The Pitt football program has always been built on the strength of players from its own backyard. Dayon Hayes is hoping to continue that strong tradition. Hayes was a four-star recruit in the class of 2020 after choosing to stay home over offers from Penn State, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and many more.
“Why did I stay?,” Hayes asked rhetorically. "Honestly why not change and help the program and help us be one of the top schools? I looked at it like if I go somewhere else I’m just a number, if I come here I can help us become a top contender in the ACC.”
Hayes made that same choice to stay in Pittsburgh once before, back at the high school level. The Pittsburgh City League has not produced a lot of Division-1 talent in recent memory, and many players through the years have moved on to schools in the WPIAL instead.
Not Hayes.
The 6’3” and 260-pound defensive end opted to stay in Pittsburgh and play for Westinghouse High School. His recruitment still took off and became a national recruit anyway.
“I’ve got pride in the city,” Hayes said following Wednesday’s practice. “Because back in the day we were so good but then the curve hit and everybody be leaving going to the WPIAL, but I stayed in the city, did what I had to do, now I’m at Pitt.”
It’s hard for the Pittsburgh native not to light up when he’s asked about the City League. He’s proud of the school system that made him the player he is today.
“Everybody trying to say the City League not about that, but I keep trying to tell them,” the Pitt sophomore defensive end said with a big grin.
Hayes was a big fish in a small pond, so to speak. That made his first year of college football an eye-opening experience. As a freshman, Hayes appeared in five games and recorded three tackles.
“It woke me up,” Hayes said about his first year of college football. “It ain’t high school, you aren’t about to walk in and be the best. So I just had to honestly take a step back and evaluate myself.”
Now entering his second year, the young defensive end knows how to prepare and is embracing the grind of camp. He is competing with upperclassmen like Deslin Alexandre, John Morgan, and Haba Maldonado for playing time.
“I think for me going into this year, I’m trying to be consistent everyday,” he said. “Like start the day over like I’m watching film and how can I get my hand placement better. Because I’m young, I have to know to basically be on the mental where John and Haba are at. So I’ve got to get the extra reps and extra film in so I can be like them. They’re in good positions right now.”
Despite being in just his second year, the former Westinghouse star is hoping to help out the current true freshmen, as he was in their shoes just a season ago.
“If I do lead, I’m by example,” Hayes explained. “I try to talk here and there, but I try to just show Nahki (Johnson) and Dorien (Ford) just how to go about their day and how you’re supposed to do this and that.”
Pitt has big shoes to fill on its defensive line. After all, the program had two consensus All-American defensive ends a season ago in Patrick Jones and Rashad Weaver. Hayes, along with the other returning guys saw the way those two went about their business and hope to uphold that tradition.
“It’s next man up basically,” Hayes said. “In this group we really take it serious in how we prep and how we go about our everyday. Coach P (Charlie Partridge) be on us because he’s a top defensive line coach. I believe he’s going to keep taking us to the top.”
Hayes has been showing out during the first few days of fall camp, and the coaches have noticed. Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi was asked about his second-year player ahead of Wednesday’s practice.
“Dayon is getting after it,” said Narduzzi. "He had a good day yesterday and it continued throughout the day. He’s just growing up. He’s so much smarter than he was. That’s one of the things that started to click when you start to feel like you know what you’re doing and then all the sudden you can play fast. Dayon, if he continues to do what he’s doing, then he’s going to be really really good like we think he can be.”
Hayes was the top-rated player in the City League in a long time in the class of 2022. In the year’s since, two more four-star prospects have emerged and Pitt is recruiting both. Hayes takes pride in his hometown and wants to help in the recruiting efforts.
“We’re going to get Tyreese (Fearbry), we’re going to get him,” Hayes said with a smile. "The City is where it’s at. Ta’Mere (Robinson), we got him coming. I think the city has got a lot of talented players.”
