PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said there was a lot to like from the Blue Gold Spring Game at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday. In these scrimmages you could be happy and mad as Pitt staffers, players and fans.
Here are 7 takeaways from Pitt spring ball.
Gavin deeper
The senior tight end Gavin Bartholomew said he wanted to leave his name and his note on the program with a great year. He said he brings a hungriness and an edge and wants to prove they can win a championship. He's coming off a disappointing year, but in the new Kade Bell offense has been more involved vertically.
"The last two weeks of spring ball, he's been a threat down the field. His route-running is getting better every single day," said first-year Pitt tight ends coach Jacob Bronowski. "That's the next phase for him to continue to improve as a route-runner in our offense. There is so much freedom within our offense to sit routes down and change routes based on the coverage and leverage of defenses.
"Gavin is getting that next level, like you see the Travis Kelce's of the world do. I can't wait to see it for our program."
Vertical outside threat
In the last couple of years since Jordan Addison bolted for cash, the Panthers have looked for a game-breaker. Kenny Johnson showed it with a 100-yard kickoff return as a freshman last year. What you need to know about the sophomore's maturation and belief in the new Pitt offense.
"As a receiver, I like that one-on-one matchup all the time and being the better man," Johnson said. "It's really nice getting free, easy touchdowns. Kade definitely gets you some free, easy touchdowns."
Saturday he took and short screen and went 18 yards for a touchdown.
"He's a warrior," Collins said. "It's hard to get true football players off the field. I think he's a true football field. We talk about iron sharpens iron (with Kenny Johnson at practice)."
Conway winners
It's the award that goes to the most improved during spring drills and it seemed like an easy decision from what you hear about practices. Just a sophomore, guard BJ Williams is becoming a leader on the offensive line and safety Cruce Brookins balled out on defense.
Both played last year as freshmen, although Brookins only played a pair of games saving his redshirt. Panthers safeties coach Cory Sanders said Brookins is so good because he is constantly working at his craft. When he has down time, he's studying his i-Pad looking at himself, the defense or other players to learn something.
"I feel like I have a lot more film in with older guys and learning from them and their past mistakes," Brookins said. "They have been helping me all Spring."
"He is going to try to put his hat on you," said Pitt secondary coach Archie Collins. "He likes to play with a lot of violence. I can't want to continue to see him blossom. He's going to be a special star for us."
"We knew Cruce was a football player when we signed him out of Steel Valley," Narduzzi said. "He loves everything about the game, including the preparation part of it. Cruce made a great impression on both his teammates and coaches this spring. We know he will be an asset for us this season."
Becoming the first true freshman to start on the offensive line in a decade, Williams began showing leadership skills last year.
"Last year by head was spinning a lot, just picking up the offense," Williams said. "It was a lot last year, but this year I'm more confident. I know my assignments. It's a lot easier to process for me."
"BJ is no longer a rookie on our offensive line and he carried himself like a veteran this spring," Narduzzi said. "He is asserting himself as a leader, both by his play on the field and in our meeting room. We are really excited about the jump he took this spring and look forward to his continued progress come training camp."
"Silent assassin, he doesn't say much," Collins said. "He just goes to work every dog-gone day. He played with a violent mentality. That's him talking with his pads. He's just a worker, doesn't complain about anything, just comes in every day and goes to work."
Defensive impact player
Last year he tied a Pitt record on special teams. Rasheem Biles make the most of his nine games blocking THREE punts. Now a sophomore, the linebacker is taking that play-making to the defense.
The Columbus native had a game-high seven tackles, two tackles for loss, a pass defended and a sack during the Blue Gold Game.
"He was everywhere, every single day," Bronowski said. "He was flying around, that's who he is. We are really excited about him."
"I knew he was going to be good when we came in together," Brookins said. "I saw him seven-on-seven during the summer. I saw how fast he was and how he can move. He's just a good player, I'm not going to lie."
Tailback from Western Carolina
Pitt All-American Dorin Dickerson and Pitt QB Pat Bostick said during the Spring Game broadcast on 100.1 FM and AM 1020 that Desmond Reid reminded them of Darren Sproles. Reid is not the biggest guy, 5'8", 175 pounds, but he carries a chip on his shoulder and is not afraid to be physical.
Reid had a touchdown called back, and had a few tough runs at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday. He followed offensive coordinator Kade Bell from WCU after averaging 112.1 rushing yards per game with 13 touchdowns and another 283 yards receiving in 2023. In his first year, Reid was named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year.
"Tough, small package, tough guy," Collins said. "I always talk about him being short in stature, but he's huge in heart. Being so low to the ground and having that power behind him."
Reid has a chance to challenge Rodney Hammond and others for carries this season.
Strong in the Wind
Both teams got on the board first on Saturday with long field goals, both kicked into the open end with strong winds. Redshirt freshman Sam Carpenter started the scoring for the gold team with a 44-yarder. Then senior Ben Sauls, who has made a few long FGs in strong winds (Sun Bowl), kicked a 50-yarder to tie the game.
"It's unbelievable," said Bronowski, also the first-year special teams coach. "It's hard as a specialist. It's no secret that this stadium is a tough stadium to kick in."
"Awesome for Sammy Carpenter, he was the first one, a long one."
"That's what Ben has been all spring. He has been super, ultra-efficient and a great leader for our room. The ball is exploding off his foot right now."
Trash can take
You believe your job might just be to gather waste, but you might just be a pawn in a bigger game if you are a trash can in the UPMC Rooney South Side facility. Narduzzi showed off a severely dented trash can Thursday in the team meeting room. He explained how he was in his office, at nearly the other side of the building, and heard several loud bangs.
It was Bronowski just getting his 'blue' team motivated before the Blue Gold Game and 'the passion poured out'
"I gave them a little quote from Sun Tzu, more than three-fourths of our guys didn't know who that was, and was talking to them, getting them fired up," Bronowski explained. "I looked over at the trash can and I picked it up and I started smashing it against my head."
"I may have punted it."
"It shows you can have a heck of a lot of fun when you work. You can whistle while you work, if that means banging a trash can against my head, so be it."
