Bartholomew takes on new role in year two

Gavin Bartholomew is no stranger to contact on the football field. He is coming off a freshman All-American season in 2021 in which he caught 28 passes for 326 yards and four touchdowns. Perhaps his most memorable play as a freshman was a dump-off pass in Pitt's win over Syracuse where he threw a defender to the turf with an overpowering stiff arm.

The 6’5” and 255-pound tight end was a battering ram in the run game as a blocker throughout Pitt's run to an ACC Championship in 2021, but showed his playmaking ability in the passing game as he earned Kenny Pickett's trust as the season wore on each week.

The 6'5" and 255-pound sophomore tight end will continue to be that physical player he was in 2021, but now he may have more of a down field element to his game under new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti.

“He's playing a lot of different positions,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said of Bartholomew. "He's playing out wide, he can play the tight end on the line of scrimmage, he's a move guy. He does a little bit of everything, so he's gotten better. He's better than he was in the spring. He's improved his run blocking a lot and he's leading that tight end room right now.”

Bartholomew likes that he can play all over the field in this offense, which will help showcase his all-around game that he displayed as a freshman.

“The tight ends are going to be everywhere, we’re going to be everywhere,” he explained. "Coach Cig is doing a great job of getting guys open, spreading it around, and getting guys down field.”

The down field portion of Bartholomew's game will be key for Pitt, as he looks to be the featured tight end this season, replacing the graduated Lucas Krull. Bartholomew’s role was more of safety valve option in 2021 and he excelled with it. Krull, however, was the tight end that was going out for routes and making plays down field, and that's the role Bartholomew is looking to take on this season.

In addition to replacing Krull’s play on the field, he’s also looking to fill that leadership role within the tight end room left by the former Panther. Bartholomew is only a sophomore, but has seemingly has taken command of that room already.

“It’s new, it’s interesting,” he said of becoming a leader at a young age. "I watched Lucas, I can’t say for a long time, but I watched diligently with everything he did and what he taught me and all the tight ends and transferred that over to the guys we have now.”

Part of that leadership role is helping some of the newcomers get acclimated with the program. Pitt brought in Georgia Tech transfer Dylan Deveney and junior college transfer Karter Johnson in the offseason to help with depth at the tight end spot.

“They came in and learned the offense,” Bartholomew said of the two transfers. "I don’t know how they did it. Karter, Dylan they’re doing a great job on offense working in there with one’s and two’s. They’re doing a great job.”

Narduzzi is seeing similar things from the two new guys, along with veteran Kyi Wright, who appears healthy heading into the season after missing all of spring ball.

“Kyi Wright has had a heck of a camp so far,” he said. “I'm excited and I know Coach Cignetti is as well.”

The Pitt head coach said Pitt has three 'viable' options at tight end with Bartholomew, Wright, and Johnson. He also mentioned Deveney that is someone he is excited about, but he Georgia Tech transfer isn’t 100% yet health wise.

All in all, it’s still an unproven group on the field with Bartholomew being the only player to see significant action in 2021. The tight ends are a group with untapped potential overall, and it is being fronted by a sophomore who is both trying to make an impact on the field, while trying to lead off of it.

Bartholomew is attacking both challenges head on during fall camp.

“Just be a leader and come with a positive attitude everyday,” Bartholomew said of his approach to being the number one tight end in 2022. “You’ve got to bring the juice, the energy and get the guys going. Really just to bring it to them and so that way they can get it off of you.”