Enrolling early a good fit due to virus
Athletes don’t miss out on senior experiences
Prospects who put pen to paper during college football’s December signing period have a choice. They can finish out their senior year in high school, go to prom, walk at graduation, the whole bit. Or they can graduate early, enroll in college early and get a head start.
This recruiting cycle, that decision was made easier for some by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s not a normal senior year for anyone,” said Terrence Rankl, a freshman offensive lineman from Massillon, Ohio, who enrolled at Pitt in January. “Before, you’d have prom, walking at graduation and stuff. But with the [coronavirus], it’s made it difficult for seniors. I’m not missing anything crazy.”
It’s no coincidence that Pitt has more early enrollees this year than it ever has under head coach Pat Narduzzi. Nine freshmen enrolled in January, including West Mifflin star defensive end Nahki Johnson. Pitt had six freshmen enroll early in 2020, two in 2019, two in 2018, four in 2017 and three in 2016.
It’s highly unlikely all nine prospects will play a key role come the fall with 13 “super seniors” returning thanks to the NCAA’s waiver. But at the very least, arriving on campus ahead of their classmates will boost their chances of becoming eventual contributors. That’s especially true for Pitt’s trio of fresh-faced offensive linemen.
It’s not uncommon for wide receivers to enter the fold and quickly make an impact. Everyone saw that last year with early enrollee Jordan Addison, who led all freshman wideouts nationally with 60 catches. Running backs, linebackers and defensive backs can get on the field early, too. But offensive linemen take some grooming.
Rankl knows that. So does Terrence Enos and Trey Andersen.
All three of Pitt’s early enrollee offensive linemen are learning Mark Whipple’s playbook and taking in advice from offensive line coach Dave Borbely. Rankl said Wednesday the process has been like “drinking water out of a fire hydrant.” It’s a lot of information at once. But while the three Panthers can bond over that, they also find themselves in unique spots in their early development.
Take Enos, for example. The three-star
prospect out of Cass Tech in Detroit — who had offers from Arkansas, LSU, Kentucky and Maryland to name a few — said it has been “a smooth transition” picking up Whipple’s scheme. Still, he has had to navigate that and winter workouts while dropping weight and adjusting to a new position.
Enos, a 6-foot-5, 317-pound tackle in high school, said that he was 325 pounds at his last weigh-in. He wants to be around 310 or 315 by time spring camp rolls around so he can compete for a place on the depth chart. Enos currently is working at left guard, a position vacated by NFL prospect Bryce Hargrove. Enos isn’t expected to contend for the first-team spot, but enduring this transition to guard now as opposed to August increases the odds of him picking up emergency playing time in 2021.
While Enos is focused on dropping weight, Rankl wants to add a few pounds. The three-star prospect with offers from Arizona State, Cincinnati and Iowa State among others, enrolled at 295 pounds, weighed in recently at 309 and hopes to get to 320 in the next month. He’s eating six or seven peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a day in between meals, and he’s focused on turning fat into muscle with the help of
strength and conditioning coach Mike Stacchiotti.
“This was a really good opportunity to get in the system early, hit the weight room early,” Rankl said. “The O-line position is developmental, and gaining or cutting weight is a big thing.”
Rankl emphasized not just healthy weight change, but getting comfortable and accustomed to playing at that weight. In that regard, the task ahead of Andersen might be the toughest of the three.
A Brigham Young commit in 2019, the Utah native backed out of that offer, put his football career on hold and went on a religious mission in California for a yearand-a-half. Andersen lived on his own without parental supervision, so that aspect of college life is no problem for him. But Andersen, a high school tight end, is juggling two positions now, learning the playbook as both a tight end and an offensive tackle.
“I need to start gaining weight if I’m going to play offensive tackle,” Andersen said. “They want to put that on me organically and naturally rather than shove a bunch of bad weight on me. Once we get to the fall, they’ll see where I best fit.”
Right now, Andersen is 247 pounds and counting. He said he recently returned from quarantine after testing positive for COVID19, causing his weight to fluctuate. Instead of taking one meal from Pitt’s facility back to his apartment, he’s taking two.
“I’m always trying to keep my mouth busy,” Andersen said with a laugh. “If I’m not talking, I’m eating.”
Andersen, more of a blocking tight end in high school, is confident he’ll be fine playing either tight end or tackle. His father, Jason Andersen, was a former offensive lineman in the NFL and Arena Football League in the early 2000s. He instilled in his son the importance of blocking, so understanding run schemes and gaps isn’t difficult for him.
Still, going through winter workouts is new for Andersen, Rankl and Enos. It’s new for quarterback Nate Yarnell, running back Malik Newton and others, too. But from the playbook to P.B. and Js, this period is a little different for early enrollee linemen.
Pitt’s freshman trio is finding that out firsthand.