PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Football players will obviously come to Pitt, or other schools, because of the coaches. For recent graduate transfer Blaine Spires the head coach was a huge factor, but so was where he came from.
A defensive lineman with a bachelor's degree from Utah State thought about transferring to Texas-San Antonio for a final season, but there were several reasons to come back close to home, most notably fellow Youngstown native Pat Narduzzi.
"It don't get no better than that," Spires said Wednesday. "Along the way sometimes you come across coaches, they may not understand where you are coming from. But from Coach Duzz being there and having strong ties to my city."
"He understands what it is like to come from the city I come from, it gave me a sense of comfort. I got to do my best for him too because he gave me an opportunity."
Spires played only four games in 2024 due to a foot injury, but the previous season, the 6'3", 250 pounder had 27 tackles with 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks with 10 quarterback hurries.
He likes the speed of the defense that Pitt plays. It's a group that attacks from all positions and tries to create chaos. That fits his game.
From how he describes it, chaos is also where he grew up. Spires graduated from Youngstown East High School. The math proficiency is 5% and reading proficiency 16% according to the 2024 US News report. The have the lowest median income of any school district in the state of Ohio ($21,644).
"I come from the bottom of the bottom," Spires said. "That's facts.
Growing up, I've seen a lot. A lot of my friends don't get to experience this. A lot of friends are dead now. It takes real resiliency."
Football is huge in Youngstown. Spires said you would always look up to those who had the ability to play at the next level. It was a beacon of hope for Spires and others. Now he's hoping to be that for other Mahoning County students.
"I think me being in college, that's my whole story, is resiliency," Spires said. "With my background, I didn't know if I would be able to hold up. Once you are able to come from that, if you make it out of there, you can do anything in life. I promise you."
His desire is to invite as many people from home to come see him play in Pittsburgh this season. See someone from their neighborhood succeeding. He used football to improve his life watching players like former Pitt running back Darrin Hall. Even if just one could notice what Spires has done.
