(Read Chas’ piece posted this morning before this one please)

It has come at last, today is the final day of the 2015 Fall Training Camp.  We’ll have one final press release regarding the practice and then we’ll get some interviews like always.  After that “Cry Havoc and let loose the dogs of speculation”

What have we learned?  I have an in-depth article in draft that will address that question.  But for now here is the latest from Pitt on Wednesday’s work the team put in (after the videos and Kickoff info).

As Chas mentioned in his latest piece, last night was the annual PITT Fan Fest held at Heinz Field.  Here are the players and Pitt families with their kids interacting on a nice Pittsburgh almost-football weather evening.

Tomorrow the pre-season sort of officially ends as far as the media goes anyway with the 2015 Pitt Kickoff Luncheon at the Westin Convention Center from 11:30 (reception) and the festivities start at noon.  If you haven’t had a chance to meet Narduzzi and hear him speak up close and personal then this is probably your last chance until 2016.  I highly recommend you do so and when you do really listen to what Narduzzi is saying and meaning because behind all the excitement and energy he projects there is good info… it is just hard to decipher due to the “OK”s and the “You Know”s.

Here is the latest Press Release from E. J. Borghetti with the videos and interviews… looks like the focus of this last day was on the offense.  But before you read it take a look at this latest overhead video of the Panthers practicing on the Southside fields… it was taken by the official Pitt flight camera the “UPMC Paul Chryst” because it drones on for hours before crashing back to earth.

Hate losing Rachid Ibrahim as I have always thought he needed way more touches than Chryst and Rudolph gave him.  But it looks like the offensive backfield will be set anyway especially with the emergence of Darrin Hall.

Pitt Football Training Camp: Day 17

August 26, 2015

VIDEO: Coach Pat Narduzzi

VIDEO: Running Backs Coach Andre Powell

VIDEO: Running Back Darrin Hall

VIDEO: Running Back Qadree Ollison

Coach Pat Narduzzi

On freshman running back Darrin Hall filling in for Rachid Ibrahim:

“Darrin has been playing very well. Rachid had been banged up prior to the injury a little bit [giving Hall increased reps]. He was sitting with a little shoulder injury and his play was a little hampered by that.

“Darrin Hall has been playing well so it just gives another guy a chance.

“I don’t want to focus on one guy because it’s a team effort and it’s time for other guys to step up. With that being said, anytime you lose a guy [like Ibrahim] that has played for you in the past you lose experience, but you move on and keep going.”

On whether Darrin Hall has a similar skill set to Ibrahim:

“There is no doubt about it. He can run the ball, he is very good in pass protection and he’s very intelligent. Rachid was getting pushed by Darrin to improve constantly.”

On Chris James’ workload in camp:

“Chris is back to 100 percent right now and had a nice day yesterday too. It’s a work in progress.”

On practice yesterday at Heinz Field:

“I didn’t think we were focused and paid little attention to detail. I didn’t think our focus was where it needed to be. I put it on myself to start off doing what our pregame is and trying to teach the players how we will act when we go out on the field. We got off to a thud-type tempo, which won’t be the case at the stadium. We are trying to stay up and stay healthy so we don’t have guys all over Heinz Field. It was good to get that practice out of the way.”

Running Backs Coach Andre Powell

On losing Rachid Ibrahim:

“He was choked up shortly after they told him what it was [Achilles tendon injury] and what the recovery process was, but that afternoon he was in meetings talking with everyone. He is a tough kid and a leader on the team so he’ll fight through it.

“You lose experience and knowledge. I hate for him that he got hurt, but we have some good talented guys and we will be able to move forward and be productive.”

On other players stepping up following the injury of Rachid Ibrahim:

“It’s a big opportunity for all of those guys. They have exceeded our expectations. We knew Darrin [Hall] was talented but he’s smart and he’s tough. Chris James had a good summer and certainly improved so I’ve been very pleased with those guys.”

On depth behind James Conner:

“We felt like we had quality depth before the injury and we still think we have quality depth after. We have four guys that we can put in the game that can operate within our system and make plays. We hate that we lost him, but we still have pretty good depth.

