Take the punt coverage operation for example. Ryan Weigand is launching kicks consistently, but the hang time factor is negating, at least somewhat, the effectiveness of the punts. The old “outkicking the coverage” axiom would apply here. On the kicks that do reach a high peak, the coverage is good. But the height is inconsistent and opponent returners are taking advantage – Virginia ranks dead last in the ACC (and 76th nationally) in punt return yardage allowed at 6.3 yards per return. Georgia Tech posted 11.4 yards per return.
Still, as discussed in The Sabre’s Inside the Game article following the GT game, the key is net punt yardage. Virginia ranks third in the ACC and 18th nationally in that category, posting 38.0 yards per punt. That’s not too bad. It’s also not what concerns Virginia coach Al Groh. He feels that the punt return unit is vulnerable to big plays the way things are currently working.
“Ryan himself is up there pretty good statistically. Our net punting is up there pretty good statistically, but what we want to do is decrease the risk of danger on any one of these punts,” Groh said. “There’s been some danger involved with some of those outkick-the-coverage punts that when you go up some against some of the superior return men, and if they’re given that much open field to get started with, then that’s a concern that that one time where he gets you could be the one play that changes the outcome of a game.”
“So that’s what we’re really concerned about is the risk that some of these kicks bring, not that the results so far have been bad or that it looks pretty decent statistically, but that there’s a risk involved,” Groh added.
Can Pitt exploit that area of the game? Let’s take a closer look at the special teams.
Statistics
- Three different players have returned punts for Pitt so far this season. As a group, that trio averages 10.5 yards per punt return. The leader in attempts is Aaron Berry with 8 punt returns.
- Pittsburgh’s net punting average is 35.5 yards per punt.
- The last time an opponent returned a kickoff for at touchdown against the Panthers was 2001. It was an ACC opponent – N.C. State’s Gregory Golden romped 90 yards in the Tangerine Bowl.
- The longest field goal in Pitt history is 49 yards – Josh Cummings hit that one against Notre Dame in 2005.
Coach Groh Says …
“Cedric [Peerman] hasn’t had the degree of returns. We’re hoping that the other part (Andrew Pearman ) of Peerman and Pearman can make them regretful of doing that particular thing. That certainly was the case in the first game and gave us a little insight into what we need to have. The return [call] is going to be basically the same whoever carries it – hopefully we can get the point where the result will be the same also.”
Pitt Coach Dave Wannstedt Says …
“One of our penalties [against Connecticut] occurred during a TV timeout and our kicker was waiting for the whistle to start for the onside kick and time expired. I asked the official, we had a discussion – we had to call up to the Big East office to get it cleared up. I guess after the TV timeout they did tell the kicker that he had 25 seconds to kick off after they handed him the ball and he was standing there waiting for the whistle when time expired.”
Who’s That?
#37 Conor Lee, PK, 5-11/195, Jr., 6 of 7 field goals, 10 of 10 PATs: Lee returns as Pitt’s starting kicker after a strong sophomore season in 2006 when he led the team with 83 points – that’s the third highest single season scoring total in the last 25 years at Pitt. The right-footed kicker joined the Panthers as a Fork Union Military Academy product. So far this season, Lee is 6 of 7 on field goal tries with a long of 41 yards and 10 of 10 on PATs. His lone miscue came on his first try of the season when he missed a 42-yarder against Eastern Michigan. Lee is closing in on the school record for consecutive extra points made – he’s made 57 straight and the record is 60.
#37 Dave Brytus, P, 6-4/230, Jr., 21 punts, 40.5 yards per punt, 7 fair catches forced: Brytus has handled all the punting duties so far this season for Pitt. His long kick of the season measured 56 yards. This is Brytus’ first season kicking for the Panthers, but he has D-1 experience after transferring from Purdue. The left-footed kicker was a two-year starter for the Boilermakers. He averaged 39.5 yards per kick as a sophomore and 40.0 yards as a freshman. He was the Sun Bowl Special Teams MVP in 2004 when he averaged 48.9 yards per punt in that game.
