Pitt has a serious problem on offense right now: it cannot run the football. After four games in the 2020 season, it’s been made clear that this offense has a major deficiency when it lines up and tries to run the ball.

As a defensive-minded team, running the ball, chewing up clock, and staying on the field should absolutely be a major part of the team’s overall philosophy and right now that is simply not an option.

Pitt played four different running backs in its 30-29 loss to North Carolina State on Saturday, and they provided 52 yards on 22 carries with 0 touchdowns. The backs could not make plays out of nothing, because the offensive line did not give them much room to run.

Jimmy Morrissey is a four-year starter at center and a team captain. He anchors a line that features one other senior, two juniors and a sophomore. All five players have had starting experience prior to this season, but the group is struggling as a whole to open up running lanes and it was one of the direct reasons that cost the team a win on Saturday.

“I’m responsible for the O-line and take responsibility for the run game and when you can’t run the ball effectively in the first couple of series, your coordinator loses confidence in the offensive line and I don’t blame him one bit,” Morrissey said as his team dropped to 3-1 on the season. “We didn’t deserve a run call and we’ll be better next week. It’s the O-line’s fault.”

Morrissey takes blame for the overall output, but a particular sequence stands out above the rest. Pitt closed the first half on a strong note narrowing the deficit to 17-13. Pitt came out in the second half and outplayed the Wolfpack in the third quarter, but failed to capitalize on a 1st-and-goal from the one-yard line in the opening series after the break.

Pitt attempted three runs for the one yard line and a pass and came away with zero points. Pitt's fourth down attempt went for a two-yard loss after handing it off to Vincent Davis for the second time in four plays.

‘It’s heartbreaking and embarrassing,” Morrissey said of the third quarter sequence.

“You know, obviously there's things that we need to do better when we get down there and we've focused on it more than we ever have really to be honest with you,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said. "Again, give them credit now, they've got a good defense and they played well today. We had our opportunities, and we've just got to finish.”

Pitt found some room to run in the fourth quarter, but at that point the pace of the game had changed. Offensive coordinator Mark Whipple had to put the game in quarterback Kenny Pickett’s hands for the most part with no running game to help share the pressure.

“I think we were trying to get the running game going during those times and we were waiting to pop a run and let the linemen set their pads up, but it just wasn’t going our way that way,” Quarterback Kenny ickett said. “The second half we just came out and we were slinging it, so we just had to adjust to what they were doing.”

Pickett himself finished with 40 yards on 15 carries and two rushing touchdowns, as he had to score himself on two subsequent goal line scenarios. He looked to be Pitt's most effective runner throughout most of the game.

Pitt sophomore Vincent Davis also finished with 40 yards, with most of that coming in the fourth quarter. He has been the leading rusher all year, but has yet to really separate himself from the pack. Narduzzi said he’d like for one guy to emerge above the rest, but that just isn’t the case with his team at the moment.

“Again, I thought Vince ran hard when he had holes, especially in the second half,” he said. "We ran the ball better. But again, give them credit. They stopped our run early.”

Pitt simply has to get the running game going this season and quickly. The Panthers posted 503 yards of offense on Saturday, with Pickett throwing for 411 to go with his 40 rushing yards. The rest of the offense needs to account for more than 52 yards if this team has any hopes of rebounding and stacking some wins in the final seven contests.

Morrissey wants to take this loss as an opportunity to fix the problems at hand.

“Just make sure that we take a lesson from this loss and that this loss doesn’t go to waste,” he said. “Like I said earlier it’s heartbreaking that this happens. Our senior class, we have a high standard for this 2020 team and that standard is not going to change and we’re going to be a lot better next week.”