“It will be about game plan. All of our guys have to be able to operate if we are passing the ball, if it’s four-minute offense or if it’s short yardage offense. We will play it sometimes by reps, fatigue and if a certain player is hot on the field making plays.”

Running Back Qadree Ollison

On losing Rachid Ibrahim to injury:

“Rachid is a great player and we hate to lose him. He is a brother to us and after it happened I texted him to keep his head up and told him God has a plan for him. He will be back from this in no time. We hate to see a guy go down, but we are going to keep rolling and pushing forward.”

On Ollison overcoming a minor hand injury in camp:

“I feel good. I’m taking a lot of reps because obviously everyone is banged up from camp. But that’s what camp is for. Being able to bounce back from the minor injuries is what makes this team really strong. You might have a guy that was banged up the day before, but he will be back on the field the next day. Our hats go off to the training staff for getting us back out to practice as soon as possible. It’s great to be back out on the field running around with my teammates getting ready for the season.”

On comfort with the offensive schemes:

“I feel very comfortable. I like thinking of myself as a student of the game. We all are. You have to know what you have to do before you can go out there and do it. This year is different in the sense that we all are being held to a higher standard of not just knowing what we do individually, but also knowing things conceptually. We have to know how run plays are blocked and everything off of it, which makes you an all-around better football player. You have to know the smash and flood concepts. If you know the concepts, you have a better understanding of the game and how things work. Coaches aren’t just up there drawing up anything. They do things for a reason and you have to learn why they draw up the plays that they do.”

On freshman running back Darrin Hall:

“Darrin has really done a great job. He’s not afraid to ask the older guys questions. He is a big running back, which is what this university brings in. He brings a lot to the table. When he first came out here he didn’t play like a freshman. He played like he had been here for a couple years. He is picking everything up quickly and we are all just getting better every day.”

(Note: The emphasis above is mine.  Someone obviously forgot to mention to Ollison that Dorsett, Martin, McCoy, Lewis and Graham, etc. weren’t big running backs and they did OK here also.)

Running Back Chris James

On returning from minor injury:

“I was able to jump right back in. Even though I was out for maybe a day or two, I was still locked into taking mental reps and what not.”

On mental reps helping him improve:

“Yeah, because when I was going through some of the film and watching them I thought, ‘Wow, I kind of do the same thing.’ When you get back, now you know to slow it down a little bit more on that certain play.”

On improvement goals from his freshman to sophomore year:

“Patience. Last year I kind of rushed things a little bit because I was just trying to make a play out there as a freshman. Now I’m just ready to go this year. New me.”

On being more of an all-purpose back:

“Yeah, absolutely. I know this year he’s [Coach Andre Powell] definitely been working with all of us on the pass game, knowing how to block, knowing your assignments, and knowing how to chip and then get out on your route. Last year we were kind of broken up into first, second and third down backs. I was more of a first-down back with James [Conner] and then third down was Rachid [Ibrahim]. I’m just glad that he [Powell] is getting the ball to all the other backs as well.”

Running Back Darrin Hall

On Rachid Ibrahim’s injury:

“Rachid has been like a brother to me since I got here. I looked up to him, so him going down is hurtful. It hurts the team.

“It makes my stomach sick, you know? He is a great guy. All of the backs are great guys, but he’s going to fight it and he’s still going to support us.”

On how he’s become a smarter running back:

“I’m reading everything a lot better. I’m more comfortable and I’m relaxed. I’m not bouncing out every play. I have confidence in myself. I’m just hitting the holes.

“I just do everything [Coach Powell] tells me to do. I came in here since day one trying to get at least five percent better [each practice] like he wants us to. Everything else played out on its own.”

Wide Receiver Zach Challingsworth

On separation between players at the wide receiver position:

“Closer to game time you have to make the adjustments and everything. Obviously, not everyone is going to play. With that being said, we don’t have any solid starters right now. Well, obviously Tyler [Boyd], but he’s not in the first game. We just have to come out and work every day to get better and leave it up to the coaches. It’s their decision, but all we can do is come out and work hard and try to solidify that spot for one another, but that’s about it.

