Hamlin and Ford staying in the moment despite high expectations
There was a time in December when it appeared Pitt would have two new starting safeties for the 2020 season. Damar Hamlin was set to graduate after the 2019 season, and after an All-ACC performance, Paris Ford had his sights set on the NFL Draft.
The two roommates thought about it and things started to come together for the two to stay at Pitt one more season. Hamlin was granted a surprising fifth-year of eligibility, while Ford opted the NFL could wait another year.
Hamlin, a four-star recruit from Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Ford, a four-star from Steel Valley, both opted to stay close to home to play for their hometown team. Now, after one successful season of playing on the field together, the expectations are even greater heading into 2020.
“I would say it probably is the best tandem in the country,” Pat Narduzzi said of his two starting safeties. “I can’t imagine having two better safeties in the country.”
High praise from a coach that has coached some talented safeties in his tenure dating back to his days at Michigan State.
Too high of expectations for Hamlin and Ford? Of course not. The two players are as confident as they come, and neither backed away from that comment following the first day of spring practice.
“You’re supposed to believe in yourself no matter what, but just off of what we put out there on the field last year and how we can build our chemistry going into another year, just I don’t see nobody better than that,” Hamlin said of the best safety tandem in the country comment.
Added Ford: “We got another year together, who wouldn’t want this combination back? We’re both just trying to go as far as we possibly can with it.”
Hamlin’s fifth year of eligibility was granted as he was practicing for the East-West Shrine game. At that point, he could have just stuck with it since his NFL process had already begun. Knowing Ford was coming back, he said helped make his decision to return to Pitt.
With the two safeties returning along with Jaylen Twyman and Patrick Jones coming back, Pitt has four players that could have opted to turn pro but decided to stick around for another year and help improve their draft stock.
For their part, however, the players hope it is about winning as well.
“It just lets you know that everybody has bought in,” Hamlin said of the 2020 Pitt defense. “We’re not thinking about what’s ahead, we’re not thinking about the next level, we’re not worried about the NFL right now. We bought in to where we’re at right now with where our feet are, so the sky’s the limit like I said earlier. We can do whatever we want to do with it.”
The story with the Pitt defense heading into next season will be about familiarity. Pitt returns 13 different players with starting experience in their careers. All five defensive assistant coaches are back for another year. Coming off a season in which the defense finished 15th in total defense, almost everything is shaping up for another strong 2020 campaign.
“Just like having the same guys back it goes the same with having the same coaches back,” Hamlin said. “The same expectations going into the year, you know what to expect out of them and they know what to expect out of you, so it’s just easier to push you.”
The familiarity in the secondary goes one step further. Hamlin and Ford are best friends. They live together and are always hanging out with one another, and that type of connection translates on the field.
“I would say our bond off the field makes our bond on the field way better,” Ford said.
Hamlin agreed.
“Aside from our athletic abilities, just our connection to be able to communicate without even talking - him just knowing what I mean just off of hand movements, just things like that,” Hamlin said of Ford. “Me just knowing where he’s going and me being able to trust him with where he’s going to be.”