Pitt was back outside for Tuesday’s practice, wearing full pads and getting after it in the morning session. Media Day is today and Pat Narduzzi will talk then, so there wasn’t any pre-practice press briefing to reference.
A few things of note from Tuesday morning:
- As expected, George Aston wasn’t at practice after suffering an injury during yesterday’s workout. I’ve heard varying indications on how long he’ll be out, ranging from the entire 2017 season to roughly two months; at this point, I’m leaning toward the latter - a shorter absence - but we’ll see what develops.
- A lot of people have asked who fills in for Aston. To be honest, I’m really not sure. They have at least one other fullback on the roster in redshirt senior Colton Lively, but I don’t think I see that happening. So they either adjust the offense to eliminate that role or, more likely, they use different types of personnel.
Actually, Andre Powell had a quote last week that, in retrospect, is pretty relevant here.
“Our offense is our offense, and everything we do, we do from multiple personnel groups,” Powell said. “So if it’s a play where the ‘F’ gets the ball, if George is in the game, he’s the ‘F’. If we’re in a different personnel group, another ‘F’ gets the ball.”
So we’ll see how the coaches decide to get the “F” on the field.
My guess is they’ll be looking at different personnel groups more in order to find a different “F.” The probable option would be multiple tight ends, which would mean Chris Clark and Matt Flanagan, plus perhaps one of the freshmen or even Devon Edwards. None of those guys is George Aston - really, all jokes aside, I think he’s a really unique player - but they can probably offer some options as pass-catchers. Not sure how well they’d function in the jet sweep game, but then again, I probably would have said the same thing about Aston last year.
- Following the Brandon Hodges storyline, he seems to be getting a shot at the top right tackle spot. As we’ve been saying since camp began, the coaches are working Jaryd Jones-Smith extensively at left tackle while they are being cautious with Brian O’Neill. Early in camp, that meant guys like Jerry Drake and Bryce Hargrove working at right tackle, but since Hodges has been able to get on the field and practice - basically just the last few days - he seems to have ascended pretty quickly. If nothing else, the coaches are giving him a long look on the first team to see how he fits.
- The question of right guard still remains with Alex Bookser out for the season opener, but perhaps the coaches feel like Hodges can help them more in the short term at right tackle.
- I mentioned yesterday that Maurice Ffrench is still developing as a pass-catcher - from the limited amount we get to see - but I should follow that with the thought that I still believe he is a playmaker. Today, for instance, he bobbled a catchable pass on a drill. But a few reps later, he made an outstanding catch. There’s enough pure talent there that if he can put together the finer details and grow into the art of catching passes, he’ll be really good. And he’ll probably be really good in the meantime.
- The receivers seem to be dwindling a bit, as Ruben Flowers and Dontavius Butler-Jenkins weren’t practicing. I already thought the group was a bit thin - qualitatively speaking - without Aaron Mathews and Tre Tipton, and Flowers and Butler-Jenkins make it even more so. There’s still Jester Weah and Quadree Henderson, so that’s good, and Ffrench and Rafael Araujo-Lopes make for solid backups behind them. I really like the look of Michael Smith; physically, he just looks the part and seems like he could contribute this year if the opportunity arises.
- I’m keeping an ear out for the freshman cornebacks, too. Avonte Maddox spoke highly of both guys this week, and he especially mentioned that Jason Pinnock has the size to play well in this defense, maybe even playing early. And it seems like Maddox has been impressed with Damarri Mathis, as well. Ideally, they won’t need those two this season, but the depth is kind of thin ahead of them - really, it’s just a two-deep with Maddox, Phillipie Motley, Dane Jackson and Therran Coleman - so any injuries would pretty much thrust a freshman into action.
The freshmen should be getting some extra work, because from what I’ve heard, that position group is a little banged up right now. I don’t think there’s too much in the way of long-term concerns, but enough bumps and bruises that Pinnock and Mathis should be getting some extra reps.
