Steel City Ground Game

 

2016.10.27. Virginia Tech (Hokies) at University of Pittsburgh (Pitt, Panthers). Heinz Field Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA. Final score: Virginia Tech 39, Pitt 36.

Sometimes you need a few breaks to win a game.  And sometimes you need the other team’s coaches to take turns ignoring what’s happening on the field.

The Panthers coaching staff dumbed their way into the loss and gave away the game.  They had a beat-up Hokie squad struggling to keep up, then, inexplicably, gave up on their best offensive plays—counters and play-action passes—completely on two critical third quarter drives that Tech quickly snuffed. And as the announcers drilled into for all who watched, on defense Pitt refused to give isolated defensive backs help in the passing game.  In a game where the teams were trading scores, just one more interruption could’ve swung the game back to Pitt.

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