Carter finds the second chance he's looking for at Pitt

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For Kam Carter to land at a new school after spending 2016 at East Mississippi Community College, someone had to trust him.

The former four-star prospect who ranked as one of the nation’s best and most versatile “big athletes” in the recruiting class of 2015, Carter signed with Penn State and redshirted there before being dismissed last spring. That dismissal led to junior college and a hope that another college staff would take a chance on him, would believe that he had turned things around with a renewed focus on what his goals really are.

The Pitt staff gave him that chance, and on Sunday, the Gaithersburg, Md., native decided to take the coaches up on their offer.

“It’s just the best decision for me and my family,” Carter told Panther-Lair.com. “There was a very good family-like atmosphere that I got the feeling for and I feel like I’ll be surrounded by great people.

“For them to accept me the way they did with the things I’ve struggled with, getting kicked out of Penn State and all of that, for them to welcome me into the family speaks volumes to me.”

Pitt’s recruitment of Carter started in December, but there was a vetting process. After looking into his background, defensive coordinator Josh Conklin traveled to Scooba, Miss., to meet with Carter personally.

Given the circumstances of his situation, Carter’s perspective on this “second recruitment” is simple and direct, and it was an effective approach to his interaction with the Pitt staff.

“With the situation I’m in, you have to be up front from the jump,” he said. “So they knew where I was coming from. They laid out everything they had to offer and I laid out everything I have to offer - all the good things and the not-so-good things. It’s all about being honest in this go-round. I have to do everything right.”

Once the personal details were settled to the satisfaction of both parties, there was also the matter of football. Carter is a 6’4” 301-pound defensive end with the strength to play nose tackle and the quickness to be a pass-rushing three-technique defensive tackle. His official visit over the weekend allowed him a chance to watch film with defensive line coach Tom Sims, and that experience gave him some insight into Pitt’s scheme.

“We talked X’s and O’s; that’s always important and it’s one of the main reasons I’m there: to handle business on the field,” he said. “Schematically, it lines up with the stuff I’ve been doing my whole life and I think it’s a good fit all around. They said I’m strong enough and big enough to play both d-tackle and nose. I played nose the first half of this season and then they realized how effective I can be in the pass rush and they moved me there. So I have a history of playing both spots and Pitt seems to think I could do both; it would mostly three-technique but interchangeable.

“Coach Sims is an old-school, straightforward coach, and he will give you the fuel you need as a player to b successful at all times. And it’s not even just football knowledge; you can talk to him about life and anything, and that’s the type of coach I need. He’s a really good guy.”

Carter had a similar reaction to his first meeting with head coach Pat Narduzzi, who spent a lot of time with the recruits this weekend.

“That’s my dude,” Carter said. “I’m telling you, that’s my dude. ‘Duzz is the man.”

Beyond the coaches and the chance they are giving him, Carter said he found a lot that he liked about Pitt and the city of Pittsburgh.

“It’s in the city so that was a different feel but it’s a good vibe,” he said. “I loved the campus because everything is right there. And sharing with Steelers is very good; that’s football at a high level right next to every single day, and that’s a blessing in itself.

“Pitt is a really good deal that I’m walking into. It’s a great situation.”

Carter joins Pitt’s roster at a time when the Panthers are losing two starting defensive tackles and returning very little in the way of significant experience, which should open the door for him to see a lot of playing time. He will have three years of eligibility starting with the 2017 season.