Against Virginia, Duke struggled down the stretch, resulting in a loss to put it at 6-5 this season. Having failed to match last season’s 8-4 record, the Blue Devils will look to at least guarantee a winning season against Pittsburgh at home Saturday.
With Duke’s final regular-season matchup approaching, let’s take a look at the Panthers.
2023 has not been kind to Pittsburgh and head coach Pat Narduzzi. Last year, the Panthers finished 8-4 in the regular season, topped off by an exciting win against UCLA in the Sun Bowl. However, Narduzzi’s squad has slumped to a 3-8 record this season. Aside from an unexpected 38-21 victory against Louisville Oct. 14, the Panthers have experienced a rough slate of losses, the worst being a 51-point demolition against Notre Dame Oct. 28. However, Pittsburgh is coming off of a night win against Boston College, and with effectively nothing left to lose in its season, it has a chance of giving the Blue Devils a similar fate.
“It’s [a] great opportunity for us and a chance to finish the season undefeated at home in ACC play,” said head coach Mike Elko at a Monday press conference. “Winning one-on-one matchups against this group is critical and our ability to go out and do that Saturday will play a big role in [the game].”
The Panthers’ quarterback room has proven extremely volatile this season. Initially rolling with sixth-year signal-caller Phil Jurkovec, the Panthers switched to redshirt sophomore Christian Veilleux, who led Pittsburgh to the aforementioned upset against Louisville. However, Veilleux was benched due to poor performance, which has led to redshirt sophomore Nate Yarnell taking the reins. In the Panthers’ win against the Eagles, Yarnell combined for two touchdowns and threw for 207 yards on just 19 attempts. The Austin, Texas, native has a low sample size of five career collegiate games, but with a 6-foot-6 frame and a few impressive throws under his belt, he could certainly give the Blue Devils some trouble.
Pittsburgh’s rushing attack, headlined by junior running back Rodney Hammond Jr., has proven severely lacking for the team for much of the season. The Panthers have the lowest mark in the ACC in carries, rush yards and rushing touchdowns, averaging just 3.7 yards per attempt on the ground. However, Hammond compiled 145 yards and a touchdown against Boston College, showing that Pittsburgh’s ground game might be coming around in the nick of time.
Thanks in part to the uncertainty at quarterback, no receiver on the Panthers has proven particularly consistent. However, redshirt senior Bub Means and junior Konata Mumpfield have emerged as the primary targets on the roster, garnering 636 and 566 yards, respectively. As Pittsburgh’s primary deep threat, Means has averaged 18.2 yards per catch and has caught five touchdowns in the last seven contests. Meanwhile, Mumpfield has a team-high 43 receptions and is likely to see a fair amount of targets against the Blue Devils.
“They’re starting to kind of put it together as the year has gone on,” Elko said about Pittsburgh’s offense. “We know we’re going to get their best on offense for sure.”
Much like its offense, Pittsburgh’s defense isn’t the definitive worst in the ACC, but it hasn’t proven particularly effective, either. The Panthers rank fourth-last in the conference in points allowed per game, while their passing defense has ceded 208.1 yards per game to opposing signal-callers. A few standouts from this side of the ball include defensive back Donovan McMillon, who ranks third in the ACC in total tackles, as well as corner M.J. Devonshire, who has garnered three interceptions and nine pass breakups thus far. With Duke starting quarterback Grayson Loftis increasingly taking on more aerial responsibility, look for Devonshire to challenge him.
“It’s a challenging scheme … but they play it exceptionally well,” Elko said of the Panthers’ defense. “They make it really, really challenging for you because you’ve got to earn everything.”
Overall, the Blue Devils match up solidly on both offense and defense against the Panthers. But the ACC is fiercely competitive regardless of opponent, and no team shows that better than Pittsburgh. After all, Duke has not beaten the Panthers since 2014. If Loftis and the offense can overpower Pittsburgh’s shaky defense, and if Duke’s secondary and defensive line can limit Yarnell and Hammond, then Elko will secure his Duke tenure with back-to-back winning seasons.
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