UCONN vs Pittsburgh Preview

Wars involve multiple battle fronts, so when Connecticut and Pittsburgh knock heads in the Steel City, look for the matchup that will receive less attention, not more, as the key to a consequential confrontation.

This Big East game involves two separate skirmishes. One of them is the high-profile showdown between Randy Edsall's hard-hitting Husky defense and Dave Wannstedt's increasingly explosive offense. The other one--involving UConn's offense and Pitt's defense--will linger in the shadows, dwarfed in the eyes of fans and pundits by the sexier showcase on the other side of the ball. Yet, if you want to get a handle on this contest, you might be surprised by its hinge point.

It's obvious that the ticket-buying public at Heinz Field will be drawn, first and foremost, to the action that will unfold when Pitt possesses the pigskin. The Panthers, under Wannstedt, might want to be a run-first team, but the fact of the matter is that Pitt has become a passing powerhouse. Quarterback Bill Stull has developed a very easy rapport with receiver Jonathan Baldwin. With a confident signal caller slinging the rock to a sure-handed downfield threat, the Panthers offer the quick-strike capability that can light up the scoreboard while also softening up defenses for the ground game with running back Dion Lewis. In recent years, Pittsburgh offenses have given the team's fan base an abundance of anxieties, but now, this unit has become the backbone of the program.

For the visitors from New England, defense has become the calling card through the first month of 2009. Connecticut butters its bread with a physical defense that has snuffed out a number of veteran quarterbacks, such as T.J. Yates of North Carolina and Robert Griffin of Baylor. Connecticut took on the Tar Heels and Bears at a perceived disadvantage, but after containing both Yates and especially Griffin--UConn allowed just 10 points to UNC's offense, and only 14 to Baylor until a late tack-on touchdown artificially inflated the Bears' point total to 22--it became clear that the Huskies' defense is not only a game-saver, but a game-changer. Players are rarely out of position, and always locate the ball, under the guidance of Edsall and defensive coordinator Todd Orlando. The clash with Pitt's offense will surely draw the attention of most Big East watchers and casual college football fans.

With all this having been said, it often happens that when one offense-defense matchup greatly exceeds the other in terms of star power and attractiveness, the other, less-heralded matchup often decides the donnybrook.

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The winner of Huskies-Panthers will surely be influenced by Bill Stull and Todd Orlando, but it might very well be decided by UConn signal caller Cody Endres and Pittsburgh's secondary. Endres takes a backseat on UConn's offense, allowing running backs Andre Dixon and Jordan Todman to perform most of the work on gameday. Pittsburgh, though, has a porous secondary that was exploited to a certain extent by Buffalo in week two, and then eviscerated by North Carolina State gunslinger Russell Wilson in week four. Fans will obviously enter Heinz Field wondering how well Pitt's passing game can flourish, but it's the Huskies' aerial attack that will determine how many points Pitt needs to score. If the Huskies can be productive on offense and display the balance the Panthers already possess, this game could become much more of a shootout than a lot of the experts think. A 24- or 27-point outing by UConn will put pressure on Stull to keep up in a high-stakes game of poker, and if the Panthers' field general gets nervous at the big-boy table, the visitors could waltz into Three Rivers territory and steal an upset win.

Yes, there are two games within the game when Connecticut travels to Pittsburgh this weekend. Be sure to look at the undercard in addition to the heavyweight bout.

By Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer