Panthers roster takes shape, with many holes to fill
Now that 2019 signing day has come and gone, and Pitt’s latest recruiting haul is ostensibly complete — barring any late coups for Pat Narduzzi and friends — we have a better idea of the roster makeup for this season.
So, let’s take a look position by position at the likely starters, their possible backups and more:
• Quarterback: This one is fairly straightforward, for now. There’s been no indication, at least not publicly, that Kenny Pickett will lose his starting job. But if his 2018 struggles carry over into this year, redshirt freshman Nick Patti is only a year behind, walk-on Jeff George has power-five experience starting at Illinois and four-star freshman Davis Beville has the highest recruiting pedigree of the bunch. It can’t hurt his cause that he enrolled early.
• Tailback: Filling the shoes of Darrin Hall and Qadree Ollison isn’t likely, as anyone who takes over this position will be inexperienced. A.J. Davis isn’t young, but he enters his junior year with 48 career carries. That’s 47 more than redshirt sophomore Todd Sibley and 44 more than Mychale Salahuddin, who redshirted last season after playing in three games. Salahuddin is unlikely to be healthy for the start of spring camp after a lower-body injury before the bowl game, and, by the end of the summer, freshmen Daniel Carter
and Vincent Davis will be here, too.
• Fullback: There’s no replacing George Aston. Redshirt freshman Jason Edwards was recruited as a fullback, but is a preferred walk-on who also entered his name in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.com.
• Wide receiver: If there’s a position on offense to feel good about, it’s probably here. Taysir Mack and Maurice Ffrench had moments last season and could complement each other well as playmakers. Aaron Mathews has shown he can do more than block, while fellow senior Tre Tipton is still trying to find his niche. Shocky JacquesLouis likely has the most potential of the sophomores, and if you count safety-turned-runner V’Lique Carter in this group, it’s even more promising.
• Tight end: Where is Will Gragg? That’s a wonder that has yet to be answered after one seldomused season in the program for the former fourstar recruit who graduated and transferred from Arkansas. Beyond him, there’s former walk-on Jim Medure, redshirt sophomore Grant Carrigan, redshirt freshman Kaymar Mimes and not much else.
• Offensive line: The outlook here has changed as much as anywhere else since the second signing period, thanks to the addition of Michigan graduate transfer Nolan Ulizio. He likely didn’t come to Pitt for his final year of eligibility to be a backup, and while he’s most likely to replace Alex Bookser at right tackle, he could move around. So, too, are several other linemen, including Bryce Hargrove, who started the last three games last year. That was necessitated by the seasonending injury to Jimmy Morrissey, who will return as the centerpiece of a unit littered with questions.
• Defensive end: Rashad Weaver figures to have another disruptive season, and if fellow redshirt junior Patrick Jones can build on his Sun Bowl performance, they might form the best bookend pair Narduzzi has had. But there’s not much in the way of depth, unless redshirt sophomore Deslin Alexandre or maybe redshirt freshman John Morgan can make a splash.
• Defensive tackle: Keyshon Camp, Amir Watts and Jaylen Twyman should form a seasoned and stout rotation, and behind those likely starters are veteran backup Rashad Wheeler and powerful redshirt freshman Devin Danielson. Danielson impressed the coaches enough to get his feet wet in a few games last year.
• Linebacker: The range of outcomes at this position might be as wide as any other in 2019. With Oluwaseun Idowu, Quintin Wirginis and Elijah Zeise gone, Saleem Brightwell and Elias Reynolds have by far the most experience. But both were forced into action due to injuries to Wirginis, so they might be pushed in competitions by senior Anthony McKee, junior Chase Pine or sophomore Cam Bright. Pine has also worked at defensive end, and redshirt freshman Wendell Davis was often praised in his first year.
• Cornerback: If it’s not Weaver, redshirt senior Dane Jackson is this defense’s star. He and junior Jason Pinnock make for a physical tandem, while junior Damarri Mathis is the clear No. 3. With Paris Ford’s possible return to safety, that would leave redshirt freshman Marquis Williams to fill the top four.
• Safety: Senior Damar Hamlin is the defense’s most productive returning player, and the battle to play next to him will be one of the fiercest this offseason. Given that Hamlin might be capable of moving from free to strong safety, there could be competition between Jazzee Stocker, Phil Campbell, Bricen Garner and Ford. Therran Coleman could also be in the mix.
• Special teams: Not much to see here, folks. Alex Kessman will kick, Kirk Christodoulou will punt, Cal Adomitis will snap. Someone must succeed Rafael Araujo-Lopes as punt returner.