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Stephen Thompson's Pitt football chat: 09.09.25
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Stephen Thompson
1:00
It's the best time of the week in the most exciting week of the year. The Backyard Brawl live chat is up and running and we're looking at Pitt-West Virginia from all angles. There are already a handful of questions in here, so no sense in wasting any more time. Let's dive in.
Ditka412
1:00
Whenever I watch Eli it seems he is more comfortable passing outside the pocket. Do you build these in on the first drive to get him comfortable? Also should we be prepared to see 1-3 wvu qbs on Saturday?
Stephen Thompson
1:03
You aren't the only one to have noticed this, Ditka412. Holstein has been exemplary outside of the pocket, both when passing and scrambling. How he manipulated the pocket during touchdown throws to Kenny Johnson in Week 1 and Poppi Williams in Week 2 standout most.

But you can't "build in" the off schedule things Holstein does so well. Bell and company will need to trust him to make the correct reads, then use his instincts and athleticism to make plays with his feet. That's part of the growth you expect with a second year starter.
demosthenes98
1:03
So what do we know about the '25 Panthers after two easy (or easy-ish in the case of Central Michigan) wins against non-Power 4 opponents?
Stephen Thompson
1:07
Here are a few things I know (or think I know) about the 2025 Pitt football team through two weeks.

First, this front seven is nasty. The defensive tackles and linebackers seemed like known commodities, but the defensive ends have popped. Zach Crothers and Joey Zelinksy have played very well. The secondary is still unproven, but the play up front is a prerequisite to everything else working.

Second, the development of offensive depth has shown up early. From Blue Hicks to Juelz Goff, Justin Holmes and more -- the Panthers are able to rotate at the skill positions more easily.

Third, Pitt has one of the best special teams units in the country. Even without the outstanding Ben Sauls, placekicking has been competent and their return units are elite. Jacob Bronowski is proving to have been a home run hire.
Ditka412
1:08
What options does Wvu pose if they can’t run the ball. They don’t look like a spread offense. How much does this play into Narduzzi’s defensive scheme?
Stephen Thompson
1:12
Cam Vaughn is an explosive playmaker at wideout (16.9 yards per catch so far this season). And, if nothing else, Rich Rodriquez knows how to scheme up a running game. I'd expect, without Jaheim White, the Mountaineers will want to run whoever plays quarterback frequently in order to gain an extra blocker.

Pitt has been outstanding defending the run this year, but will need to be disciplined in the secondary. Because overreacting to the run means West Virginia will have opportunities for big plays in the passing game.
Mr Ed
1:12
I’ve heard rumblings that Mwani Williamson  a guard who averaged 14 PPG last season with Arkansas Little Rock might be a late addition to Pitt roster? I know he’s still available in the portal and either is or was in Pittsburgh for a visit. Have you heard anything about him?
Stephen Thompson
1:15
I believe Mr Ed is referring to Mwani Wilkerson, who began his career at LSU and transferred to Arkansas-Little Rock for the 2024-25 season.

I saw Wilkerson had posted an Instagram story from Pittsburgh, although it wasn't clear if that meant he was visiting Pitt specifically.

But this is a profile of player Jeff Capel would love to add, if he's available. Wilkerson is a versatile, opportunistic defender. And he made 71 3-pointers at a 35.7% clip, while also logging 3.1 combined steals and blocks plus 7.1 rebounds per game last season.
Ditka412
1:15
How many plays did Pitt holdback on offense against Duquesne and CMU? Or do you think we saw exactly what Pitt will use against those teams?
Stephen Thompson
1:17
Whether or not Pitt was "holding anything back" from their last two game plans, I can't say. But having gotten to know Kade Bell for a little over a year and a half, I am confident saying there are on going tweaks and installs throughout the season. The Panthers will look a little different each week.
JuniataKid
1:17
Before that 48 yard TD pass near the end of the third quarter, it didn’t look like Holstein was taking shots downfield. Was that by design?
Stephen Thompson
1:20
Taking away downfield shots is one way opponents limited Pitt in the second half of last season, so I give Holstein credit for his patience through two games. He isn't hunting the big plays as often as he was in 2024.

