PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s one thing to be the OG, ‘the uncle’, if you are one of the coaches or a former player. This description is how redshirt junior Kyle Louis sees himself with this year’s Pitt defense.
Coming off a spectacular season, he is on all of the watch lists and a preseason First-Team AP All-American along with the same designations with other outlets. With all of that attention, he said he has players following him around and while not an outward person, he embraces it.
“I’m just hanging out with them off the field, talking football talking life,” Louis said. “I definitely got close to them. I used to not be as vocal as I am now, but everybody is looking up to me.”
One of the big lessons is one he learned early in his career.
“My first year, I just came in when I was supposed to, do what I was supposed to, but that wasn’t enough,” Louis said. “One day I started coming in earlier and saw (former Pitt LB) Shayne Simon (already studying game tape and preparing in the offseason). I admired that, I started to do it. I saw the difference, first in practice and then in games.”
In season, Louis typically shows up at the UPMC South Side facility at 5:45a, well before the required time just so he could get extra work in. He’s seen others follow his lead.
“Definitely proud of that,” Louis said. “We definitely got to expand our work ethic, other people in other position groups and that’s how you set off a national championship defense.”
Louis scored twice last year, once off a 59-yard interception return another off a blocked PAT for two points. He led the team in picks (4), tackles for loss (15.5) and sacks (7) to go with 101 tackles overall.
He says he doesn’t pay attention to all of the outside talk or preseason awards, he believes especially in his linebacker group because they have the players, coaching, talent and hungriness to remain great and even get better. As long as they don’t lose that will to improve, he said they will make it happen.
“We know we are the best in the nation and we are just going to do what we do,” Louis said.
Last year they rolled into November 7-0, then fell apart. Injuries were a factor, especially offensively, but their aspirations of where the season could go, changed. It wasn’t just on the offense; the defense gave up an average of 35.8 points per game over the final six.
“I can see little things become big things,” Louis said of watching back to last year. “If we aren’t doing the little stuff right now, it’s going to turn into a big problem during the season. It was definitely a big issue last year and we are focused on erasing that this year.”
Louis is not just the ‘unc’ this year, the played voted him as the only junior captain. They are counting not only on his big plays, but big leadership and so far he is excelling in that as well.