Virginia opened ACC play with a home win against Louisville. The Cardinals brought a big running back and a diverse passing attack to Charlottesville, but couldn’t get the offense going against the Hoos. With Pittsburgh up next on the schedule for UVa, the defense will be facing a similar task with James Conner and Tyler Boyd headlining the Panthers.

Let’s break down Pitt.

Bunch Formations

The Panthers, as noted in last season’s breakdown article, love to throw jumbo sets and power running looks at opponents. Two tight ends, I formation, and even a Georgia Tech-styled wing back type formation are all on the menu. It’s all designed to take advantage of an experienced offensive line and Conner, a bruising 6’2” and 250-pound running back. Through the first four games, Conner piled up 699 rushing yards (the most in program history through four games) but Akron slowed down Conner and Pitt last week (92 yards for Conner in a 21-10 loss).

Pittsburgh also uses a variety of bunch formations to create opportunities in both the running game and the passing game. One tactic in particular is to align a group of three receivers near the offensive tackle on either side of the line. The inside receiver is on the line with the two other receivers off of the line to make all three players pass eligible. For the most part, Boyd is the receiver that lines up behind the other two players. The idea there is to get him a clean release on plays where a pass is called.

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