While waiting for downfield catch opportunities to surface, Pitt wide receivers learn the importance of blocking

Tiquan Underwood was a star wide receiver at Rutgers, where he caught 132 passes for 1,931 yards and 16 touchdowns. Over five NFL seasons, he caught another 63 balls for 1,006 yards and six scores.

Nice playing career, for sure.

Yet Underwood — now coaching wide receivers at Pitt — is not the type to talk about past accomplishments. It’s onward and upward while the past is best forgotten.

Except for one game.

“When he does talk about (his playing career),” Pitt wide receiver Konata Mumpfield said, “it’s usually about him going crazy against Pitt.”

Yes, you can look it up.

Underwood was 3-0 as a player against his present employer during the 2006-08 seasons. His touchdown catch Oct. 21, 2006, at what was then known as Heinz Field was part of his five-catch, 45-yard effort. It led to Rutgers’ 20-10 victory against Pitt on the way to an 11-2 season.

These days, Underwood is in the middle of another season that some believe could yield 11 victories. He’s working with his wide receivers every day in an attempt to complete what has the potential to be a strong offensive attack.

Pitt already has a productive ground game, with Izzy Abanikanda leading the ACC in rushing. The passing game is trying to catch up.

Before getting hurt against Western Michigan, senior wide receiver Jared Wayne was having the kind of season that leads to postseason accolades, catching 13 passes for 265 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown that forced overtime against No. 8 Tennessee. His 20.4-yard average per reception is 22nd in the nation, fourth in the ACC.

Wayne didn’t play against Rhode Island, leaving Mumpfield and Bub Means, two first-year transfers, as the leaders of the wideouts. They didn’t play poorly, combining for 11 receptions and 80 yards. But neither player had a catch longer than Means’ 14-yarder. For the season, Mumpfield is averaging 10.7 yards per catch and Means 9.7.

Meanwhile, blocking for Abanikanda and the running game remains just as important as any catch.

After all, Abanikanda isn’t averaging 5.8 yards per carry, with 76- and 67-yard touchdown runs, by himself.

“I was proud of the receivers, the way they blocked whether it was for the running backs or some of those bubble (screens) on the perimeter,” Underwood said. “Just fighting their tails off. I thought that was very unselfish of our room. When the opportunities do come, we just have to be ready and make a play.”

No one can articulate to wide receivers the importance of blocking better than Underwood. At Rutgers, he blocked for Ray Rice, the school’s all-time leading rusher with 4,926 yards.

Underwood remembers the 2007 Army game when Rutgers’ quarterbacks completed only three passes among 12 attempts. But Rice ran for 243 yards, and Rutgers won 41-6.

But the 2007 Army team isn’t on Pitt’s 2022 schedule.

At some point, an opponent — perhaps Georgia Tech on Saturday — will load up the box close to the line of scrimmage. In turn, that could open up passing lanes downfield. Getting Wayne back on the field would help, too.

“We preach patience,” Mumpfield said. “(Offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr.), he has a plan, and we’re all into it. I definitely think more opportunities will open up.”

Mumpfield said the emphasis on blocking has helped improve his overall game. After all, the NFL assumes the best college wide receivers can catch. What they really want to see is how well they block.

“I feel like we struggled maybe (blocking) in practice,” Mumpfield said. “But we’ve definitely gotten better with it.”

Tight end Karter Johnson said he enjoys blocking for Abanikanda.

“If you see him (Izzy) behind you, you better get your butt moving,” he said.

Pitt is ninth in the ACC in aerial yards (950 in four games, 536 after the catch), a ranking Underwood and his guys are working to improve.

“We had a few drops, a few mistakes early in the season, and we learned from those mistakes,” Underwood said. “As long as we’re learning from it and pushing forward, I feel like this group is going to be fine.”

Mumpfield said he believes his best efforts are ahead of him.

“Definitely not satisfied with where I’m at as a player,” he said. “But everybody has adversity. God gives His toughest battles to His toughest soldiers.”