By Ray Porter Jr. for Urban Media Today
PITTSBURGH, PA–For the first time in 86 years, the Pitt Panthers and Duquesne Dukes in football and as special as it is for local teams to play each other, history has proven that a team from the FBS Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS-Pitt) is not always guaranteed to defeat a team from the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision-Duquesne) due to several upsets.
Nevertheless, the Panthers understood the assignment and defeated the Dukes 61-9 in front of 53,006 at Acrisure Stadium.
“Obviously, you look at the game, I thought there were a lot of things we could clean up. It’s a preseason game, really, that counts in the win-loss column. They all count as one.” Said Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi. “I was happy with the way our guys finished the game. We talked at halftime about just going out and finishing. We started fast with a three-and-out and scored on offense. That’s kind of what you want to see — that’s really what should happen. It doesn’t always happen, right?”
Despite their slow start on offense, the Panthers were able to get to a 14-0 lead on an 88-yard punt-return TD from RB Desmond Reid and a 4-yard TD pass from QB Eli Holstein to WR Cataurus Hicks.
“I thought special teams played at a high level.” Said Narduzzi “The return game, obviously, that first touchdown, Des Reid — I think that’s maybe two years in a row the first punt goes for a touchdown. We had some other good ones. Kenny Johnson got some work; we wanted to get him some good work back there in case we want to give Des a blow.”
The Dukes were able to close Pitt’s lead to 14-6 on a 2-play, 61 yard drive that ended with a 7-yard TD from QB Tyler Riddell to WR B.J. Alexander (Matt Marcinko PAT MISSED), but that was as close as they would get as Holstein (15/23,215 yards, 4 TDs, INT) continued to shake off the cobwebs and lead the Panthers to 20 unanswered points in the 2nd quarter en route to a 34-6 halftime lead.
“You see rust every day. Nothing’s perfect, right? But I would say there’s rust every single day.” Said Narduzzi. “But when it’s live, it’s just totally different. He knows he’s going to get hit. It’s live. You’ll see rust out of everybody, period. I think Eli ran when he needed to run, got tough yardage, which was good — a quarterback run, I think a power. He bowled through people for 8–10 yards, nice run. I liked what I saw out of him.”
In the 3rd quarter, the Panthers continued their onslaught as Reid (154 total yards) scored on a 53-yard run. Pitt led 51-6 when backup Cole Gonzalez replaced Holstein and concluded Pitt’s scoring with a 60-yard TD pass to WR Bryce Yates.
“I liked what I saw out of Cole as well. Cole came in, I know, stopped in the red zone, didn’t get touchdowns but came out on the third series and put it in the end zone.” Said Narduzzi.
For the Panthers, Hicks (4 rec, 55 yards) would also score a spectacular one-handed TD in the first half, and Kenny Johnson (4 rec, 47 yards) and Malachi Thomas (1 rec, 34 yards) would also catch TDs. K Trey Butkowski added a 27-yard FG for the Panthers (1-0)
On defense, they would sack Riddell 4 times (lead by 2 from Preaseason All-American Kyle Louis) and hold Duquesne’s offense to 6 points.
For the Dukes (0-1), Riddell finished passing for 154 yards (14/23) and with 120 yards going to WR Joey Isabella, who also caught 8 passes. On defense, Freshman Dallas Harper recorded his first collegiate interception as he picked off Holstein in the first half.
The Panthers will now continue their non-conference schedule as they will host the Central Michigan Chippewas (1-0) next Saturday.
“But I was happy with the way our guys played.” Said Narduzzi. “We’ll go back and watch the videotape and see exactly the good and the bad, and there are always plays to be made somewhere that we missed.”
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