Scouting Pitt Special Teams

Time to scout the Pitt special teams. Last week the USF coverage team had a hard time stopping the UTEP Miners and will have to do a better job against a team that is playing at home in front of a national audience. USF has the skill and speed to do a solid job and here is who they will be facing.

Junior Kevin Harper (5-10 180-pounds) is the kick-off specialist and place kicker for the Panthers. He is averaging 63.2 yards per kick and has just two touchbacks on the season so expect Lamar to get his chances at returns and try to set up the Bulls with solid field position. Harper is 6 of 9 on field goals this season, so if the Panthers are stopped, he is fairly reliable in getting points on the board for them.

Sophomore Matt Yoklic (6-4 205-pounds) is the starting punter. He has had 9 punts so far this season, averaging 39.8 yards per kick, landing two within the opponents 20-yard line. Whoever returns punts for USF in this game will have to field the ball and get up field so not to pin the team back deep.

Freshman running back Corey Davis (5-11 180-pounds) is the leading return man on kick-offs for Pitt. He has 7 returns for 136 yards on the season (19.4 yards per average return). Senior defensive back Buddy Jackson (6-1 180-pounds) has 3 returns for 96 yards (32 yards per average return). Both players are dynamic in the return game and will pose a big challenge for USF and stopping them before they can do any kind of damage.

Freshman wide receiver Ronald Jones (5-8 185-pounds) is a dangerous return man with 9 returns for 69 yards (7.7 yards per punt return). Junior wide receiver Cameron Sadler (5-7 170-pounds) and junior safety Jarred Holley (5-10 190-pounds) are also weapons in the return game that the Bulls will have to contend with.

Overall, Pitt has a solid return game, solid kicking, and a decent punter that will make the battle for field position an all-time ordeal for the Bulls. The Bulls would appear to have the edge at speed in the return game, but there are issues with the coverage time in kick-offs and the ability to punt the ball as well, so this is going to be a match up to watch throughout the night.