Pitt practiced at Heinz Field this morning, which provided a nice change-of-pace for the team. It was chilly out, but I think the players liked being at Heinz, and it was certainly a good setting for the recruits who were in attendance.
- There were a few additions to the out/limited list on Saturday. Jeremiah Taleni and Dontez Ford were both on the sidelines. Taleni's absence hurts the depth at defensive tackle, especially since he had been working with the first team during this week's practices.
Fortunately, the DT's got Tyrique Jarrett back on Saturday. Pat Narduzzi said Thursday that Jarrett probably could have practiced that day, but the coaches held him out; Jarrett was back at it on Saturday, so he slotted in on the first team next to Justin Moody.
Otherwise, the defensive line looked the same as it did earlier this week:
DE - Ejuan Price and Dewayne Hendrix backed up by James Folston and Patrick Jones
DT - Moody and Jarrett backed up by Shakir Soto and Shane Roy
Allen Edwards and Rori Blair are also out and limited, respectively, so those two plus Taleni would be part of the rotation when healthy.
That caveat "when healthy" is important, but when healthy, the DE rotation should be pretty solid in both quantity and quality.
- The back seven looked the same during early-practice walk-throughs as it did this week. Matt Galambos (middle), Mike Caprara (Money) and Oluwaseun Idwou (Star) were on the first team, with Jim Medure (middle), Saleem Brightwell (Money) and Jalen Williams (Star) behind them.
Again, injuries are affecting the linebackers, with Bam Bradley, Quintin Wirginis and Anthony McKee - all likely two-deep players - on the shelf or limited.
- In the secondary, Ryan Lewis is getting work on the first team opposite Avonte Maddox (although Damar Hamlin spent some time talking with Pat Narduzzi, and it's not hard to imagine what the head coach is envisioning). Phillipie Motley seems to be splitting those reps with Lewis; that appears to be the main position battle right now at cornerback.
Malik Henderson and Dane Jackson were working on the second team early in Saturday's practice.
Reggie Mitchell wasn't at practice on Saturday, so Terrish Webb and Jordan Whitehead were at first-team safety with Jay Stocker and Dennis Briggs behind them.
- One interesting note: during punt drills, Whitehead was getting a lot of work as a gunner, and Dane Jackson was often lined up on the other side when Whitehead took snaps. That would be a pretty explosive pair of gunners in Whitehead and Jackson.
- The offensive line continues to feature Alex Bookser at center, flanked by John Guy and Dorian Johnson with Adam Bisnowaty and Brian O'Neill at tackle.
I'm really curious to see how the OL situation plays out. Narduzzi seemed to dismiss the idea of Bisnowaty moving inside to guard, so that would mean either O'Neill or Jaryd Jones-Smith - when healthy - makes the move. I don't know who the better option is in that situation, since both guys look like NFL offensive tackles.
It's not a bad thing to have an NFL offensive tackle playing right guard for you, but deciding between those two probably won't be easy. Of course, the situation resolves itself next year when one can move to left tackle and Pitt can have some pretty impressive bookends on the line.
- Dontez Ford was limited on Saturday, which opened up some more opportunities for the receivers. We're expecting to talk to receivers coach Kevin Sherman after practice, so we'll see what he says, but it really looks like second-year players Tre Tipton, Quadree Henderson and Rafael Araujo-Lopes are getting some opportunities - and from what I hear, those three have been making plays.
- Narduzzi said this about Tipton on Thursday:
"He’s got a ton of athletic ability and I think he’s going to be a great player for us. I think when you watch the spring game on the 16th, you’re gonna go, ‘Whoa, who’s that number 2?’"
- Zach Challingsworth is also on the sidelines, so he'll be in the mix when he's healthy. And Elijah Zeise is still part of the rotation. So there's some depth at receiver - Ford, Challingsworth, Zeise, Tipton, Henderson, Araujo-Lopes make for a solid six. What's needed is someone who can bring some explosiveness on a consistent basis. Henderson and Tipton look like they might be able to do that, but the consistency will be key.
- Here's the full list of out/limited players as of Saturday's practice:
LB Bam Bradley
DE Rori Blair
WR Zach Challingsworth
FB Colton Lively
LB Anthony McKee
OL Alex Officer
OLJaryd Jones-Smith
DT Jeremiah Taleni
WR Dontez Ford
LB Quintin Wirginis
RB Rachid Ibrahim
RB James Conner
DE Allen Edwards
- Practice will be wrapping up shortly; we'll have more videos/photos/coverage shortly.
