Stull keeps Pitt’s offense moving

On a simple third-quarter handoff on Saturday, Pitt quarterback Bill Stull collided knees with… On a simple third-quarter handoff on Saturday, Pitt quarterback Bill Stull collided knees with star halfback LeSean McCoy. Stull was down for a few seconds and got up hobbling. Thankfully for Stull and the Panthers, whatever harm done was limited. Stull didn’t miss a down, and Pitt went on to trounce Louisville at Heinz Field, 41-7. The last time Stull and McCoy collided, the junior quarterback was knocked out of Pitt’s 54-34 defeat to Rutgers Oct. 25. Stull was diagnosed with a concussion and a stinger in his neck and was taken off the field on a stretcher. ‘Shady’s always trying to get me,’ joked Stull. ‘I can’t win.’ Stull missed last week’s win against Notre Dame, although Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said doctors cleared him to play. Although Pitt emerged victorious, Panther fans watched the entertaining show of Pat Bostick overthrowing Jonathan Baldwin way too many times. McCoy carried the Panthers on his back the last five weeks, particularly in last week’s triumph over the Fighting Irish. But Stull proved why he is the true gasoline behind the Pitt offense against Louisville with his return. Louisville clearly focused on stuffing McCoy and Pitt’s running game. McCoy registered a career-low 39 rushing yards, which is all the more surprising considering that he topped 140 yards in each of the past five contests. Pitt only totaled 90 yards on the ground, with 27 of those coming from freshman receiver Aundre Wright. To get positive rushing yards, the Panthers had to rely on end-arounds and the Wildcat. With Pitt’s running game stuck in neutral, Wannstedt and offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh turned to Stull. The junior completed 15 of 27 passes for 216 yards and a touchdown. Although he misfired on a few short passes, he was generally on target and didn’t miss a beat despite the injury. ‘It’s his leadership in the huddle,’ said McCoy of Stull. ‘The plays he runs the best, we call them for him. Just having him there, that passing threat, it’s big for us.’ ‘It’s a matter of experience,’ added center C.J. Davis. ‘Bill did a great job today. They brought a lot of people, and we blocked it up.’ Stull spread the ball around to nine different receivers, with Derek Kinder leading the team with four catches. Oderick Turner showed up with a 26-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter, while Baldwin’s sheer presence again caused problems for the opposing defense. Baldwin caught two long passes for 80 yards, both leading to clutch touchdowns. The first was a 36-yard dart that came one play after Wright’s 76-yard touchdown run was called back because of a holding penalty. Wright would later score. The second came on a third-and-18, when Stull lobbed a pretty pass that Baldwin pulled down in single coverage for 44 yards. Seconds later, McCoy took a direct snap 11 yards for a score and a 27-7 lead. ‘We’re going to try to establish our running game no matter what ‘mdash; that’s our bread and butter,’ said Stull. ‘But, [we need] to be able to have the confidence with the coaches and our guys up front and our skill guys, to have the faith in me to find someone who’s open and if not to make the smart play and throw it away.’ Baldwin is a potential force any time he steps on the gridiron. With Stull at the helm, his talent can be utilized to the highest possible degree. Bostick can be an accurate quarterback, but last week he missed Baldwin and the other receivers too often. Stull holds the advantage over Bostick in terms of mobility and arm strength as well. While the offensive line struggled to open holes for McCoy, it pass-blocked admirably, giving Stull ample time to maneuver in the backfield. When the pocket broke down, Stull moved around and made the right throw. Bostick doesn’t have that capability at this stage in his career. Wannstedt admitted after the Notre Dame game that his passing game was limited without Stull. Against Louisville, Pitt threw down the field’ quick slants, screens, outs and ins, early and often. Pitt’s dismantling of the Cardinals is a warning to the rest of the Big East. It scored more points than its best player had rushing yards, not missing a beat. With Cincinnati’s upset of West Virginia, the conference is a three-way race to the finish. If Pitt beats both the Bearcats and the Mountaineers, it’ll drive to a BCS game. ‘We want to get to the main one,’ said Stull. ‘We love the fact that we decide our own fate.’ Without Stull, the Panthers won’t pull out of the parking lot.