Pat Narduzzi likes what he’s seeing early in Pitt’s training camp, but he’s not pretending the first few practices have been spotless. On Monday, ahead of the Panthers’ fifth practice of camp, the Pitt coach pointed to a team that is working hard, practicing smart and competing in a way that’s making his job interesting in a few spots.
The biggest battle he highlighted was along the offensive line, where the left guard spot is still very much alive. Narduzzi said Kendall Stanley has been the guy there, but Keylan Davis has pushed hard after a strong offseason and what Narduzzi called his best practice yesterday.
He also singled out Jio Cooley for what he described as his best day since arriving at Pitt, saying the Panthers would be fine with him in the game for a series. Cooley is working at left tackle, though Narduzzi said he can play either side and is the swing option right now.
Mason Lindsay, meanwhile, is another lineman Narduzzi said is steadily improving day by day.
Narduzzi also pointed to a few players who have made noticeable gains over the offseason and into camp. On the defensive line, Eliyt Nairne is moving into that top-three conversation, according to the coach, who said Nairne’s motor, conditioning and body composition have all improved. Jeremiah Warren had been in that mix before camp, but Nairne is closing the gap.
In the secondary, Cam Lindsey drew praise after another active day, including a punch out and a strong interception yesterday. Narduzzi called him a “ball hawk,” and said Lindsey stopping by the media session was fitting given the way he’s been playing.
Among the true freshmen, Tony Forney stood out most to Narduzzi at safety. The coach said Forney’s maturity makes him look anything but like a rookie, adding that he checked on him in his room the night before and saw a player who seemed completely comfortable. Narduzzi joked that Forney might need his birth certificate checked because he carries himself like an older player.
He also mentioned Cole Woodson, saying the freshman has had a strong camp so far even though he is not technically a true freshman. At corner, Kentril McCrae has been steady, tough and physical, with the kind of edge Narduzzi likes on defense.
On offense, Damon Ferguson is another young player drawing attention. Narduzzi said Ferguson has speed, quickness and the ability to change direction, and expects him to be exciting once the pads come on.
That change comes Tuesday, when Pitt puts the pads on for the first time. Narduzzi said that matters most for defense, because it’s the part of camp where players can really be taught how to tackle and get someone on the ground. He noted that the Panthers don’t get many padded practices, saying they only have eight, and added that the offense would probably prefer to live in thud periods every day.
As for the overall tone of camp so far, Narduzzi described it as back and forth. He said there has been good and bad on both sides, with the offense and defense trading wins by period and by play.
In skelly work, though, he believes the offense has had the edge, helped by Mason Lindsay and Holden Gerineris. Narduzzi said Mason is completing about 75% of his passes right now, and said Gerineris has improved a lot as well.
For now, Pitt’s camp has the feel of a group that is competing cleanly, moving quickly and giving its coach plenty to sort through. And Narduzzi doesn’t sound bothered by that one bit.