- We’ll have a lot more coverage from Media Day later today, when we’ll have access to the coordinators, assistant coaches and select players.
A few things of note from Tuesday morning:
- As expected, George Aston wasn’t at practice after suffering an injury during yesterday’s workout. I’ve heard varying indications on how long he’ll be out, ranging from the entire 2017 season to roughly two months; at this point, I’m leaning toward the latter - a shorter absence - but we’ll see what develops.
- A lot of people have asked who fills in for Aston. To be honest, I’m really not sure. They have at least one other fullback on the roster in redshirt senior Colton Lively, but I don’t think I see that happening. So they either adjust the offense to eliminate that role or, more likely, they use different types of personnel.
Actually, Andre Powell had a quote last week that, in retrospect, is pretty relevant here.
“Our offense is our offense, and everything we do, we do from multiple personnel groups,” Powell said. “So if it’s a play where the ‘F’ gets the ball, if George is in the game, he’s the ‘F’. If we’re in a different personnel group, another ‘F’ gets the ball.”
So we’ll see how the coaches decide to get the “F” on the field.
My guess is they’ll be looking at different personnel groups more in order to find a different “F.” The probable option would be multiple tight ends, which would mean Chris Clark and Matt Flanagan, plus perhaps one of the freshmen or even Devon Edwards. None of those guys is George Aston - really, all jokes aside, I think he’s a really unique player - but they can probably offer some options as pass-catchers. Not sure how well they’d function in the jet sweep game, but then again, I probably would have said the same thing about Aston last year.
- Following the Brandon Hodges storyline, he seems to be getting a shot at the top right tackle spot. As we’ve been saying since camp began, the coaches are working Jaryd Jones-Smith extensively at left tackle while they are being cautious with Brian O’Neill. Early in camp, that meant guys like Jerry Drake and Bryce Hargrove working at right tackle, but since Hodges has been able to get on the field and practice - basically just the last few days - he seems to have ascended pretty quickly. If nothing else, the coaches are giving him a long look on the first team to see how he fits.
- The question of right guard still remains with Alex Bookser out for the season opener, but perhaps the coaches feel like Hodges can help them more in the short term at right tackle.
- I mentioned yesterday that Maurice Ffrench is still developing as a pass-catcher - from the limited amount we get to see - but I should follow that with the thought that I still believe he is a playmaker. Today, for instance, he bobbled a catchable pass on a drill. But a few reps later, he made an outstanding catch. There’s enough pure talent there that if he can put together the finer details and grow into the art of catching passes, he’ll be really good. And he’ll probably be really good in the meantime.
- The receivers seem to be dwindling a bit, as Ruben Flowers and Dontavius Butler-Jenkins weren’t practicing. I already thought the group was a bit thin - qualitatively speaking - without Aaron Mathews and Tre Tipton, and Flowers and Butler-Jenkins make it even more so. There’s still Jester Weah and Quadree Henderson, so that’s good, and Ffrench and Rafael Araujo-Lopes make for solid backups behind them. I really like the look of Michael Smith; physically, he just looks the part and seems like he could contribute this year if the opportunity arises.
- I’m keeping an ear out for the freshman cornebacks, too. Avonte Maddox spoke highly of both guys this week, and he especially mentioned that Jason Pinnock has the size to play well in this defense, maybe even playing early. And it seems like Maddox has been impressed with Damarri Mathis, as well. Ideally, they won’t need those two this season, but the depth is kind of thin ahead of them - really, it’s just a two-deep with Maddox, Phillipie Motley, Dane Jackson and Therran Coleman - so any injuries would pretty much thrust a freshman into action.
The freshmen should be getting some extra work, because from what I’ve heard, that position group is a little banged up right now. I don’t think there’s too much in the way of long-term concerns, but enough bumps and bruises that Pinnock and Mathis should be getting some extra reps.
- We’ll have a lot more coverage from Media Day later today, when we’ll have access to the coordinators, assistant coaches and select players.
