Andre Powell understands why offensive coordinator Mark Whipple all but ignored the ground game in his first year as Pitt’s play-caller. In fact, Powell, the Panthers’ running backs coach, said he “probably would’ve felt the same” if he was in Whipple’s shoes.
Pitt’s rushing attack was a lost cause in 2019, with the backs either plagued by injuries or running behind a — shall we say — developing offensive line. Committed to a pass-happy approach last year, Pitt ranked 100th and 118th nationally in rushing attempts and yards per game, respectively.
But Powell has reason to believe those figures and that approach will change this fall.
“Last year, our team was physically geared better to attack people through the air. We had receivers who were more ready to play winning football than the guys in my room, particularly with the offensive line maturing,” Powell said Tuesday over Zoom. “But now we’ve got everyone back. … (Whipple) feels confident now that we can run the football.”
Look no further than Pitt’s season-opening win against Austin Peay.
Pitt scored seven offensive touchdowns against the Division I-AA squad. Five of them were rushing touchdowns … by running backs … in the red zone. Which basically didn’t happen last year. In 2019, Pitt had nine red-zone rushing touchdowns; only seven schools had fewer. And of the Panthers’ nine, quarterback Kenny Pickett accounted for two of them.
But against the Governors, Whipple made it a point to find the end zone by force, with Pitt’s first-team offense running the ball on 11 of 15 red-zone plays in the first half.
Redshirt freshman Daniel Carter, on his first career carry, scored from two yards out for Pitt’s first touchdown of 2020. Vincent Davis had touchdown carries from one yard and four yards out. Freshman Israel Abanikanda glided 10 yards and found the end zone for his first collegiate score. Power back Todd Sibley punched one in from a yard out, as well.
All told, Pitt’s running backs — Carter, Abanikanda, Sibley, Vincent Davis and A.J. Davis — combined for 113 yards on 29 carries. That’s not necessarily a stellar stat line, and Powell, an old-school straight-shooter, knows it. The 53-year-old said his backs have to protect the ball, protect the quarterback and extend plays. They didn’t accomplish the third task, logging only two carries of 10 yards or more.
“When we blocked for seven, we got seven. Blocked for eight, we get eight. Blocked for three, we got three,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said postgame. “You’d like to block for three and get eight. You’d like to block for eight and get 28.”
So, Powell isn’t getting “overly excited” about his backs bullying Austin Peay at the goal line. He wants to see more, especially when they open ACC play against Syracuse. But last Saturday was a sign that maybe Pitt can have some semblance of balance with five options at Powell’s disposal.
A.J. Davis, Pitt’s leading rusher in 2019, is back after missing a couple games last year. Carter, a bruising four-star prospect, figures to factor in more after redshirting last year. Sibley provides pop in short-yardage situations, while Vincent Davis — a slippery scatback who logged 314 yards on 61 carries as a freshman — will be utilized frequently yet again. Meanwhile, Abanikanda brings something “different” to the table, Powell said.
“I’m not going to lie, that kid is a freak,” Vincent Davis added. “He’s powerful, strong and fast. He can go from zero to 100 real quick.”
Powell nodded his head in agreement when asked about Abanikanda’s play-making ability, adding that the Brooklyn native runs with “great power and leverage.” It’s certainly not Abanikanda’s ball-carrying that has Powell concerned.
“For freshmen, it’s always the passing game,” Powell said. “The number of protections and adjustments based on fronts, the blitzes, checking front side and back side. It’s just a lot. … But when you turn around and hand him the ball, he can figure it out.”
Powell is confident his other backs can “figure it out,” too, especially after a year in Whipple’s system.
The running backs coach acknowledged that it takes time to not only learn a new system, but also contemplate “the whys behind everything.” During this summer’s quarantine Zoom sessions, Pitt’s running backs were pushed to gain a deeper, conceptual understanding of Whipple’s scheme. As Powell put it: “Kids memorize things. But memorizing isn’t knowing.”
After a disjointed 2019 and a promising start to the new season, Pitt’s running backs feel they know their roles this fall. And at least from the early stages, it seems they’ll be given the chance to showcase that understanding.
“We know how Whipple thinks, and we know how he goes about his business,” Powell said. “You don’t have to think like him. But you have to know how he thinks. Everyone’s a lot more comfortable.”
