Pitt got its 10th training camp practice in the books Monday after a first scrimmage that left Pat Narduzzi with plenty to like. The Panthers came out of Saturday with roughly 110 to 120 live snaps, a heavy dose of special teams work and a finish that went to the offense in a two-minute drill, thanks to a first down from the second unit and a field goal.
From Narduzzi’s seat, that was a clean day.
"It couldn't have been a cleaner scrimmage from a head coach's perspective," Narduzzi said. "I feel like we're ahead of where we expected to be after the first scrimmage."
Even with that upbeat read, he made clear the grind is still coming as camp rolls into the “dog days.”
Mason Heintschel kept building on the steady run he’s put together, and the scrimmage gave Pitt another glimpse of a quarterback settling in. Narduzzi pointed to both the rhythm and the quality of the throws.
"Mason was sharp," Narduzzi said. "He made some plays and a couple of big-time throws."
Heintschel said the biggest difference for him now is the comfort level. The offense is no longer new territory.
"I think it's night and day," he said. "Being in the offense for more than a year and understanding what Coach Bell wants and likes to do makes it easier for me to get guys lined up."
The Panthers also showed they can hit some explosives. Cataurus Hicks and Censere Lee were among the names creating downfield chances, and freshman running back Damon Ferguson Jr. ripped off a run of about 50 yards. That kind of burst didn’t go unnoticed.
"Damon is impressive," Narduzzi said. "He's going to play for us this year."
Heintschel was just as direct about what Ferguson brings.
"He's doing a great job of picking it up and playing fast," Heintschel said. "He's a playmaker, for sure."
On the other side of the ball, Pitt’s defense answered with some splash plays of its own. Shawn Lee Jr. came up with a turnover, and Cameron Lindsey kept showing a feel for punching the ball loose. Narduzzi highlighted that knack.
"Cam Lindsey continues to punch the ball out," Narduzzi said. "He's one of those ballhawks who has a knack for it. It's hard to teach."
DeMarco Ward said the defense took a step forward Saturday, but he also stressed that the group still has to sharpen its situational awareness.
Ward has been lining up mostly at STAR while also getting work at MONEY, and his background at safety for Memphis gives Pitt a versatile piece who can handle more than one job. He explained the value of that flexibility plainly.
"I have the frame of a linebacker, but I'm also able to cover," Ward said. "You have to have the footwork to play both the run and the pass."
He also pointed to the depth and competition in the linebacker room as another strength inside the building.
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The road slate is the part that will say the most about their ceiling. Miami brings the kind of firepower that can punish any defense, with quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney leading the way, while Louisville has been a tough matchup for Pitt lately after winning the last two meetings between the teams. How Pitt handles those trips should tell a lot about whether this is a team merely hanging around the rankings conversation or one ready to force its way deeper into it. [Read more 🡒]