Coach Narduzzi is going to post the official Youngstown State game two-deep roster tomorrow. Here is what I guess, from reading other media reports, who we’ll see listed going into Saturday’s game
OFFENSE
Quarterback – Chad Voytik, Nate Peterman
Running back – James Conner, Chris James
Tight end – JP Holtz, Scott Orndoff,
Wide receiver – Dontez Ford, Quadree Henderson (Slot Receiver)
Wide Receiver – Elijah Zeise, Zach Challingsworth
Left tackle – Adam Bisnowaty, Aaron Reese
Left guard – Dorian Johnson, John Guy
Center – Alex Officer, Gabe Roberts
Right guard – Alex Bookser, Alex Officer,
Right tackle – Brian O’Neill, ??
I’m a self-professed idiot when it comes to the OL but Rowell hasn’t practiced at all as far as I can tell so he may not go against YSU. His replacement, Alex Officer, sliding over to Center will create a starting role for newly baptized ex-TE OL rsFR Brian O’Neill. Great! Someone who has never played on the OL in his entire football career starting in this Saturday’s game.
I don’t see a FB being used and if there is I hope Chaney looked at some tape and realized just how good a lead blocker ex-FB Jaymar Parrish has been. I think it’s kind of strange moving him to the #3 TE spot unless Chaney is super worried about the OL and will keep two TEs in to block and Parrish will be their relief.
I’d like to see a lot of Elijah Zeise on Saturday. I think he’s ready for a full time job on the WR two-deep.
DEFENSE
Defensive end – Ejuan Price, James Folston
Defensive tackle – Darryl Render, Conner Dintino or Mark Scarpinato
Nose tackle – Khaynin Mosley-Smith, Tyrique Jarrett, Jeremiah Taleni
Defensive end – Shakir Soto, Zach Poker
Star linebacker – Nicholas Grigsby, Matt Steinbeck
Middle linebacker – Matt Galambos, Quintin Wirginis
Money linebacker – Mike Caprara, Bam Bradley
Cornerback – Lafayette Pitts, Phillipie Motley
Free safety – Reggie Mitchell, Terrish Webb
Strong safety – Jevonte Pitts, Pat Amara, Jordan Whitehead
Cornerback – Avonte Maddox, Dennis Briggs
I’m going with Caprara over Bradley and Dintino over Scarpinato- but Scarpinato will probably get in due to Narduzzi familiarity with him. I think we’ll also see Bradley, Wirginis and Whitehead getting playing time on the defense Saturday. Some think that rsSR Matt Steinbeck , a walk-on graduate transfer from Bucknell, will be suited up behind Grisgby at the Star LB slot but I think on of the true FR kids, either Brightwell or McKee will slide above him.
A converted tight end/ split end is now playing right tackle.
Thanks, 6-6 Paul. I hope your headset is piped into Uncle Barry each and everygame
hes going after elites – 4 stars
not 2 star mac players
hes building a great D
No spread on Pitt game yet. I’m sayin 27 points.
Too bad USA and PA got beat by the Japs. Credit them Japs for taking the game we introduced to them and continually nuking us on the ballfield.
Kuddos to Trinity last night in my home town for kicking the #1 team from Cali back to the land of fruits and nuts.
I’m in the camp that is just a bit worried about our offensive line. I hope O’Neill is a fast learner.
Back to O’Neill, Big Tight Ends can develop into great Tackles because the have good feet. I don’t think Chaney and Co. were planning on using O’Neill this year, they were developing depth at the position. I thought DJ was going to be a tackle, but he either does not have it or they don’t want to mess up that side of the line.
Same thing for the D-line. We have upperclassmen in Mosely-Smith and Render and Price. Jarret is next in line, then we have young guys. Hopefully Narduzzi will fill the pipeline, Hendrix is a good start, he will play next year, but you need to bring in guys for 3-4 years down the road if you want to build a program.
I’m also surprised Grimm hasn’t at least made some noise as a back-up at one of the tackle spots. He’s big and strong – also has a great name for a Pitt lineman.
The future is bright and you are the future.
Anyone know what happened causing Dravon Henry to loss his starting spot at DB for WVCC? He’s not even on the two deep…
“OFFENSIVE X-FACTOR
ARTIE ROWELL, C
Rowell has graduated with a degree in finance, so his future includes much more than football. But Pitt needs Rowell now, if his surgically repaired knee is fully healed. Rowell has missed most of training camp, forcing coaches to reconfigure the entire right side of the line, moving a guard to center, a tackle to guard and a tight end to tackle.
DEFENSIVE X-FACTOR
NICHOLAS GRIGSBY, OLB
Grigsby has played in all but two games since he was redshirted in 2011, but former coach Paul Chryst put him in the starting lineup only five times — once last season. Pitt needs an athlete of Grigsby’s pedigree — fast enough to rush the passer, strong enough to swat away blockers. Here’s a goal for him: double his 2014 sack output (four).
