Sep 3, 2016 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – Pitt’s football season opener received more attention than usual this year because of James Conner’s much-anticipated return, following the star running back’s successful battle with cancer and recovery from a season-ending knee injury.

But while Conner was the pre-game story, and rightfully so, it was Pitt’s defense that grabbed the headlines Saturday.

Pitt’s defense didn’t allow a score – Villanova’s only points came on a fumble return – as the Panthers whipped FCS school Villanova, 28-7 at Heinz Field.

The Wildcats (0-1), finished with 172 yards of total offense and never entered red-zone territory. Terrish Webb and Jordan Whitehead led the Panthers (1-0) with six individual tackles apiece. Webb, a senior safety, also had a second-quarter interception.

“(Defensive coordinator Josh) Conklin and (head coach Pat) Narduzzi preach violence and being fast to the ball, so as a defense that’s what we try to show,” Webb said. “The whole game we are just working on a goose egg, because we pride ourselves on not letting any team score on us.”

Pitt often struggled to generate momentum and move the ball smoothly. Quarterback Nathan Peterman completed 19 of 32 pass attempts for 175 yards and two touchdowns.

“It was a little sloppier than I would have liked,” Narduzzi said. “We never got in sync.”

But the Panthers took advantage of the good chances they had to attack, scoring on three of four trips into the red zone.

Conner was the catalyst, registering both Pitt first-half touchdowns. His first score came on a 3-yard run to the left corner midway through the second quarter as he stiff-armed a defender to clear his way toward the goal line.

“I saw a one-on-one opportunity,” Conner said. “And I like my chhances with that.”

He doubled his point total with 19 seconds to go in the first half when he held onto a Nate Peterman 9-yard pass placed in a small opening between two defenders closing in on the running back.

Outside of his finding the end zone twice, though, Conner didn’t resemble the player who won 2014 ACC player of the year. The redshirt junior was Pitt’s leading rusher but had just 53 rush yards on 17 carries. He said he misread a number of on-field situations, resulting in him not gaining all of the yards he could or should have.

“I’ve got a lot of stuff to improve on,” Conner said.

Still, the points provided by Conner were all Pitt would need, but more came, first from sophomore receiver Quadree Henderson, who returned the opening kickoff of the second half 96 yards, running straight up the right sideline.

“The whole first half I was getting big returns, and I was thinking I’ve got to take one of these to the house,” Henderson said. “Then in the second half that’s what I did.”

Though Villanova, never threatened, Pitt’s cushion received further padding midway through the final quarter when Peterman lobbed a 16-yard throw to redshirt junior Jester Weah for the receiver’s first collegiate touchdown.

Henderson’s touchdown marked the second consecutive game in which he returned a kickoff for a score. He had a 100-yard return for a TD in the Military Bowl against Navy. … Chris Blewitt became Pitt’s all-time leading scorer with seconds to go in the first half when he converted an extra point to make the score 14-0 Pitt. It was his 269th career point. Carson Long, who played at Pitt from 1973-76, held the previous record of 268. … Blewitt missed a 39-yard attempt wide in the first half and then had a 47-yard attempt blocked in the third quarter. … Senior tight end Scott Orndoff, a Waynesburg native, led the Panthers with 68 receiving yards on five catches.