Doing the little things right will open up opportunities for big plays. Plus, he has playmakers that can make something out of nothing, so taking the short throw to a player in space can be just as effective as a pass of 40 or more yards sometimes.
Ditka412
1:20
Do you think the fact that this is a rivalry game helps Pitt not looking down on wvu? Also how much does it help that PITT’s captains have already played in this game compared to a fresh roster?
Stephen Thompson
1:25
I don't believe Pitt looks down on any opponent. But given how West Virginia's last four days have gone, it would be natural to assume Pitt's a heavy favorite. That said, the Backyard Brawl rarely follows betting trends and Pitt's leaders -- coaches and captains -- would be right to remind their uninitiated teammates of that.
Bruce
1:25
Hi Stephen, I was wondering if Pitt has thought about using Reid in some more interesting plays. When Quadra Ollison and Matt Canada were here we had some great success with the jet sweep. I think it would be effective to run Reid out the wildcat once in a while
Stephen Thompson
1:28
Pitt already looked for every opportunity to get Reid the ball in 2024, so it's not necessarily about getting him in more "interesting" spots. And wildcat would make it harder for Reid to play in space, where he's most effective.

I look more to how they use some of their secondary pass-catchers and play them off the attention Reid garners.

Kade Bell has said getting his speedy playmakers like Hicks, Kenny Johnson and Poppi Williams, out into space more often is a way they've sought to improve in 2025. Pitt broke out a jet sweep last weekend with Blue Hicks and he took it for 19 yards, which is just one example.
PittBiscuit
1:28
I was impressed with Dripp Harrison at CB, but what’s the scoop on Battle?
Stephen Thompson
1:29
I'll leave this one to Pat Narduzzi, who said following the Central Michigan game, "We actually played mostly with our backup corners the whole game. That won't happen next week."
Bruce
1:30
I have read that Pitt either has or is looking at a game at Ole Miss. I actually think that Pitt tends to overschedule. Any thoughts?
Stephen Thompson
1:34
I'm not sure it's possible for Pitt to "overschedule" at this point in time.

First of all, whether putting more tough games on your schedule helps or hurts your odds of making the 12-team playoff is an open question. There just isn't enough data after one year. But logic would dictate that you can lose a game or two early and remain in contention for an at-large bid by notching big wins. On the road against an SEC team would probably count as such.  

And furthermore, the ACC financially rewards teams for television viewership. So there is an immediately tangible benefit to playing games people want to see.

Scheduling tough is rewarding in more ways than one.
100 Percent Chance of Hail
1:34
Confidence level in the Panthers going into Brawl Week? Any concern about a let down game based off what happened in Athens, OH last weekend?
Stephen Thompson
1:36
It's fair to be very confident about the Panthers. They are healthier, have better continuity and more star power. But the Backyard Brawl rarely, if ever, plays out on the field like it does on paper. It's not a game I would feel comfortable betting the farm on.
Bruce
1:44
I've seen a lot of these Brawls, both here in Pittsburgh as well as in Morgantown, and emotions run high! It's probably better that the game is at 3:30
Stephen Thompson
1:45
I know I'm thankful for the timing. It might give me a chance to catch some of Texas A&M-Notre Dame or South Florida-Miami by the time I get home from Morgantown.
Bruce
1:45
Thanks for that insight regarding the scheduling, Stephen. Those are excellent points.
Stephen Thompson
1:47
One more point on "overscheduling": it was something I thought was more real at a different point in time. There were years when Mackenzie Milton and Scott Frost-led Central Florida, plus Penn State and Notre Dame, were on the schedule. And it was hard to see the benefit in playing all three of those teams in one year when the results were all losses.

But things have changed quickly in college athletics. it's difficult to properly compare something from the pre-2021 to today.
1:59
Appreciate everyone for joining me this afternoon. Still plenty of coverage to come from the South Side this week and Morgantown on Saturday. Stay tuned!
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