Hargrove: I knew Pitt was it

As Bryce Hargrove got closer to making a commitment, he took a few final visits. He had recently seen Rutgers. He visited Cincinnati. And then on Wednesday of this week, the Akron (Oh.) Coventry lineman drove to Pittsburgh.

And that, as they say, was that.

"After that visit, I knew Pitt was it," Hargrove told Panther-Lair.com, and on Friday morning, he made it official by committing to the Panthers.

Im going to further my education and football career at the University of Pitt !🏈🏈 #H2P #412 pic.twitter.com/MIdHSl42O1- BryceDeenie Hargrove (@BryceDeenie) July 24, 2015

"What's really good for me is the feeling I get when I'm there: it feels right," he said. "Coach (Pat) Narduzzi makes you feel right at home."

Hargrove's most recent visit was mostly spent with Narduzzi and defensive line coach Tom Sims. Hargrove had interacted with both coaches at Pitt's prospect camp in June when he earned an offer from the Panthers, and Wednesday's visit gave him a chance to get to know his future head coach and position coach even better.

"I love Coach Narduzzi," Hargrove said. "He's a high energy guy and it's always exciting to be around him. I love sitting down and talking to him. When we talked on Wednesday, he was telling me that Pitt was the place for me and how Pitt would be better for me than anywhere else and how he's turning the program around and how they're going to win ACC championships.

"I believe he's the guy to do it."

Hargrove's conversation with Sims was particularly interesting, since the coach and the recruit discussed the matter of position. Hargrove, a 6'6" 250-pound defensive end in high school, worked out at defensive end, defensive tackle and offensive tackle at Pitt's prospect camp, and the coaches hadn't been specific about where they saw him playing in college.

"Coach Sims was talking to me about what he wants me to do there, where I would play and what he expects out of me," Hargrove said. "He wants me to play defensive tackle, and if I come in ready, he'll give me a chance to play right away.

"I talk to him just about every day. I like the way he coaches and I like being around guys like him. I know I can learn a lot from him."

Hargrove chose Pitt over offers from Rutgers, Cincinnati, Air Force, Akron, Albany, Ball State, Colgate, Cornell, Harvard, Kent State and Western Michigan. He told Panther-Lair.com last week that his top four schools were Pitt, Rutgers, Cincinnati and Akron.

"Everything is nice at Pitt," he said. "I really like the campus and the facilities, and I like the fact that they share a lot of stuff with the Steelers. That's my favorite NFL team."

Hargrove is Pitt's eighth commitment in the 2016 recruiting class and the fourth prospect from Ohio to pick the Panthers. Pitt also has commitments from Lima receiver Ruben Flowers, Cincinnati Moeller quarterback Thomas MacVittie and Bedford running back Chawntez Moss. Additionally, Upper St. Clair offensive lineman Brandon Ford, Central Catholic safety Bricen Garner, Williamsburg (Va.) Lafayette linebacker Chase Pine and New Brunswick (NJ) athlete Maurice Ffrench have also committed to Pitt.

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