A week ago, Tyler Boyd played his first college football game and dazzled. A reasonable argument can be made, in fact, that he was perhaps even Pitt's most impressive player on the field in that game. With 151 all-purpose yards, there's no doubt that Boyd was a huge hit.
It shouldn't come as much surprise that Pitt fans immediately called for more of the freshman. It's understandable that the coaches limited his role since it was his first game, but if you were hoping to see more of Boyd in Week 2, it sounds like you just might.
Speaking after the loss to the Seminoles, head coach Paul Chryst said he wants to get Boyd more involved:
“We would absolutely like to give him more touches,” Chryst said of Boyd. “We’re trying to find ways to get him the ball..."
That's refreshing to hear. As I wrote about recently, his versatility is a welcome change to the typical Pitt athlete. The Panthers haven't had many do-everything stars and Boyd showed in Pitt's opener that he could be that type of player.
Forcing the issue isn't what fans what, but here's the thing - Boyd makes it easy for coaches to involve him due to his sheer ability to fit in a number of places. Pitt can use him at kick returner, where he starred in Game 1, nearly breaking a kickoff for a touchdown. They can use him in the backfield where he was so effective on end around runs. They also have him at wide receiver, where he made a fantastic grab against Florida State.
Pitt can find ways to get the ball into his hands without even trying all that hard. And if Chryst makes a conscious effort to involve Boyd even more, look for a heavy dose of him against New Mexico.
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