Alexandre, Pinnock are two unsung heroes stepping up for Pitt

The Pitt defense has been the story of the 2019 season for the Panthers football program. It almost feels like a broken record at this point rattling off their stats week after week. The unit ranks in the top 25 nationally in a lot of major statistical categories. Here are a few that stand out above the rest

- 1st in Sacks with 45 as a team

- 11th in Total defense, surrendering just 298 yards a game

- 7th in rushing defense, allowing 90.9 yard on the ground a game

- 12th in 3rd down defense, holding teams to 30% conversion rate on third down

- 25th in redzone defense, allowing points 77% of the time inside the 20

Those five stats are very key to Pitt’s success in 2019. Pitt can rush the quarterback, it can slow down the run, and it gets off the field on third downs. We’ve heard all about the stars of this defense: Jaylen Twyman, Patrick Jones, Kylan Johnson, Paris Ford, Damar Hamlin, and Dane Jackson.

It has been more than those guys that are doing the things necessary to make this defense special. It takes more than one guy to rush the quarterback, and redshirt sophomore Deslin Alexandre has been a big player there. He was thrown into a starting role following a preseason injury to Rashad Weaver. He’s done more than his share in 2019 with 5.5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, and he played a key role in Pitt’s 34-27 win over North Carolina last week.

On the final play of the game, Tar Heel quarterback Sam Howell dropped back, but Alexandre got his hand on the pass attempt as it fell well short of the intended wide receiver. Alexandre made a huge play to help seal a win and he’s filling in a role many weren’t sure he would be able to handle. For Alexandre, it’s just football and he’s doing his job.

“I think I did whatever the team needed me to do,” he said of elevating his play following the Weaver injury. “Everything is the same mindset as far as how we’re preparing, nothing’s different. You never like to see a guy go down, but you always want to be there for the team when the team needs you.”

Pitt was expected to have a strong pass rushing duo with Jones and Weaver, but there has not been a drop-off following the Weaver injury and Alexandre has been a vital part of this team’s success, even if he’s not the one receiving the headlines.

“I wouldn’t say I’m slept on,” Alexandre said. “But everyday I come to work with the same mindset and just continue to work hard and good things happen.”

The plays in the fourth quarter, and throughout the season have not gone unnoticed to Pat Narduzzi.

“That guy has got a motor,” he said of Alexandre. "Deslin has played outstanding, and he had a heck of a game and made some critical, critical plays in the end where he takes a tight end and drives him right into the quarterback, and the quarterback throws it on the 2nd down into the dirt. It's because of Deslin and what he did.”

Pitt cornerback Dane Jackson has been a starter since his first game as a sophomore back in 2017. He likely has an NFL future and is one of the team leaders for Pitt. Opposing teams have tended to avoid Jackson in the passing game when possible.

So when you have a cornerback that rarely gets tested on one side, it means the other corners get a lot of work and that’s what happens when Jason Pinnock and Damarri Mathis are on the field.

Mathis had an interception against North Carolina, and after allowing some early plays in the game, Pinnock locked-down his man in the fourth quarter and overtime. Pinnock said he’s used to that, and enjoys the challenge

“I embrace it all the time, even when they got the fade ball to start the game off,” he explained. “They talk their stuff and I said, ‘Oh yea, I know it’s coming’ and when it comes down to the wire they tried me two times in a row, so you got to embrace that, you got to love that, and you’ve got to know it’s coming.”

Like Alexandre up front, Pinnock was key down the stretch in Pitt’s win over the Tar Heels, and he can also take on the role of being an unsung hero for this Pitt defense.

The stats and accolades are nice, but Pitt did surrender a fourth quarter lead and gave up some big passing plays to Sam Howell and the North Carolina offense. It didn’t sit well with Narduzzi.

“So, again, a lot of the finer details were missed, and I think as much as everybody pats the defense on the back….like I told you, you get evaluated at the end of the year, we evaluate them weekly, but we don't give them stars on their piece of paper. But they didn't play up to par, the expectations of what we have for them,” Narduzzi said of his team’s play last week. “So we'll have a better outing this weekend, I promise you that.”

Pinnock said he’s enjoyed seeing this defense transform since he was a freshman and he thinks part of the rise has been accountability, as everyone holds each other to high expectations.

“It’s exciting on and off the field, just guys we get together watch film,” Pinnock said playing for Pitt’s defense. “I think the biggest shift is that we expect a lot out of each other now, just spending a lot of time with each other, it’s just become so much fun.”

Virginia Tech will present some challenges to the Pitt defense. Since a September 27th loss to Duke, the Hokies have scored 34-or-more points in five of their last six games. Virginia Tech has also won five of its last six games, and have put themselves in a position to win the ACC Coastal.

After shuffling quarterbacks for a few weeks, sophomore Hendon Hooker has settled in the past two weeks and guided the Hokies to a pair of convincing wins over Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.

“He’s thrown eight touchdowns, no interceptions,” Narduzzi said of Hooker. "He gives them a chance to be in every football game because he's taking care of the football.”

Added Pinnock, “He’s good with his feet, so try and keep him and close him in the box and take away their big plays outside.”

It’s a big opportunity for Pitt with the ACC Coastal still in reach, and Alexandre is ready for the challenge ahead.

“I haven’t played at Virginia Tech, but Virginia Tech hearing from the other guys is a hard place to play,” he said. "The fans are really good fans, but we just want to lock in. We have a big task at hand, so we got to get together, play together, and play hard.”