CFB Roundtable: Duke at Pitt, 2018

The Yankees played a doubleheader yesterday, and I cooked dinner on the grill in between the games.  I put Duke at Pitt, 2018, on outside while I cooked, and man, am I ever glad that I did.

I decided to watch this particular game because the Giants famously reached for Duke QB Daniel Jones at #6 overall in this past draft, and although I watched a fair amount of Jones's games during his time with the Blue Devils, I didn't see this one.  Statistically speaking, this game was probably Jones's best as a collegiate quarterback.

On the day, Jones went 27/42 passing (64.3%) for 396 yards and 4 touchdowns with no interceptions.  He also carried 15 times for 38 yards with a long of 20.  But that includes several long sacks.  

In fact, Jones's power running game was a huge part of his team's offense, especially in the first half.  You could argue that the game turned once Pitt adjusted to Duke's zone-read scheme, giving some ground outside but stopping Jones from running up the middle.  Despite the gaudy stats, Jones threw behind his receivers a little too consistently after that, so that his team's offense stagnated once the Panthers got a bead on what the Blue Devils were trying to do in the ground.  

Jones also took an egregious strip-sack at the Pitt goal line to end the first half at a point when his team was up by 10.  That play might have put this game out of reach had his team just kicked a field goal following an incompletion.  As it was, the Blue Devils couldn't quite do it despite taking a that 10-point lead into the locker room, and in the second half, the Panthers flat ran them over.

On the day, Pitt rushed for 484 yards and 4 touchdowns on just 52 carries.  

Folks, that is 9.3 yards/carry.

Screenshot via ESPN.

I started watching this game to watch Daniel Jones, but by the end of it, I was straight up rooting for Pitt.  Their power running game was just incredible.  I mean, threw everything at the Blue Devils, so that by the start of the fourth quarter, Duke's defense has no idea where the ball was going.  A lot of outside Jet Sweeps mixed with a bunch of different straight-ahead zone running plays, and late in the fourth, they even ran a Speed Option play that scored a touchdown, though that was negated by a holding penalty.  It was something.  

I liked it; I'm not gonna lie.

Pitt QB Kenny Pickett wasn't great in this game, but he attacked down the field and made the throws he had to make to win the game.  That's a lot more than the Blue Devils can say of Daniel Jones.  Pickett also carried 7 times for 76 yards and a touchdown.  

Dude might not get drafted, but he was the better quarterback.

Anyway, it's the offseason.  If, like me, you need some college football, this game comes highly recommended.

Enjoy!