Pitt Take 5: Undefeated Panthers insist 'we haven't done anything'

Pitt is one of 12 unbeaten teams nationwide, a distinction the Panthers (5-0, 1-0) share with only one ACC rival, Miami.

That being the case, there’s nothing left to say other than: The time has come for Pitt to get down to the serious business of competing for a second ACC championship in four years.

Is there pressure to maintain that clean record? Offensive right tackle Ryan Baer says no.

“The pressure’s the same every week. Just go out there and do your job,” he said.

To a man, players and coaches insist the No. 22 national ranking doesn’t matter. That’s Pat Narduzzi talking through his players, of course, but the single-minded focus is admirable. No bravado. No predictions. It’s a team that mirrors its coach.

“We’re driving home the point we haven’t done anything,” linebacker Brandon George said. “We’re 0-0. We have to prove every week we deserve to be where we are, that we deserve to win the football game.”

Thinking such as that prevents players from overlooking an opponent. Cal-Berkeley will get Pitt’s undivided attention at 3:30 p.m. and into the early evening Saturday at Acrisure Stadium.

A victory would give Pitt a 6-0 record, its first of that magnitude since 1982.

1. Getting his kicks

There are 14 kickers in the nation who have yet to miss a field goal. Pitt’s Ben Sauls is among them and one of only two in the ACC (Florida State’s Ryan Fitzgerald, 6 for 6). Sauls is 9 of 9, two behind Kentucky’s Alex Raynor (11 of 11).

Sauls has been Pitt’s kicker for three seasons, but that doesn’t mean special teams coach Jacob Bronowski ignores his 23-year-old kicker.

“He’s an older guy. He’s experienced a lot of ups and downs,” said Bronowski, who’s in his first season at Pitt. “Because of that, I just always tell him to have fun. If he’s having a bad day, which for Ben is not very bad at all, it’s just cracking jokes with him, keeping him loose.”

When things are good, Sauls is content and relies on his meditation. But he also can be “very hard on himself,” according to his position coach.

“People think specialists can’t get coached hard,” Bronowski said. “Ben is kind of the opposite. He wants to be told that he’s not performing at a high level.”

Sauls prides himself on remaining calm in all situations and taking everything — good and bad — in stride. He claims he doesn’t celebrate because, “It’s expected,” he told his coach.

But Bronowski came back at him with the video of the moment immediately after his game-winning field goal at Cincinnati. Subdued, but a celebration nontheless.

2. There is an excuse for holding

Baer was called for holding twice in the North Carolina game, and once it was intentional.

“We had a miscommunication and I set the end free,” Baer said. “I’m not trying to get Eli (Holstein) killed. I’ll take the holding call. Gotta do it.”

Baer said Holstein, who is second on the team with 265 net yards rushing, helps out linemen with his athleticism and grit. “He breaks a lot of tackles.”

“We’re going to hold onto our blocks for as long as we can,” left guard Ryan Jacoby said. “But we know if the pocket collapses, he’s going to be able to get out of there. He’s going to make positive yards out of almost anything.”

Holstein played with so much poise in his first five games that Jacoby said he was surprised to find out his quarterback is only a 19-year-old redshirt freshman. He turns 20 on Oct. 26, two days after the Syracuse game.

“I didn’t even know he was a freshman until a couple weeks ago,” Jacoby said. “Every time I see him, he doesn’t look like a freshman. He doesn’t act like a freshman. Every time I’m reminded he’s a freshman, it surprises me a lot. It really does. Just the way he carries himself. He never gets flustered. He acts like he’s been playing football for 30 years.”

3. Bright, red zone

One testament to Pitt’s ability to move the football is this stat: The Panthers have more red zone chances (24) than all but nine teams in the nation. With 22 scores from the red zone (18 touchdowns, four field goals), Pitt’s 91.7% success rate is tied for 31st, second in the ACC. Georgia Tech leads the ACC with a 95.2% success rate (20 of 21).

Indiana, whose offense is coordinated by former Norwin and Pitt wide receiver Mike Shanahan, leads the nation with 37 red zone opportunities (34 scores, 30 touchdowns, four field goals). Former Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri is co-offensive coordinator for the No. 18 Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten).

4. Go, Brownies

You would think George, a tough-minded linebacker, would appreciate the leaping, lunging tackle/forced fumble Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts made on Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle.

Sorry, George wasn’t watching.

Actually, it happened past midnight and football players’ mornings start early. He was probably sleeping.

Also, George had a confession to make.

“You guys aren’t going to like what I’m about to say,” he told reporters. “I’ll say it out loud, anyway. I’m a Browns fan. I find it hard sometimes to watch a Steelers game. I root for them, but I can’t watch, especially when my Browns aren’t doing the greatest right now.”

How did a guy from Reading become a Browns fan?

“My dad (Neil) is a Browns fan,” he said. “Every time the TV came on, (the Browns) were playing in the rain, in the mud, in the snow, just gritty football games. That’s how football games are supposed to be played.

“‘Yeah, I’m going to be a Browns fan,’ ” a young George told himself.

“It’s been less than exciting in 24 years of my life,” he said.

No matter.

“That’s what loyalty is. Sticking around through the thick and the thin,” George said.

It also explains how George has been around Pitt for six seasons and 57 games. He’s on track to break the school record of 64 games played set by former long snapper Cal Adomitis.

George said he was not aware of that stat. “Time flies when you’re having fun,” he said.

5. They need to be a resilient bunch

No one has a more difficult job than California coach Justin Wilcox, who must sweep up the residue of the 39-38 loss to Miami last Saturday night in Berkely. The Golden Bears led 35-10 late in the third quarter.

“We don’t burn the tape,” Wilcox said. “We have to learn from it.”

The defense was on the field for 90 snaps, and Miami scored three touchdowns in the final 10 minutes against the weary bunch.

“It’s a kick in the gut when you don’t win those games you feel you are capable of winning,” Wilcox said.

Previously, California lost to Florida State, 14-9, the only victory for the Seminoles in six games.

Still, Cal is a dangerous team that is third in the nation with a plus-8 turnover margin (12-4) and No. 1 with 11 interceptions.

”They’re a really good football team that has been tested,” Narduzzi said. “Whoever did their scheduling didn’t do them any favors.”

Cal (3-2, 0-2) played Auburn, Florida State and Miami in a month’s time. “Three really good teams,” Narduzzi said. “Hopefully going on No. 4.”

Pitt will be Cal’s third east coast trip this season.