JP reminds me much of Heath Miller of the Steelers. Orndoff is very much like Antonio Gates with his speed. Both will play on Sunday! The UCLA Tight End Transfer has to be impressed with Pitt, any news?
ARTICLE:
Pitt senior tight end J.P. Holtz speaks softly and unassumingly, especially when asked to talk about himself.
He keeps his head down, unconcerned about external noise, focused on what comes naturally to him — catching a football, blocking and showing up on time. Except now, everyone is noticing. Holtz is a co-captain on a team starting to build a resume, and he can't escape the reality that he averages 15.3 yards per catch, more than 5 yards better than Tyler Boyd with the same number of touchdowns (two).
“He's putting his face in there and playing like a senior,” tight ends coach Tim Salem said. What does that mean? “It's important to him,” Salem said. “I remind him every day: ‘You are a senior. How do seniors act? What do you want to leave this program?' ”When confronted with the question, Holtz all but shrugs his shoulders. “Just doing my job,” he said. “I try to do everything the right way, (arrive at) meetings on time, lift on time, never missing, being early.”
While extending his 3 1⁄2-year streak of never missing a game or a practice, Holtz has become, along with junior tight end Scott Orndoff, one of the most reliable pieces of the offense.
Pitt's passing game is ranked 12th in the ACC (174.4 yards per game), beating only traditionally run-oriented teams Georgia Tech and Boston College. Meanwhile, Pitt quarterbacks have thrown seven touchdown passes in five games during new starter Nate Peterman's adjustment period. Holtz (two) and Orndoff (three) have scored five times. Orndoff has the longest catch of the season (55). In the first series last Saturday against Virginia, Holtz caught a 28-yard pass on third-and-11, and Orndoff scored on a 37-yarder on the next snap.
When Holtz was asked if defenses might start paying more attention to the tight ends, he said, “Hopefully, they do. It will open up opportunities for other people. “They can't turn their focus on us with Tyler Boyd on the outside.”
Salem said tight ends in today's game are extensions of the offensive line. “They are tackles,” he said. He isn't displeased with how his players block. Like every aspect of the team, though, it could be better. “They have blocked well,” he said. “Do I say great? No. A lot of our outside runs, they build the wall and put a stake in the defense.” But the tight ends' role in the passing game can't be ignored. Salem said it's as simple as making use of all 11 players on the field. “They have to guard the guy in the middle of the field, too,” he said.
Productive pair
The statistics of Pitt tight ends J.P. Holtz and Scott Orndoff:
Rec. Yds TDs
Holtz 9 138 2
Orndoff 6 167 3
Totals 15 305 5
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.
ARTICLE:
Pitt senior tight end J.P. Holtz speaks softly and unassumingly, especially when asked to talk about himself.
He keeps his head down, unconcerned about external noise, focused on what comes naturally to him — catching a football, blocking and showing up on time. Except now, everyone is noticing. Holtz is a co-captain on a team starting to build a resume, and he can't escape the reality that he averages 15.3 yards per catch, more than 5 yards better than Tyler Boyd with the same number of touchdowns (two).
“He's putting his face in there and playing like a senior,” tight ends coach Tim Salem said. What does that mean? “It's important to him,” Salem said. “I remind him every day: ‘You are a senior. How do seniors act? What do you want to leave this program?' ”When confronted with the question, Holtz all but shrugs his shoulders. “Just doing my job,” he said. “I try to do everything the right way, (arrive at) meetings on time, lift on time, never missing, being early.”
While extending his 3 1⁄2-year streak of never missing a game or a practice, Holtz has become, along with junior tight end Scott Orndoff, one of the most reliable pieces of the offense.
Pitt's passing game is ranked 12th in the ACC (174.4 yards per game), beating only traditionally run-oriented teams Georgia Tech and Boston College. Meanwhile, Pitt quarterbacks have thrown seven touchdown passes in five games during new starter Nate Peterman's adjustment period. Holtz (two) and Orndoff (three) have scored five times. Orndoff has the longest catch of the season (55). In the first series last Saturday against Virginia, Holtz caught a 28-yard pass on third-and-11, and Orndoff scored on a 37-yarder on the next snap.
When Holtz was asked if defenses might start paying more attention to the tight ends, he said, “Hopefully, they do. It will open up opportunities for other people. “They can't turn their focus on us with Tyler Boyd on the outside.”
Salem said tight ends in today's game are extensions of the offensive line. “They are tackles,” he said. He isn't displeased with how his players block. Like every aspect of the team, though, it could be better. “They have blocked well,” he said. “Do I say great? No. A lot of our outside runs, they build the wall and put a stake in the defense.” But the tight ends' role in the passing game can't be ignored. Salem said it's as simple as making use of all 11 players on the field. “They have to guard the guy in the middle of the field, too,” he said.
Productive pair
The statistics of Pitt tight ends J.P. Holtz and Scott Orndoff:
Rec. Yds TDs
Holtz 9 138 2
Orndoff 6 167 3
Totals 15 305 5
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.
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