South Florida more of a challenge than you think

Pitt’s bye week couldn’t have come at a better time.

After losing to Rutgers at home two… Pitt’s bye week couldn’t have come at a better time.

After losing to Rutgers at home two weeks ago, the Panthers had an extra week to reflect on what they did wrong and how they could remedy their mistakes in time to travel to Tampa, Fla., to take on South Florida.

The game against the Bulls is bigger than a lot of people think. A win this week all but guarantees the Panthers a berth in a post-season bowl, which is huge for head coach Dave Wannstedt coming off of last season.

At 6-2 overall, 2-1 in the Big East, the next two games are crucial for Pitt. This week at South Florida and next week at Connecticut are must-wins for Pitt, considering its last two opponents — West Virginia and Louisville.

Winning in the next two weeks would mean Pitt’s record would be, at worst, 8-4. If Pitt pulls an upset of either the Mountaineers or the Cardinals, it would be a huge step forward for the future of the program.

That said, let’s get to this week’s questions.

Q: Will we see something extra out of Tyler Palko down the stretch, these being his last games as a Panther?

A: How much more could we possibly see out of him? Palko has been the leader of this team for the past two and a half seasons and has shown it every single game. When he’s on the field, he takes control of the offense and is the primary reason Pitt is 6-2 this year.

Palko has always been calm about his career at Pitt ending, but now it might be coming into perspective with only four regular season games left. Also, his NFL stock could rise substantially should he string together a considerably strong end of the year.

But, Palko’s going to play hard no matter what, and his future in the NFL is probably the last thing on his mind.

Q: Does Mick Williams’ injury affect Pitt that much?

A: At this point in the season, not really. While Williams is an exceptional defensive lineman when he’s healthy, he hasn’t been healthy but for three games this season. Sure, he’s a difference maker when he’s in the game, but for the most part, he hasn’t been in the game too much as of late.

Also, the Pitt defensive line has done a decent job of improving without him and Doug Fulmer, who was hurt earlier in the season. Aside from Ray Rice’s one-drive display last week, the Pitt defense largely held the Panthers in the game while the offense struggled.

Williams would be nice to have against West Virginia, no doubt, but the Panthers have generally shown improvement.

Q: What is the key for Pitt to beat South Florida?

A: South Florida has drastically improved from last year to this year because of quarterback Matt Grothe.

If you remember, Pat Julmiste, the Bulls’ QB last year, was absolutely awful against the Panthers. Grothe is a different story. He’s a very efficient passer and has hit a large number of different receivers for touchdowns. He’s also good on foot, running for seven touchdowns.

The key for Pitt will be stopping Grothe on the ground. I hate to keep going back to it, but Drew Stanton of Michigan State didn’t beat Pitt through the air. The thing that worries me is Pitt’s recent inability to pressure opposing quarterbacks.

The pass rush, in my opinion, has been one of the defense’s largest weaknesses and has allowed a few quarterbacks to accumulate significant yardage on foot. While that hasn’t come back to bite them, in recent weeks, guys like Grothe and West Virginia’s Pat White could take advantage of it.