In wake of season's 1st loss, Pitt senior Brandon George questions team's practice habits

Perhaps too easily, collegiate athletes are called kids by those who observe them and analyze the games they play.

No doubt, some of them are, especially in this time of prospects skipping half of their senior year in high school to enroll six months before graduation.

But Brandon George is no kid. He’s a serious, thoughtful, respected team leader who has dropped sweat on the Pitt practice fields for six seasons. He’ll turn 24 before the end of this one.

His words after Pitt’s embarrassing 48-25 loss to SMU on Saturday night carry more weight than those of most anyone else on the team. What he said was disturbing because he questioned the team’s practice habits, a basic task that never should become an issue. This was a team that, by all internal accounts, had its eyes focused on the process, ignoring the praise from a 7-0 start and just trying to navigate the season one practice drill at a time.

Now, according to George, Pitt isn’t even practicing appropriately — after three months of doing it.

“We have to prepare better throughout the week, have better practice habits,” George, one of four co-captains, said Saturday night in Dallas. “I need to go into practice with a better mindset. I need to make sure that guys are on the same page, guys are executing well.

“That goes for everybody with a C on their chest. We allowed too much stuff to slip. God has a funny way of humbling everybody. Now we know what’s going on.”

Sadly for Pitt fans, some of whom are already predicting a 7-5 record, it took a serious beating for the Panthers (7-1, 3-1) to realize their shortcomings.

Perhaps poor practice habits contributed to the loss, but coach Pat Narduzzi and his staff also must figure out how to counteract the areas where Pitt is lacking.

Truth be told, Pitt was punched in the teeth and took a significant beating from an ACC rival. But the loss was more than just getting knocked to the ground. Pitt’s players appeared less athletic than their opponents. They couldn’t keep up with SMU’s speed on either side of the ball.

Often, Pitt’s missed tackles had nothing to do with physicality. Players just whiffed.

“We were definitely in position to make a lot of those plays,” George said. “It just comes down to execution, wrapping up, running our feet. That’s a practice habit thing that we will correct.”

On the other side of the line of scrimmage, the offensive line, which especially misses injured left tackle Branson Taylor, allowed Mustangs defenders into the backfield without the need to blitz excessively. Quarterback Eli Holstein played like a redshirt freshman who turned 20 years old just last week. He looked uncomfortable and unsure in the pocket. But he often was not given enough time to look downfield and make a good throw.

“It’s a team game,” Narduzzi said when asked if Holstein hit a freshman wall. “It takes 11 guys out there running the right routes, and it takes protection and you have to trust your protection. He’s played well all year. You can’t be great every day. We’ll bounce back.”

To their credit, Narduzzi and George shouldered much of the blame, which is what leaders do.

“All of us, me especially, there were a few plays in there that I wish I could have back,” George said. “We live. We learn. We keep stepping forward. We’re going to be all right.”

The obvious answer is that SMU (8-1, 5-0 and now ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press poll) is just a better team. On that one night, for sure; maybe on any night. But Pitt’s mistakes made it too easy for the Mustangs.

“Obviously, they are a very good football team,” George said. “We gave them a lot of stuff that we just shouldn’t give at the end of the day.”

With four games left in the season, Pitt has the opportunity to correct its mistakes.

Virginia (4-4, 2-3 ACC) comes into Acrisure Stadium on Saturday night after a week off on a three-game losing streak. Then, it’s Clemson (6-2, 5-1) at home and trips to Louisville (6-3, 4-2) and Boston College (4-4, 1-3).

Those thoughts about winning the ACC need to be set aside. Pitt remained in the Top 25 poll, falling from No. 18 to No. 23, but its next goal should be simply to practice well.

Then, perhaps senior co-captain Gavin Bartholomew will be proven correct.

“One loss does not define us,” he said. “I know the team. I know we’re going to bounce back.”