- There were a few additions to the out/limited list on Saturday. Jeremiah Taleni and Dontez Ford were both on the sidelines. Taleni's absence hurts the depth at defensive tackle, especially since he had been working with the first team during this week's practices.
Fortunately, the DT's got Tyrique Jarrett back on Saturday. Pat Narduzzi said Thursday that Jarrett probably could have practiced that day, but the coaches held him out; Jarrett was back at it on Saturday, so he slotted in on the first team next to Justin Moody.
Otherwise, the defensive line looked the same as it did earlier this week:
DE - Ejuan Price and Dewayne Hendrix backed up by James Folston and Patrick Jones
DT - Moody and Jarrett backed up by Shakir Soto and Shane Roy
Allen Edwards and Rori Blair are also out and limited, respectively, so those two plus Taleni would be part of the rotation when healthy.
That caveat "when healthy" is important, but when healthy, the DE rotation should be pretty solid in both quantity and quality.
- The back seven looked the same during early-practice walk-throughs as it did this week. Matt Galambos (middle), Mike Caprara (Money) and Oluwaseun Idwou (Star) were on the first team, with Jim Medure (middle), Saleem Brightwell (Money) and Jalen Williams (Star) behind them.
Again, injuries are affecting the linebackers, with Bam Bradley, Quintin Wirginis and Anthony McKee - all likely two-deep players - on the shelf or limited.
- In the secondary, Ryan Lewis is getting work on the first team opposite Avonte Maddox (although Damar Hamlin spent some time talking with Pat Narduzzi, and it's not hard to imagine what the head coach is envisioning). Phillipie Motley seems to be splitting those reps with Lewis; that appears to be the main position battle right now at cornerback.
Malik Henderson and Dane Jackson were working on the second team early in Saturday's practice.
Reggie Mitchell wasn't at practice on Saturday, so Terrish Webb and Jordan Whitehead were at first-team safety with Jay Stocker and Dennis Briggs behind them.
- One interesting note: during punt drills, Whitehead was getting a lot of work as a gunner, and Dane Jackson was often lined up on the other side when Whitehead took snaps. That would be a pretty explosive pair of gunners in Whitehead and Jackson.
- The offensive line continues to feature Alex Bookser at center, flanked by John Guy and Dorian Johnson with Adam Bisnowaty and Brian O'Neill at tackle.
I'm really curious to see how the OL situation plays out. Narduzzi seemed to dismiss the idea of Bisnowaty moving inside to guard, so that would mean either O'Neill or Jaryd Jones-Smith - when healthy - makes the move. I don't know who the better option is in that situation, since both guys look like NFL offensive tackles.
It's not a bad thing to have an NFL offensive tackle playing right guard for you, but deciding between those two probably won't be easy. Of course, the situation resolves itself next year when one can move to left tackle and Pitt can have some pretty impressive bookends on the line.
- Dontez Ford was limited on Saturday, which opened up some more opportunities for the receivers. We're expecting to talk to receivers coach Kevin Sherman after practice, so we'll see what he says, but it really looks like second-year players Tre Tipton, Quadree Henderson and Rafael Araujo-Lopes are getting some opportunities - and from what I hear, those three have been making plays.
- Narduzzi said this about Tipton on Thursday:
"He’s got a ton of athletic ability and I think he’s going to be a great player for us. I think when you watch the spring game on the 16th, you’re gonna go, ‘Whoa, who’s that number 2?’"
- Zach Challingsworth is also on the sidelines, so he'll be in the mix when he's healthy. And Elijah Zeise is still part of the rotation. So there's some depth at receiver - Ford, Challingsworth, Zeise, Tipton, Henderson, Araujo-Lopes make for a solid six. What's needed is someone who can bring some explosiveness on a consistent basis. Henderson and Tipton look like they might be able to do that, but the consistency will be key.
- Here's the full list of out/limited players as of Saturday's practice:
LB Bam Bradley
DE Rori Blair
WR Zach Challingsworth
FB Colton Lively
LB Anthony McKee
OL Alex Officer
OLJaryd Jones-Smith
DT Jeremiah Taleni
WR Dontez Ford
LB Quintin Wirginis
RB Rachid Ibrahim
RB James Conner
DE Allen Edwards
- Practice will be wrapping up shortly; we'll have more videos/photos/coverage shortly.
