To start the day, here is a taste of last year’s “412 Crew”

March 15, 2016

PHOTO GALLERY | QUOTES

PITTSBURGH – Pitt Football held its first spring practice of 2016 on Tuesday with a two-hour session at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex.

Day one featured just helmets and shorts as the Panthers implemented their new offense under the direction of Pitt’s freshly minted offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

Click here to read post-practice comments from Canada.

The Panthers return four starters to the offensive line, but will be without graduated center Artie Rowell, meaning the Panthers will be testing out new players at center in the upcoming weeks.

Taking snaps at center with the first-string offensive line today was redshirt freshman Alex Bookser. Also in the mix are fellow freshmen Alex Paulina,Tony Pilato and Alex Galiyas.

The most notable player on the field was junior running back James Conner. Conner, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in December, will be limited throughout the spring, but was taking snaps today. According to Coach Narduzzi, Conner’s knee is 100 percent and “is no longer an issue.”

Click here to read Coach Narduzzi’s complete transcript from Day One.

Up Next: Pitt will host its Pro Day on Wednesday morning with an expected crowd of close to 30 NFL scouts in attendance.

Pitt’s second spring practice will be Thursday morning at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex.

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Here are all the quotes written out so you don’t have to jump around to read them all…

Pitt Spring Practice #1
March 15, 2016

Coach Pat Narduzzi Quote Sheet

Opening statement:

“Practice number one of spring 2016 is in the books and we had a great day today. It was a great recall, I think, on the defensive side of the ball. Offensively, I thought we were crisp for the first day with not having our center back from a year ago. Maybe some mis-snaps, some shotgun, ball’s over your head, [I saw] none of that. I thought unforced errors were down, especially for the first day. Very enthusiastic, and the kids had fun out there.”

On the difference one year can make:

“There’s more knowledge on both sides of the ball, not only football-wise, but the kids understand what the coaches’ expectations are. I think that’s important. The goals are changing. You want more wins. You want more out of them. That was not a typical first day of spring ball like it was a year ago. It was moved up a notch. Each position has goals for the spring, so it’s not like it’s one big goal. We have team goals for what we want to get done, and each unit—offense and defense and special teams—has its own goals. So if we just look at the offseason tape, ‘What have we done well, what have we done bad, what can we improve on’ and then we set our goals up based on that.”

On new offensive coordinator Matt Canada:

“Things are different because there’s new terminology. We didn’t hire a guy that came in with the exact same terminology. I think it would be a mistake to hire a guy and say, ‘Come in and use the same thing we used a year ago.’ It’s easier for one guy to learn it, you’d think of it that way, but it’s hard for that guy to call it in a game, and I think it’s critical that way. But I really think the terminology right now is a little bit easier than it was a year ago. So we can pick it up and play a little faster like we do on defense.”

On a void at center position:

“We’re going to work several guys in there, but, right now, [Alex] Bookser is in there with the ones. But we’ve got a few guys who can work in there. [Alex] Paulina has worked in there before. He’s played there before. [Tony] Pilato was a center in high school, [Alex] Galiyas has been in there as well. But we’ve got plenty of guys that have been in there. But we’ll rotate around; we’re not just going to stick with one guy.”

On Alex Bookser’s versatility:

“It sure does [increase the versatility of our line]. I want to get him in at guard, too. Because he may be the guard when Alex Officer moves back, but it may not be, so we’re going to move those guys around and get the ball moving.”

On the possibility of tackle Adam Bisnowaty moving to guard:

“I think Biz [Adam Bisnowaty] can go in there tomorrow and do it. That’s a guy who has been at tackle for a long time. Jaryd [Jones-Smith] is not back at 100 percent yet. He could [step in at tackle], but we’re not going to take that risk until he looks 100 percent. He could be, but we’re not going to take that risk at this point until he looks 100 percent. Right now, we’re going to keep those guys where they are.”

On the leadership of the offensive line:

“Biz [Adam Bisnowaty] and Dorian [Johnson] both have great leadership skills. I think you’ll see that as the spring goes on. I think you saw it during winter workouts. But, with the line, they’re in their own little world of tackle-to-tackle with Coach [John] Peterson, and that’s something to build on. Biz broke them down today. I didn’t ask him to break them down, but he did, and that shows you a guy who’s stepping up.”

