PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It was the Blue team with the more experienced defensive players beating the Gold as Pitt football concluded spring practices with the Blue Gold Spring Game, final 17-14.
There were some areas to clean up, some dropped passes and a couple missed field goals, but Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi said overall they played with good energy and most importantly no injuries.
Here is a look at some of the key players from Saturday’s matchup at Acrisure Stadium.
RBs Ja’Kyrian Turner and Justin Cook
With Desmond Reid, Derrick Davis and Juelz Goff not playing, two running backs took the majority of the snaps and all the carries. Turner rushed 17 times for 44 yards for the Blue and Cook 10 attempts for 42 yards and a touchdown for the Gold.
“Turner has been outstanding all spring and Justin Cook is a football player,” Narduzzi said. “He hasn’t played much running back in his career, but he knew we were short going in camp, so we moved him to running back right away.”
Running backs coach Lindsey Lamar said Turner and Cook got a lot of quality reps all spring and continued to improve even with all of the work.
CB Shadarian Harrison
Named the Ed Conway Award winner, with receiver Kenny Johnson, had a pair of interceptions, including on the second play of the game. Harrison is a redshirt sophomore who has had to battle through injury to finally get on the field for some special teams last year.
Harrison said he went ‘1,000 miles-an-hour’ in practice and the mindset was to seize every moment in every practice this spring.
“It was a pretty tough two years just coming in with all of the confidence in the world and then getting hurt,” Harrison said. “It was mentally draining. Came back with a confident attitude and Coach (Archie) Collins was patient and kept me uplifted.”
“The most impressive thing about him is that he missed a lot of reps with the injury that he had,” said Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi. “The way he fought in the offseason to get better at everything. The guy must have been watching tape on his own because he came out in spring ball and just knew what he was doing.”
“He had a heck of a day. Drip has got ball skills.”
LB Kyle Louis
The All-American linebacker was one of three players to throw a touchdown pass (with Eli Holstein and Mason Heintschel) and said they only did one practice rep on the play. Narduzzi said it was supposed to be a running play.
“He was like ‘it was open, I got to throw it,’ Narduzzi said. “He said ‘coach, players make plays.”
Louis said he’s never been a quarterback in his life. He’s run the wildcat, but never threw a ball in a game.
“I keep begging the coaches to put a ball in my hand so the magic will work,” Louis said.
“He’s such a fun guy to coach,” said Pitt linebackers coach Ryan Manalac. “His competitive spirit. He’s a play-maker. He’s a ball player. Fun to watch him do it.”
“He has that confidence, but balances it with being humble. It’s fun to see an All-American stay that hungry, it’s a blessing for our team to have Kyle.”
WR Cataurus ‘Blue’ Hicks
The sophomore Louisville transfer caught a slant in the second quarter and raced 65 yards, untouched, for a touchdown off a pass from Mason Heintschel.
“I saw it pre-snap,” Hicks said. “I saw Mason look at me. I already knew, I just needed catch it and get vertical.
That’s what I did.”
“That gives me relief,” said receiver Kenny Johnson about the impact of having Hicks this year. “Now I know if the team wants to play with a safety overtop. They are doubling me and they got Blue in one-on-one coverage, I feel confident we are going to win. I feel confident Zion is going to be able to win. It’s just a big relief, just being able to have a good tandem with me and work off it.”
Narduzzi said Hicks has been bugging him to change his number from 81 to a single-digit, now he may have to do it.
QB Mason Heinschel
A true freshman from Toledo, the right-hander had the best completion percentage, aside from Louis, 8-11 for 114 yards.
“He’s a good football player,” Narduzzi said. “He’s got a little swagger to him. He threw the ball well. He had a nice RPO.”
“He nice,” Hicks said. “As a freshman, he nice. I love Mason, but I love all of our quarterbacks though.”
LB Cam Lindsey
The redshirt freshman from Aliquippa had an early pass defense in the end zone to prevent a touchdown to go with five tackles.
“Has been fun to see his development, works really hard,” Manalac said. “I think you guys probably noticed, he looks bigger, stronger, more confident. He made a play on some balls. I think he’s going to have an impact this year.”
“I’m super-proud of Cam,” Louis said. “Just coming in as a young buck. I’m telling you he came a long way. Over the spring-time, in my eyes, he’s been the most improved player. I’m definitely proud of Cam and think he’s going to make some big plays this year.”
STATS
· QB—Heintschel 8-11, 114 yards, TD/Julian Dugger 7-12, 37 yards/David Lynch 14-19, 84 yards/Eli Holstein 17-33, 171 yards, TD, 2 INT
· WR/TE—Zion Fowler El 5-45 yards, TD/Hicks 3-67, TD/Ja’Kyrian Turner 3-15/Bryce Yates 2-19 yards/Jake Overman 2-14/Max Hunt 1-5
· WR/TE—Justin Cook 12-68 yards/Kenny Johnson 7-63/Cam Sapp 4-32, TD/Tony Kinsler 3-37/Malachi Thomas 3-16/Caden Smith 1-28/Truitt Brown 1-11
· Blue defense—Braylan Lovelace 7 tackles, Kyle Louis 6, Tamon Lynum/Luke DelGaudio 5, Shadarian Harrison 4
· Blue TFL-Jimmy Scott/Sean FitzSimmons 2, Lovelace, Louis, DelGaudio 1
· Gold defense—Abe Ibrahim/Zach Crothers 6 tackles, Josh Guerrier/Davion Pritchard/Cameron Lindsey 5, Cruce Brookins 4
· Gold TFL-Jahsear Whittington/Jaeden Moore/Francis Brewu-2, Lindsey/Shawn Lee, Jr/Zach Zollers 1