and Fant combined for 9 catches and 102 yards. I expect increased production from the WRs and RBs to limit this, although I hope the TEs contribute more than they did in the opener. – WORSE

You could be surprised. Pitt will scheme to limit the run and get pressure. The TE's running the middle could be a big asset.

Special Teams – Both McGrath and Brooks had good games in 2021 and I think we can expect similar production from them Saturday. OTOH, we don’t have anyone who has proven to be capable of replacing Velus Jones, who returned 4 kicks for 122 yards. – WORSE

Defense – We’re bigger, more experienced, and deeper across the board. Theo Jackson is gone, and we will miss him. They scored 41 on us last year with a better QB and WR who are both gone this year. – BETTER

Agree with one caveat. Banks has to prove he can call a big game.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

I know one Vols expectations:
You’re welcome Volnation

 

[madbamahater]

I expected UT to beat Pitt last year and it was very disappointing that they didn't finish the job. The defense was absolutely atrocious.

 

[LittleVol]

You can add in the fact that at the least Pitt is worse at the most important position on the field, QB. They also didn't look great on defense Thursday against an average to below average WVA offense. Taysir Mack had 4 catches for 100 and a td vs us last year. He's gone. Addison had 6 for 65 and a td, he's gone. We scored 34 in a game where we should have broke 50 but Milton was in air mail mode. I really believe Pitt will struggle to keep us under 50 unless a lot of things go wrong. I'm not sure they have the horses to outscore us.

Worse than 2021? Maybe.

But definitely not bad.
He thew for 300 yards last week, but only 1 TD. Pickett could run too

 

[Hacksaw]

I expected UT to beat Pitt last year and it was very disappointing that they didn't finish the job. The defense was absolutely atrocious.

I failed to mention it, but others have pointed out that Byron Young did not play in that game. We were also missing Latrell Bumphus from the DL. Cooper Mays was also injured and did not play against Pitt in '21.

 

[VolArmy74]

Worse than 2021? Maybe.

But definitely not bad.
He thew for 300 yards last week, but only 1 TD. Pickett could run too

West Virginia only returned 3 starters on defense and lost their entire secondary off a decidedly middle of the pack defense from the prior season. Slovis has gotten statistically worse each season since he was a freshman at USC. He pretty much put up similar numbers at USC to what JG did here his last two seasons there.

Pickett threw for over 4300 yards and 47 tds last year with only 7 ints. He was extremely elite. Slovis threw for 2100 yards, 11td and 8 ints last year at USC. Pickett ran for 250 yards last year. Slovis has something like -200 career rushing yards. It showed last week when WVA sacked him 5 times. He's a statue. He's significantly worse than Pickett.

 

[Sara Clark]

This is the problem I have: Do we know what we have in a team this year? Yeah, I know it was Ball State. Do you think we would be wondering if AL, GA...or even FL were a good team after playing Ball State? Often, it's not a good sign when you're left asking the same question you asked prior to game...."what do we have"? I assume our coach is being absolutely honest with the fanbase when he says D has improved. I think added depth, just being able to pull people out and let them catch their breath will be extremely helpful. With that said, I'm thinking we score a few more points than Pitt did last year, I don't think they score as many. I'm banking on improvement at QB and D, along with added depth. JMO