Kamara hits film room to improve in 2023

Bangally Kamara was a first-time starter at linebacker for Pitt in the 2022 season. Kamara registered 49 tackles, three TFLs, one sack, an interception, and eight pass deflections. It was a solid first year as a starter for the Akron native, but the hope is he can take it to a new level in 2023.

“He’s a guy who is very talented,” Pitt linebackers coach Ryan Manalac said at media day. “I mean, he’s twitchy, he can burst, and you see that at times, but it’s constantly doing it every single play. I think he has the ability to be really, really good.”

Kamara enters the 2023 season as a senior, believe it or not. He never took a redshirt and played in 25 games as a true freshman and sophomore before taking on a starting role last season. Kamara has plenty of experience and he devoted this offseason to learning the more intricate parts of the game by watching how the NFL players do it.

“I love him because he's passionate about getting better in every area,” Manalac said. “He’s got a guy in the NFL he studies for each phase of the game. He’s trying to steal different things and become the best linebacker he can and so that’s been some of his offseason work.”

Kamara said this is a trait he developed way back in high school, watching NFL players and using what they do to incorporate into his own game.

“Ever since I started playing linebacker, even since high school I was always watching the NFL linebackers,” Kamara explained. “I don’t know, I just always did.”

Kamara goes all over the league looking for certain aspects he can blend into his playing style.

“I watch different linebackers for different aspects of the game,” the Panthers linebacker said. "When I’m watching for pass rush, I’m watching Micah Parsons or I might watch a Von Miller. And then for coverage in the pass, I’m watching guys like Fred Warner and I watch a lot of DBs also. I’m watching people like Derwin James, and I might even throw on some Jalen Ramsey just to see how he works when it comes to coverage. When it just comes to overall aggressiveness, I’m watching like Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah for the Browns. I really like the way he plays linebacker.”

The all-around spectrum Kamara uses for knowledge certainly bleeds onto the field. Kamara is one of the more athletic linebackers Pitt has had in recent memory, and he can be an asset in pass coverage, blitzing, and also defending the run.

“I think he's a guy who has the ability to take some risks to make some plays and understanding when that can hurt the defense and understands when it works to our benefit,” Manalac said of Kamara’s potential. “Those are all the things he is looking to grow in, but he’s excited.”

The Pitt defense under Pat Narduzzi has been lauded for its ability to send defensive backs to the NFL. It is also synonyms with great defensive line play as well, but sometimes the linebackers can be afterthought in this scheme.

Heading into the 2023 season, Kamara along with Shayne Simon are two regular starters returning. Guys like Brandon George and Solomon DeShields have plenty of game experience, so while other position groups may be retooling a bit, the linebackers feel they are poised for a breakout campaign.

“We want to prove that we are a complete core, that’s really just it,” Kamara said of the linebacker’s goals in 2023. “We want to be a complete, aggressive core and make a name for ourselves, because that’s something I feel like we can do this year with how we’ve prepared and pushed each other.”

Simon, who will line up next to Kamara at middle linebacker, agrees.

“I think we have all the tools to go be great,” he said. “I think about us being able to read our keys and be aggressive and play the way the defense allows us to do.”

The linebackers have four players with significant experience, but there are some promising younger players as well. Pitt signed three linebackers in the class of 2023 in Jordan Bass, Rasheem Biles, and Braylan Lovelace. Kyle Louis also has freshmen eligibility following a redshirt season, and he’s someone Kamara has his eye on in particular.

“He’s athletic and fast and I think a lot of people are going to be surprised that he’s showing out this year,” Kamara said of his younger teammate. “I feel like he’s going to be a good player and earn a lot of playing time.”

Manalac is open to putting some freshmen on the field this season should they earn the opportunity.

“I feel like we’re always going to look for the best players to play and we have three really good true freshmen, some long athletes who have a chance,” the Pitt assistant said. “The challenge for them is just getting it as fast as possible.”

While the depth gets built over time during fall camp, the strength of this unit still starts with the potential and ability of Kamara. He has all the tools to be one of the best players on Pitt’s defense this season and he started to shine through already.

“In day one he’s already flashing and making plays in the backfield,” Manalac said of Kamara. “So really excited about his growth and development and he’s potentially going to have a great season for us.”