Feelings on taking the field this spring:

“It feels great. We were out there for all four quarters, we had a great four-quarter program. To put the helmet on and throw the football instead of a towel or a tennis ball, it’s good to be out there and I think our kids are excited.”

On James Conner’s springtime status:

“He’s out there. He had a dose [medical treatment] yesterday, and he’s a tough, tough kid. He’s limited, I guess. There’s no contact for him. He could have contact, but he still has that port right here, and that’s probably the most critical thing, keeping him out of contact. The knee is no longer an issue for him.

“It’s an inspiration for me. He comes in and slaps me on the back and comes through the door this morning fired up that he’s back, and he’s got a helmet on. He walked across the parking lot with a helmet on. You tell me, if you ask our kids what it means for him to be here.”

On competition for spots:

“There’s really not a third team. There is at some spots. We’re thin at a few spots. We’re thin at the D-line, and the linebacker spot. We’ve got to stay healthy at those spots to have a good spring.”

On redshirt freshman linebacker Anthony McKee being out for the entire spring:

“I think so, yeah. Just to be smart. You don’t have to beat anybody in 15 days, so we’re probably not going to go out and do something that’s not worth the risk.”

On Mike Caprara playing any of the three linebacker positions:

“He’s played them all, so he could go out there and do anything. If he felt comfortable last year, I’d imagine he would feel real comfortable this year.”

On if it is a good idea to travel across country for offseason workouts:

“It’s a great idea. If it works and you’re allowed to do it, then, yes, we’re going to look at it. I think we’re treading water. One of the big things across the country right now is the time demand of our student-athletes. It puts more time demand in the offseason. It’s not during the season, I know some people say that baseball does it. But it’s their season. This is our offseason. It was a great idea, and they got away with it. If it’s allowed, I think a lot more kids are going to have spring break together.”

Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada Quote Sheet

On his impressions of quarterback Nathan Peterman:

“Really excited, he’s a student of the game, he’s a competitive guy and really wants to learn. I think he’s certainly trying to master his craft as a quarterback, but also understanding our offense and learning what we’re doing. Obviously there’s some change here, and he’s done that before. He’s earned everyone’s respect and is the leader of the offense, and I think that makes that a little easier for him. I’m really pleased with him, Nate, he had a good day today.”

On Peterman going through the entire offseason as the guy rather than splitting reps like last year:

“Well him being here, I’m not sure if he was even here in the spring last year, so it’s a huge difference for you to have a whole year to get it under your belt. Now reacting with the ongoing change, everybody is different. We all coach a little differently, and quarterbacks are the same way. Every great quarterback doesn’t have the same mannerism out there or the same way to lead. You find the buttons for those guys to push and him being around those guys helps him. I think that’ll be a huge advantage for him.”

On the change in the offense from last year:

“So much is terminology, there’s going to be nuisances that everybody has, Jim [Chaney] calls plays the way he calls them, and I call them the way I call them. I don’t know if there’s any tremendous change we’re going to see, we’re still going to take tremendous pride in running the football and trying to score as many points as we can. I don’t think there will be a huge difference. We’re just going to look for production and to win some games.”

On eagerness in the wide receiver corps to fill the void left by Tyler Boyd: (Note: IMO this has to be one of the most ridiculous questions I’ve ever heard asked… do we suppose that the other WRs DON’T want playing time?)

“Yeah, I thought they had a good day today. I think that’s the void that people want to talk about. We have pro day tomorrow and a great player who’s leaving, and a lot of balls went to him, which they should have. That’s the way it works when you have a great player. That doesn’t mean everybody else isn’t capable, it just means the ball went to a great player. I think our guys understand that. We’ve certainly promoted that to them that there are balls that need to go somewhere.”

On the wide receiver corps being inexperienced:

“Looking at what we’re doing right now, for them I think it’s fair to give them a clean slate. It’s different now—the plays were going to one guy. Today we saw some guys make some plays, and we’re going to give them opportunities to make plays. It’s a bottom-line business, if you make plays you make them, you don’t get second chances. There’s no calling a timeout and saying run that one again. So we’re going to see who can make plays when the lights are on.”

