Panthers confident in rare task of replacing 2 All-American DL
Pitt is tasked with something only one other program has had to do in the past decade — replace two consensus All-American defensive linemen in one year.
Dabo Swinney and Clemson did all right for themselves in 2019. Despite losing first-round picks — Christian Wilkins and Clelin Ferrell — the Tigers ranked second in Football Bowl Subdivision in tackles for loss. The team that ranked just behind them in the ACC in TFLs that year actually was Pitt, guided by Patrick Jones in the wake of Rashad Weaver’s injury.
Interesting enough, Pitt and Clemson went 1-2 in FBS in TFLs a year later. Clemson trotted out fivestar prodigies as it usually does.
“It’s true that they left some big shoes to fill. But we’re ready for the task.”
— Habakkuk Baldonado, junior defensive lineman
Meanwhile, Pitt leaned on Jones and a healthy Weaver, who combined for 27.5 TFLs and became the first two Panthers to earn consensus All-America honors in the same season since 1986.
Now, they’re gone. Jones was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round, Rashad Weaver landed with the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round, and the Panthers looked on as 35.9% of their 2020 sack production dissipated.
But defensive line coach Charlie Partridge isn’t worried. And neither are Weaver’s and Jones’ expected replacements as they open training camp with plenty to prove.
“This isn’t new. This is how college football works. There’s always going to be somebody to replace, and there’s always going to be somebody to replace them,” redshirt junior Habakkuk Baldonado said Friday after Pitt’s first practice of camp. “It’s true that they left some big shoes to fill. But we’re ready for the task.”
“They set the stage for us,” redshirt senior Deslin Alexandre told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently at ACC media days. “We just have to rally around that and build on that.”
At this point, Alexandre is accustomed to stepping up under trying circumstances. He was thought to be a rotational piece before Weaver tore his ACL two training camps ago, forcing him to start. What followed was 10.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks from Alexandre. Baldonado — who’s “itching” to return to action after missing seven games last year due to injury — made his burly presence felt in 2019, logging four sacks.
Those two, along with John Morgan (11 TFLs over the past two seasons), are to be Pitt’s primary edge rushers. Who will start Sept. 4 against Massachusetts? Partridge can’t say for sure right now. Camp just got going. But he’ll be relying on that trio to not only produce on the field, but also bring along Pitt’s younger pass-rushers.
Westinghouse’s Dayon Hayes is among those “climbing the ladder” to more playing time, his position coach said. One of the most heralded City League prospects in the past 20 years, Hayes played in five games last year, recorded 2.5 sacks and forced a fumble. Partridge said Hayes had a positive summer and “embraced things from a more mature perspective.”
Joining Hayes in that group pushing for snaps is West Mifflin’s Nahki Johnson. The former four-star prospect enrolled in January and spent spring camp with the Panthers. Partridge said Johnson coming in early helped smooth over the freshman learning curve that could have otherwise prevented him from being ready Week 1.
As he explained it, Partridge’s “dream” is to have five edge rushers he can confidently rotate week in, week out. Alexandre, Morgan and Baldonado can be safely locked into three of those spots. Hayes, Johnson, Nate Temple, Naquan Brown and more will fight for the other two, maybe three places if Partridge feels comfortable.
“How that percentage is distributed kind of depends on what their performance is,” Partridge said. “In my head, you probably average about 70 snaps per game. So that’s 140 D-end snaps, 140 Dtackle snaps, and you distribute that accordingly. Last year, of that 140, 100 or 90 of them were probably distributed to Rashad and Pat. Maybe it’ll be more of an even distribution this year. We’ll see. It’s up to them.”
Fortunately, it won’t be entirely up to the defensive ends to make up for the loss of Jones and Weaver. From SirVocea Dennis to Cam Bright to Phil Campbell, the linebacker room is packed with blitzing threats to generate pressure. And Partridge has talent at his disposal in the interior, as well.
That group is headlined by Calijah Kancey, a preseason watch list darling who showed All- American flashes in 2020. As a redshirt freshman, Kancey tallied seven TFLs and started the final four games of the year. Even former Pitt standout Jaylen Twyman tweeted that the breakout rusher looked like a younger version of himself.
Kancey, coupled with Devin Danielson, David Green, Keyshon Camp and other experienced options, ought to provide ample support for Pitt’s edge rushers, who are admittedly eager to get to the season opener and show their worth.
They learned a lot from Jones and Weaver. But more important, Alexandre said, they’ve built on the foundation that those two helped lay. They’re coming into the South Side facility at 6 a.m. on their own to watch film. They’re pulling each other aside and offering advice. They’re doing everything they can to quiet the questions about what they’ve lost and shift the focus to what they have.
In Alexandre’s mind, the task in replacing Weaver and Jones will come down to “the hunger and the want to get better.”
If the first day of camp was any indication, the attitude is there. Whether or not production follows is up to them.