Pitt’s first padded practice of training camp gave the Panthers a better read on where things stand, and the early answer was simple: the defense came out swinging, the receiver room keeps expanding, and a few position battles are already starting to take shape.
Friday was Pitt’s first THUD-level session of camp, the first time the roster worked at full speed without taking tackles all the way to the ground. For a team still piecing together its two-deep, it was the first meaningful look at who can handle the physical part of camp and who’s beginning to separate.
On defense, linebacker Alex Sanford Jr. wasted no time making an impression. He said the day still left room for improvement, but he also liked what he put on tape.
"It's a lot more plays that could be corrected, that could be better," Sanford Jr. said. "Maybe I could have triggered faster. I could have did a lot of things that are in my hands better."
Even with that self-critique, Sanford Jr. felt good about what he showed and expects the offense to respond after seeing the film.
"I personally feel like I made a few plays today," Sanford Jr. said. "It is what it is.
It's practice. We all gonna get better from it.
The offense is gonna see what I did. They're gonna learn from it and they're gonna do whatever they do to stop me, [ Braylan Lovelace and Jeremiah Marcelin ]."
The first day in pads also put the tight end room under a brighter spotlight. Pitt has no returning starters there, which leaves the competition wide open. Transfers Carson Kent and Elijah Lagg have been drawing attention since spring, while Max Hunt and Wyatt Villarreal continue to add depth.
Pat Narduzzi said the pads would tell the story better than helmets and shorts ever could.
"We got the skill set. We got the guys in there to do the job," Narduzzi said.
"We're gonna find out when the pads go on today. It's different when there's no pads on, so I think you'll find out."
Right now, Narduzzi sees experience as the biggest edge in the group.
"I know Carson and Elijah are the two most mature guys. Wyatt and Max are younger guys, they're still putting weight on, still got to get stronger and all that," Narduzzi said.
"But I think all four of those guys, when I think about the top four at this point, have an opportunity to go in there and help us this year if their number gets called. So we'll use them all."
Transfer receiver Malik Knight is another player making his case, and he’s been working to add more to his game than just the deep ball. Knight came into camp after a strong spring, and with only one returning starter in the receiver room, there’s plenty of opportunity on the table.
Knight said the staff has pushed him to become more complete.
"I'm more of a down the field type of guy," Knight said. "But honestly this camp, Coach Kade [Bell], Coach JJ [Laster], they have been probably pumping me to really work on my shorter game, catching the ball shorter and running longer and things like that. So that's more of a role that I'm trying to step into."
He also isn’t worried about the offense taking a step back after losing Mason Heintschel’s top two targets from last season. Knight believes the group has enough depth to keep moving.
"I feel like we can contend," Knight said. "I feel like nobody can really mess with the receiving room we have.
Just being able to have one goes down, the other one stands up, the other one gets up. It's very dynamic at each position.
We got depth and I feel like that'll take us the long way."
That confidence lines up with what Narduzzi has been saying throughout camp: this offense is reloading, not rebuilding.
Another early name to watch is cornerback Rashan Murray, who was the only defender to earn a "TAKEAWAY" sticker on his helmet on Day 2. He didn’t log a lot of snaps last season, but Narduzzi said the early returns have been encouraging.
"Rashan's done good," Narduzzi said. "We're gonna find out when the pads go on.
I think his confidence is good. I think he lost his mojo a little bit last season for whatever reason, I won't get into that.
But I think he feels confident. We got a plan for him to be able to maintain it through 12 games.
So we're looking forward to seeing that."
In Other News...
Pat Narduzzi Now Faces A Pitt Camp Decision With Real Consequences
Pat Narduzzi had to address an uncomfortable summer issue this week as Pitt moved through training camp, with three players facing reckless-driving charges tied to a June 16 dirt bike incident. The head coach made clear he was disappointed by what happened, but for now the program is letting the legal process play out while the team keeps working through camp.
The bigger issue for Pitt is what comes next, because all three players are still on the field as camp continues and any discipline could affect availability once the season begins. Narduzzi has stressed the importance of better decision-making, and this is the kind of situation that can linger well beyond a short offseason headline if the fallout reaches into game week. [Read more 🡒]
Pitt Camp Is Already Shaping The Teams Biggest Early Answers
Training camp is already helping sort out a few of Pitts most important questions, and the early returns have been encouraging on both sides of the ball. Defensive end Zach Crothers has made notable progress while working back from injury, a development that gives the Panthers another piece to monitor as camp moves along. On offense, Netinho Olivieri has also pushed himself into the mix at left tackle, where protecting quarterback Mason Heintschels blind side is one of the lines most important jobs.
Elsewhere, Censere CJ Lee has been one of the more noticeable playmakers in practice, earning multiple stickers for explosive moments that have stood out in a crowded camp setting. The backfield picture is taking shape as well, with JaKyrian Turner still the clear starter while the competition behind him continues to sharpen. For Pitt, those are the kinds of early answers that can quietly set the tone before the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Carretta Gives Pitt Fans A Reason To Believe Up Front
Pitts offensive line has a little more preseason recognition to point to, with redshirt junior Ryan Carretta landing on the 2026 Rimington Trophy Watch List. The award tracks the nations top center in NCAA Division I football, and Carretta is one of 40 players on the preseason list as well as one of three ACC representatives.
For a Pitt program that is always looking to steady itself in the trenches, the nod gives fans another reason to pay attention up front. The watch list was built with help from Pro Football Focus, using school nominations and performance data, so Carrettas inclusion suggests he has already done enough to get noticed before the season even gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]