#23 Lowell Robinson, KR/DB, 6-0/200, Sr., 21 punts, 9 kick returns, 241 yards, 26.8 yards per return: Robinson is a speedy returner with good moves that has averaged more than 25 yards per return for his career. Last season, he ranked in the top 10 nationally when he averaged nearly 27.9 yards per return. Robinson’s longest return of the 2007 season measures 38 yards. A junior college transfer, he led the Big East in his first season last year in kick return average and he posted a 97-yard return for touchdown against Central Florida on the opening kickoff.
#17 Aaron Berry , PR/DB, 5-11/175, So., 8 punt returns, 8.5 yards per return: Berry has fielded the most punts on the Pitt roster and his 8.5 yards per return average is solid. A high school standout, Berry is seeing his first extended action this season. At Bishop McDevitt High in Pennsylvania, Berry averaged 13.3 yards per punt return as a senior. He had only 1 punt return all of last season.
A Closer Look
Kickoff coverage: PITTSBURGH HOVERS AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK ON SPECIAL TEAMS. Most of the team numbers rank in the 50s range for special teams. On kickoff coverage, the Panthers allow a pedestrian 21.39 yards per return. The good news for Pitt fans is that the kickoff rules change that moved the kicker five yards backward seems to have had little impact on the statistics: the Panthers allowed 20.41 yards per return last season.
Punt coverage: PITT ALLOWS DECENT RETURN YARDAGE. Pitt ranks 54th in the nation in net punting. As is the case with the Panthers’ defense, the plan is to avoid big plays. The net average of 35.27 is supposed to be a trade-off for less threatening returns, but the Panthers allow 9.63 yards per return so they too may be flirting with trouble in this category. EXPECT VIC HALL to be the option on these returns. In the one game (Duke) where he got a chance to consistently return (not just field kicks like the GT game), he had the Cavs’ two longest returns of the season.
Kick returns: A POTENTIALLY STRONG AREA FOR PITT. Leading return man Lowell Robinson averaged 27.9 yards per return that ranked him 9th in the nation at the end of last season last season. He is averaging 26.8 per return this year, which ranks 34th nationally. T.J. Porter can be dangerous back there too – he averages 21.7 per return. Lowell’s success places Pitt at No. 29 on the national charts. The Cavs have handled this part of the special teams better as of late, but the best bet is to avoid Robinson.
Punt returns: PITT RANKS JUST 49TH NATIONALLY, BUT AVERAGES 10.5 YARDS PER RETURN. In other words, this could be another night of hold-your-breath punting for the Hoos, who are flirting with danger on punt coverage as we noted above. Berry handles most of the returns and he is in his first year back there. KEEP AN EYE ON UVA’S HANG TIME to see if Ryan Weigand consistently gives his coverage time to deal with Berry.
Plays That Could Hurt Virginia
Punt returns. The Cavs have been inconsistent in this category, spending two games with good coverage (Duke and UNC) and two games with average coverage (Georgia Tech and Wyoming). If Ryan Weigand launches a low line drive kick, it could be the one mistake that the coverage unit can’t afford. Kick ’em high consistently and this unit will look better overall. Keep an eye on the gunners for UVa – GT double-teamed those players and it helped the returners.
Field goals. Pitt is a perfect 12 of 12 in the red zone this year and kicker Conor Lee hasn’t missed a field goal try since his first attempt of the season failed from 42 yards.
Virginia’s Special Teams Keys
- Avoid another returner. The Brandon Tate rule from the UNC game applies to Lowell Robinson. He had a kick return for touchdown last season and his career average is impressive. Make it hard on him by mixing up kicking styles or avoid him altogether.
- Protect your punter. Pitt’s Brian Kaiser blocked a kick in the Grambling game and UVa has already had one kick blocked this season. For a team turning the ball over a lot on offense, you don’t want to give them life on special teams.
- Don’t settle for status quo. As noted above, Pittsburgh is an average coverage unit in terms of national rankings. Andrew Pearman , Cedric Peerman , and Vic Hall need to look for a chance to make a big play on a return.
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