“I think we are ready as a group. A lot of people say we’re unproven, but we don’t worry about that. We know what we can do. We know what we’re capable of as a group and individually. We can’t wait. We’re hungry. We want to go out and make plays like we know we can. The first game should be a fun one, we’re really looking forward to it.”

On his health:

“I’m feeling good. I just tweaked my hamstring a little bit before, but I got in with the trainers and strength coaches and worked it out. I’m healthy now and working back towards one-hundred percent, and I couldn’t be more excited to be back.

On the quarterback competition between Chad Voytik and Nate Peterman:

“Both are great quarterbacks. Both know the offense inside and out. They both study film. Like I said, they’re great quarterbacks.

“If Chad goes down then I’m fully confident in Nate. As a receiver you have to be confident in both quarterbacks, and we have that here at Pitt. I think the battle is good and made them both better this camp. It’s a positive.”

Wide Receiver Elijah Zeise

On knowing who to expect on the field at wide receiver:

“Right now I think it’s still anyone’s spot to grab. Obviously ‘T.’ [Tyler] Boyd is not going to play in the first game, but after that I think it’s still pretty wide open.”

On other receivers taking the pressure off of Tyler Boyd:

“It’s kind of a chip on our shoulder, you could say, because a lot of people are looking at us as inexperienced, which I guess we are. But at the same time we’re going to be ready when they put us out on the field.

“The mindset is to go out and make plays. Obviously we want to make the simple ones and try and take a little pressure off of him [Boyd], but at the same time we’re all out there to make plays.”

On tight ends helping out in the passing game:

“Oh, a lot. The tight ends are really good. J.P. [Holtz], Scott [Orndoff], and Jaymar [Parrish]—who is starting to develop some hands—are definitely going to be a big attribute to us in the passing game.”

Wide Receiver Dontez Ford

On his role:

“The coaches give us all different roles. We all have to be able to learn different positions, so right now I’m just trying to make sure I master every part of the craft and be able to play any spot. So whenever [Tyler Boyd] gets back, I can be thrown in wherever they need me and I can make plays.

“Obviously I have to take pressure off of [Tyler], but I’m just going to go out there and compete and play the best that I can.”

On how the receiving core is shaping up:

“The coaches are going to play the best players at the end of the day, but I think all of our receivers have been doing a good job this camp. Everyone’s been going out there and making plays. The quarterback has been spreading the ball out to everyone. It’s been good.”

On the younger receivers stepping up in the season opener:

“I think we could put any of our receivers on the field. We can all go out there and make plays.”

On yesterday’s practice at Heinz Field:

“There was a lack of focus, especially in the beginning of practice. We came out sluggish, but we picked it up and I think today we came out even better. So that’s the most important part—that we bounced back and we learned from it.”

Offensive Lineman Brian O’Neill

On having the body type to switch from tight end to tackle:

“I’m weighing in at about 293 pounds right now. I feel more and more comfortable each day with what I’m asked to do.”

On when he started gaining weight for the position change:

“I started at about 260 pounds. It took about six or seven weeks.

“I usually would eat around six full meals. I’d wake up at 3:30 in the morning and eat two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Then when I woke up again, I’d have another big breakfast before I got to the facility. If there ever was a time when I was hungry, that meant I had to have food in my mouth.”

On if he played any offensive line in high school:

“No, I did not. I was pretty much a split end/wide receiver in high school.”

On what his reaction was when he found out he’d be playing offensive line:

“[The coaching staff] didn’t necessarily come to me and tell me I was a tackle. It was more of a conversation back and forth to see what I thought. I wasn’t forced to do anything. [Coach Narduzzi] said we were only going to do it if I wanted to do it, and after talking with my family and people I’m close to I decided that it was what I wanted to do. That was what the team needed and I went to Coach the next day and said I wanted to move to tackle. We haven’t looked back since.”

On making the decision to switch positions:

“I had to make sure that I was going to be fully invested in it, just like anything else. I just needed time to think. I mean, [Coach Narduzzi] talked to me at three o’clock in the afternoon and I texted him the next morning at six a.m. It was a pretty simple decision.”