PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The end of Pitt spring football drills on Saturday with the Pitt Blue-Gold spring game, heard live on Newsradio KDKA 100.1 FM & AM 1020 at 1p.
Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi allowed the 'super seniors' to draft the teams. Randy Bates coaches the Blue Team with Kenny Pickett and Damarri Mathis as captains. Tim Salem coaches the gold with tight end Lucas Krull and Phil Campbell as captains.
Several of the bigger names will play little if at all including Pickett, linebacker SirVocea Dennis and others yet to be named.
There are several position battles
QB (backup)
Pickett is the starter, but there is competition to see who the backup is. It hasn't been decided, but the opportunity is there on Saturday to get a leg up.
"It's been a battle, back and forth," Narduzzi said. "We will see what happens (Saturday). The work we get in Heinz Field is critical. We will organize where we are and then there will be another battle in the summer when coaches aren't there."
Arizona State transfer Joey Yellen got the most games, six, last year. He completed 45% of his passes for 402 yards with a touchdown and three picks.
Nick Patti has been around the program the longest, but played in two games completing 2 of 5 passes but did rush for a pair of touchdowns against Florida State.
Davis Beville is the highest recruited QB in the bunch that played last year. He played in 5 games but only threw 10 passes, completing 5.
The highest thought of freshman is 6'6", 210-pound Nate Yarnell from Texas.
Kicker
It may be the position with the most competition and biggest hole left, that few are discussing. Alex Kessman started four years and in the record books with 341 points, second all-time at Pitt for a kicker.
Pat Narduzzi said it's still a tie between redshirt freshman Ben Sauls and redshirt sophomore Sam Scarton out of Hickory HS in Mercer County. Neither has kicked in a college game, but Scarton's brother was a Pitt walk-on and now at Oregon State.
Offensive Tackle
It would appear three-year letterman, Upper St. Clair senior Gabe Houy and senior Carter Warren would start at tackle. Narduzzi said versatile Matt Goncalves and Carson Van Lynn are pushing at that position. Panthers also have 6'5", 315-pound Hampton University grad transfer Keldrick Wilson.
Guards appear set with Jake Kradel and Maryland transfer Marcus Minor with Owen Drexel at center. Pitt does love Goncalves and don't be surprised if he shows in the starting lineup in any offensive line position.
"COVID helped us a lot last year if you had to look at one positive," Narduzzi said. "Guys had an opportunity to start some games whether it was Goncalves and Van Lynn started against Clemson. Not what you want in an ideal world. Certainly not what Kenny Pickett wanted, but they got to get their feet wet in a big-time game."
Tailback
The normally tight-lipped Narduzzi named Vince Davis the starting tailback in March based on how he played at the end of the year. Davis rushed for 247 yards in the finale against Georgia Tech.
"Not so fast," Narduzzi said this week. "I shouldn't say stuff like that. You sit there and declare something and all of a sudden Izzy is coming on. Vince is still a good back, but Izzy is getting after it. There is a battle going on there. I declare a winner in pre-spring ball. Maybe that lit a fire under Izzy."
There was a lot of excitement about Israel Abanikanda in fall camp last year. The 5'11", 210-pound freshman from Brooklyn only ended up rushing 28 times for 95 yards.
"I think the thing about Izzy is that he's picked up the pass protection," Narduzzi said. "He's gotten a lot more mature and understanding that you just can't carry the ball and score touchdowns. You got to be able to protect the quarterback and he's done that a lot better than last year. He's picked up the mental part."
"He's big. He's fast. He's physical. He can catch the ball out of the backfield. He has some patience and great vision. Tailbacks set their blocks up as far as the way they attack the holes and he's done a great job of setting it up and finding the hole."
While Narduzzi said Daniel Carter, AJ Davis and Todd Sibley have improved, it's Vincent Davis and Abanikanda would have shined so far.
Senior transfer tight end Lucas Krull is back from injury and had a strong camp. Narduzzi nearly every media session raves about early enrollee Gavin Barholomew out of eastern PA. They've been waiting for Farrell's Kyi Wright to bust through. There is competition there.
Defense
Kentucky transfer MJ Devonshire joins Brandon Hill (10 games and 2 starts last year), Judson Tallandier (11 games on special teams last year) and Buddy Mack (11 games on special teams last year) to battle for the open safety spots with Paris Ford and Damar Hamlin gone.
Narduzzi said the biggest battle is at corner when he believes AJ Woods, Rashad Battle, returning from injury Damarri Mathis and 8-game starter Marquis Williams are all really good. He doesn't believe they will have an answer until the week of the first game.
Linebackers are hard to read for this game without SirVocea Dennis, but a ton of experience with seventh year John Petrishen, fifth year seniors Chase Pine, Cam Bright and Phil Campbell.
Even with the loss of Rashad Weaver and Patrick Jones, experience at defensive end with Habakkuk Baldonado, Deslin Alexandre, John Morgan and Dayon Hayes.
A pair of returning starters at tackle with Devin Danielson and David Green with Keyshon Camp, Calijah Kancy, Tyler Bently and Deandre Jules looking for time.
Kirk Christodoulou returns as punter for a fourth season. He is also an experienced holder to help whoever wins the placekicking battle.
New Coaches
Pitt added a new linebackers coach, Ryan Manalac and receivers coach, Brennan Marion in 2021. Narduzzi said Marion brought a new attitude and energy to the receiving corps and he's never seen them block as well.
"I talk to our players," Narduzzi said of the new coaches. "They all got tool belts on them and someone has a screwdriver and a hammer, but any new coach can bring you a new weapon to make you a better football player. Every coach has a little bit different twist to some of the individual things."
Former Panthers Pat Bostick and Dorin Dickerson help anchor KDKA's coverage of the Blue-Gold game with special guests including Athletic Director Heather Lyke and new ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips.