On easing the transition of the change:

“We’ve got a really experienced staff, we’re balanced and know how much we want to get in and what we want to do. We want our guys to play fast. It doesn’t matter how many plays we put on the board; if our guys don’t execute them the plays are not any good. We installed things today. I thought it was a very good day, I’m upbeat coming off the field for day one. Installing new words and not any huge changes but just techniques, I thought it was a really clean first day. I’m really happy about that.”

Wide Receiver Quadree Henderson Quote Sheet

On the opening left by Tyler Boyd:

“Well it’s all of our opportunity to take the job. Like Coach [Matt] Canada said, we had a big wide receiver leave in Tyler Boyd. I feel like all of our wide receiver corps can step up when somebody goes down.”

On learning the new offense:

“Coach [Kevin] Sherman has us all split up. We all learn different roles at wide receiver. Right now, I’m playing the flank right so I am learning the flank right now.”

On what it takes to earn a role in the new offense:

“Just go out, execute, run my routes hard, make catches, and make plays.”

Quarterback Nathan Peterman Quote Sheet

On learning the new offense:

“Football is football, like I always say, but we just have to get fluent in his [Coach Matt Canada’s] language of football and his language of offense. I think we’re doing a good job of that. Everybody has been studying hard and it really showed today. There were a few confusions, but there is going to be that with the first day. Overall, I was pretty pleased with the way everyone came out and attacked it today.”

On not splitting first-team reps during the preseason unlike last year:

“I think it will help a lot, I’m pretty excited about that. It’s my first year to finally do that and get all the first-team reps. I’m very thankful for that. Now I’ve got to go out there and compete every day and be the best that I can be for this team. Just keep getting on the same page with the receivers and I think that will be the key through this spring and especially fall in camp. It will be great to get the reps with those guys.”

On the inspiration James Conner provides for the team:

“You can’t even put it into words. He was in chemo yesterday, I saw a video of that and then I was not expecting him to be out there in a helmet. I was handing the ball off to him. He’s extremely inspirational. I’m doing a drill and he’s coming up behind me trying to hit the ball out, pushing me, and man I love it. It’s an unbelievable experience and thing to witness, just him, his work ethic, and his amazing attitude.”

On James Conner’s return:

“It’s going to be huge and I know he’s going to make a great recovery. We believe and we’re praying. He’s already so strong even while he’s going through it. I think it will mean a lot. He gives you a little edge and I know he’s been getting on Qadree [Ollison] and he’s just a great competitor to play with.”

Offensive Tackle Adam Bisnowaty Quote Sheet

On being a leader:

“I’ve been around for a while now. I think it just came to me and playing out on the field with experience helped as well. When you have a tight group of guys like we’ve had the past few years, everyone just trusts each other.”

On differences in the offensive line:

“We have a lot more guys in the room, which is really nice. We have three lines completely, so we have ones, twos, and threes. When I first got here we didn’t even have ones and twos. That’s probably the biggest difference.”

On setting an example for the younger players:

“I try to set a good example. Pitt is my home, I’ve been here for five years coming up now. I hope they look at me and say, ‘I want to be you.’”

On changes in the offense under new coordinator Matt Canada:

“Not too much you can do in football besides run the ball and pass the ball. I think when you look at football you can’t change too much. We’re still going to run it and we’re still going to pass it.”

—PITT—

Guys – I have a really hard time not being cynical when reading these press releases put out during the spring.  Don’t get me wrong – I appreciate them and recognize the hard work the Pitt media people and the interviewers put into getting these quotes but it just seems like a lot of football-speak.

It is almost the exact same thing every coach and every player has said back to the Pop Warner days when Dan72 played college ball.

The only really interesting info is when they talk about factual things like the above quote that Brightwell is not being able to go into drills this spring.  For a guy vying for a two deep spot that is a real setback going into the fall camp in August.

Remember, the spring practices are really held for the staff review and to pencil in a two deep that they will take into the beginning of fall camp. With few exceptions, such as true FR players who may make a statement and may get into the two deep, the bones of the offense and defense are set.  That will be done in the first week.  Then the rest of the three weeks of camp is getting the 44 players in the two deep ready to play in the opener by team meetings, practicing plays, positional meetings, special teams, etc.

So the spring practices are more important to individual players than most fans think.  It isn’t the end all be all for a player but crap out in the spring and someone else is in front of you in early August.