Idowu sets pace in Pitt’s LB shuffle
that to heart; every day, he’s competing,” Harley said of Idowu. “He’s gonna help the younger guys, but he’s not gonna give up his spot. He’s gonna play tough, and that’s really what you want. He’s a program guy. Great athlete, and he does everything correct. You can’t get any better than him.”
While Idowu is setting the pace, and Zeise assumes the role of what Harley called “that quiet leader,” it’s another linebacker who’s the center of attention.
Redshirt sophomore Brightwell is the man in the middle, a spot he might have inherited from graduated middle linebacker Matt Galambos anyway, but one he certainly will now that Wirginis won’t start the year there. The coaches got their initial look at Brightwell there in the spring, and it sounds like he continues to make strides at a most important position.
“He’s athletic, he can run, he’s very locked in and focused,” coach Pat Narduzzi said at the start of camp. “He’ll be the guy. Chase Pine is another guy that will have to grow up.”
Pine, a redshirt freshman who looks the part at 6 feet 2, 240 pounds, “has a chance to make an impact” now with a season under his belt, per Harley. Elias Reynolds is another redshirt freshman in the middle linebacker mix.
No matter how it shakes out between the three expected starters — Idowu, Zeise, Brightwell — and any others who make a push for playing time, their often loquacious position coach had few words to say about losing Wirginis for a quarter of the regular season. He’ll likely factor in somehow, but that’s of little concern at this point.
“We’re moving on,” Harley said. “We gotta move. All that’s behind us now. It’s the guys next up, and we’re rolling.”