To smell a victory against Syracuse, Pitt must avoid those nasty TFLs - TribLIVE

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The best way for Pitt to keep Syracuse’s defensive front socially distant Saturday might be for the offensive linemen to wear what Pat Narduzzi calls those “stinky, smelly” T-shirts under their jerseys.

Even right guard Jake Kradel wondered about the bonding ritual Pitt’s linemen adopted in training camp, every day wearing a T-shirt that read “Passion,” often neglecting to do a wash.

“It didn’t smell that bad for the first week and half,” said Kradel, a sophomore from Butler. “Two weeks, it started to get a little lingering (smell).”

If there’s no ACC rule against wearing odiferous gear, there should be. But Pitt won’t go that route, instead choosing to use the traditional method of keeping the defense at bay: blocking anyone in sight until the whistle sounds. At least, that’s the plan.

Syracuse’s front seven will be one of Narduzzi’s concerns when Pitt returns to Heinz Field to open its ACC schedule at noon Saturday.

The Orange recorded eight tackles for a loss last week against North Carolina, projected to be one of the ACC’s best teams. Syracuse’s defense helped keep the score close through three quarters until the Tar Heels scored 21 unanswered points to nail down a 31-6 victory.

Narduzzi was pleased with how his offensive line played against Austin Peay — Kradel was named Pitt’s lineman of the week — but the coach knows the vacation is over.

“For the most part, there were no MAs (missed assignments),” the coach said. “It wasn’t like we turned somebody loose (on a pass rush).

“We’re going to turn someone loose on Saturday, I can promise you. They (the Orange) do some crazy stuff up front. There’ll be some TFLs.”

The running game is an 11-man endeavor, so Narduzzi will expect wide receivers to block defensive backs in an attempt to turn short gains into longer ones. He’ll want his offensive linemen to look for a second defender to block after handling the first one.

“We did what we had to do (in the opener),” he said. “It’s going to be a little harder grading scale this week. The talent gets better. They get bigger. They get faster and get stronger. It will be a little bit different.”

The key will be video study and communication to fight back against the many loops, stunts and twists employed by Syracuse’s pass-rushing, run-blitzing linemen.

“They present some unique challenges because they never sit still,” Pitt running backs coach Andre Powell said.

When they’re not practicing or taking their online classes, Pitt’s offensive linemen are studying tendencies and clues that will give away a defender’s next move.

Such as:

What does it mean when a defensive linemen lines up with his elbows on his knee? “What’s he showing?” Narduzzi said. “There are all those things a good offensive lineman knows prior to and expects all those stunts.”

Coming from Butler, the learning curve was steep for Kradel.

“Coming in as a true freshman, I had no idea all the stuff that went into (playing the line),” he said. “We didn’t pass much at my high school. It took me about a good year and a half.”

Kradel said the trust built among all 18 offensive linemen helps. They hang out off the field, sometimes spending late hours watching video or maybe just having a cookout at All-ACC center Jimmy Morrissey’s house.

“We try to go to each other’s house and hang out with each other and get to know each other more and have better trust on the field,” Kradel said.

That includes sometimes signaling their presence with loud chants. “Making sure everyone knew we’re there,” he said.

Notes: Narduzzi said running back Vincent Davis will start the game, but the coach expects to use the entire stable of backs. … Sophomore defensive end Habakkuk Baldonado’s injury suffered in the opener isn’t season-ending. “If he was out for the year, I would tell you. But Haba’s doing well,” Narduzzi said.

Jerry DiPaola is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jerry by email at jdipaola@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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