IT COMES DOWN TO … NARDUZZI’S GENIUS
Running back James Conner will get his yards. Wide receiver Tyler Boyd will make the acrobatic catches. Quarterback Chad Voytik will keep the machine running smoothly. But that’s on offense. Pitt is going nowhere without a defense that can make a difference. The theme of training camp has been applying defensive pressure all over the field. Coach Pat Narduzzi found a way to do it at previous coaching stops Miami (Ohio), Cincinnati and Michigan State where he also had to rebuild the defense. Can Narduzzi mask Pitt’s weaknesses on defense with a scheme that focuses on stopping the run first while leaving cornerbacks in risky one-on-one coverage?
^^^ Pretty much exactly what I said about Narduzzi and the CBs. Rowell has been out almost all of camp and the skinny was that he may not have had the Center job locked up anyway. Officer did a pretty good job there last saeson and Rowell was no star at that position anyway. He mabe the starter but I think the consensus is that he’ll be out for the YSU game… no practice no play.
Remember – this staff has no obligations to any of the players on the roster regardless of if they were previous starters or not. Rowell’s time at C in 2013 and a bit in 2014 might not have impressed the staff all that much. Again, just because he’s a fan favorite doesn’t mean he’s a staff favorite.
Much like Chaney using the word “incumbent” every time he talks about Voytik as the starting QB… this staff has no ties to Voytik other than the fact that he was a starter on a 6-7 team last season. We Pitt fans get attached to certain players because we have been following them the whole time that are/were at Pitt… a new staff sees things completely differently.
Which is why we may see Caprara over Bradly and sooner or later see Wirginis splitting time with Galambos.
Re: the FB – I think we should ask James Conner what he felt about Parrish being the lead blocker for him over the last two years, he was throw great blocks for Conner to get into the 2nd level of defense. Conner didn’t get all those yards by himself.
Just like we can ask all the RBs who got those big yards with Hynoski in front on them. This team is going to be run heavy, according the Chaney and Narduzzi, and we may well have to use the TEs on the LOS and the FB/H-Back Parrish lead blocking o get those yards.
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Here’s a good reason Rowell was selected:
“Rowell was one of three ACC student-athlete representatives who voted on proposed rule changes this year under the NCAA’s Division I autonomy process. He graduated from Central Dauphin High School in Harrisburg.”
He is also an academic all-conference and I believe was on the Dean’s list – he’s a great student who already graduated. He’s an excellent choice as a Captain especially because he’s been around for 5 years.
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I really like “burger” Jones at the left tackle. It was good to see him walking well in a boot/cast in the background of a couple of Nard videos.
Solid db pick-up tonight fellas. Hoping this is the last one before Hamlin. Paris Ford will hopefully be the last one to join. Would be great to pick those two up and then start an overhaul on the LB’s with Adams. I also like Jeter alot. That said, there is a sophomore by the name of Fontaine that I watched yesterday for Dematha. WOW, explosive!! I have not researched him, but my guess is that he will be top 50 for sure. Fast, long arms and huge motor.
Where’s Emel?
H2P
Thank God! A true across the board rebranding. Thank you Mr Barnes. Death to Dinocat!
Good get with Coleman, great size for a corner. #412Crew…who’s next?
JoeKnew, he’s a Bernie man, so no way!
deepblue, agreed on Grimm.
Upitt, that’s rhetorical, of course.
H2P
I’ve said all along that Chaney was going to put his stamp on the offense. Everyone clamored to PN saying Pitt wouldn’t change much and that they know what they have in Connor.
That may be true but it doesn’t mean they’ll do it the exact same way.
I agree, if Pitt wants to run the same offense they ran last year that this O-line looks a little patchwork. The thing is, they aren’t running the same offense as last year. We don’t know what this line looks like because we don’t know what the offense looks like.
Based on what I’ve seen with Arkansas and TN, there will be a lot more play action and the play action will be the catalyst to getting the ground game going. There is also going to more emphasis on getting players the ball in space.
The O-line, btw, was a little overrated last year. It was a good rushing line but they struggled in pass protection.
Nice perspective. Great points.
H2P
if you missed Parrish as a lead blocker for Connor LY
you werent paying attention. Parrish was awesom!
Feeling like another 6-6 due to so many new an unproven
players. the entire league will be playing for JC and TB until
Pitt proves there are options on O.
How’s that for a solid kick into Pederson’s nutless ball sack from the foot of our new AD? Hilarious! Long live Barnes!
HAIL TO THE SCRIPT!
Apparently OL is the hardest position to learn … in the skill positions you rely more on your natural instincts; it is more technique and teamwork for OL.
