Jeff Feyerer’s game balls for the Pitt game:
Offense – WR Ben Skowronek
It feels easy to look at the box score and say Ian Book, but all season we’ve been waiting for a wide receiver to make a play and Skowronek did. A complete non-factor thus far in 2020, the guy that was going to try to play the “big physical Chase Claypool” role scored a pair of touchdowns including a “Mossing” of an unsuspecting Pittsburgh DB who I assume we’ll never hear from again. If the passing offense can get it together (and by get it together I mean use Skowronek like they did today, find a way to both get the ball in Lenzy’s hands deep and on screens/crosses for some YAC, short throws to Tremble/Mayer, the occasional jump for McKinley), the Irish may have something.
Defense – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
What else do I have to say about this guy? I annoyed people for days last year about my love for Chase Claypool but I feel like the only reason I’ve been less about JOK is because I’ve been writing and on social media less. His interception today was truly the “what else do these damn scouts need to see?” moment. He’s a playmaker that sets the tone for the whole defense, more so than any defensive player during Brian Kelly’s tenure. More than Te’o and Jaylon Smith. Those guys were great Irish players. But the energy and versatility JOK has showed thus far has been truly Butkus Award and 1st round pick level
Next up: Geoffrey Clark’s Game Balls