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Narduzzi on the defense, the RBs, the OL and more

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Pat Narduzzi's final press briefing of camp included comments on the defense, the running backs and more.

NARDUZZI: I guess this is the last time we get to get together before game week. What day is our press conference? Monday. I’ll see you guys Monday after this.

Practice number 20 today. We’re just looking to get another day better. We had a good day yesterday and we’ll keep pushing forward.

YOU’VE SAID YOU WON’T KNOW WHO YOUR TEAM IS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2ND, BUT WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN IN CAMP THAT GIVES YOU CONFIDENCE THE DEFENSE CAN IMPROVE OVER LAST YEAR?
NARDUZZI:
You know, you look at it - I see more guys making plays. I see the attitude is so much better. And again, if you look back - was it like that last year? I don’t know. But it just seems a little bit different. I see guys making plays on the ball. In the past, last year, guys were in position but didn’t make something happen. Our guys are playing a little bit different.

I’ll just reference one of our ACC officials that comes out and works our practices every day. I didn’t ask for it; he just said, ‘Hey, that Maddox is different than he was last year.’ So for whatever that is - maybe you guys can find him somewhere; I’m not going to give you his name. But it was good to hear that from somebody else that watches every day.

We’ll find out September 2nd. It doesn’t matter what you do in practice, it doesn’t matter what you did against Clemson or Youngstown two years ago; it’s what you do on September 2nd. That’s when you find out.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BALL, IS THERE ANY CLARITY ON THE RUNNING BACK COMPETITION?
NARDUZZI
: It’s a stable of guys back there. Darrin Hall has done some great things, as well as Qadree Ollison. Darrin had a nice move the other day. Coach Powell has been on them hard about getting yards after contact, making something happen, making somebody miss; just don’t run them over. Make them miss. Darrin had one of those plays that Coach Powell, as an old fullback - which I know Coach Powell didn’t have any moves at all, okay? His move was to go right through people, so that’s kind of how his tailbacks have played - so he’s trying to get them to play with a little bit more elusiveness. It will be, who’s the hot guy back there?

HAS AARON MATHEWS GOTTEN CAUGHT UP OVER THE LAST WEEK?
NARDUZZI
: He’s doing okay. He’s doing okay. Nothing special right now. We’d like to see more.

I ASSUME YOU’RE GETTING CLOSE TO NAMING YOUR FIVE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN, AT LEAST FOR THE OPENER.
NARDUZZI
: Maybe. I don’t know.

DO YOU HAVE A SENSE IN YOUR HEAD OF WHO YOU WANT TO USE?
NARDUZZI
: Yeah. We’ve got a sense. We’ve got a sense.

WHERE’S HODGES PLAYING THESE DAYS?
NARDUZZI
: He’s playing guard and tackle.

50/50?
NARDUZZI
: Mm-hmm.

HOW’S DAMAR HAMLIN PROGRESSING? YOU SAID ABOUT A MONTH AGO THAT HE IS AS HEALTHY AS HE’S BEEN AT PITT?
NARDUZZI
: He’s as healthy as he’s been and I’ve seen a big smile on his face, so we’re just, you know, we’re just taking it easy and taking it slow and don’t want to mess anything up. It’s a very - I don’t want to say serious deal that he had, but we just don’t want to go backwards. We’re going forward right now and that’s helping him progress.

IS THERE A CHANCE HE COULD BE A SECOND-YEAR REDSHIRT?
NARDUZZI:
I hope not. That’s not the plan.

WITH THE RUNNING BACKS AND THE TWO FRESHMEN, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO USE TWO GUYS AS FAR AS A REDSHIRT YEAR IF THEY’RE GOING TO BE FOURTH AND FIFTH ON THE DEPTH CHART?
NARDUZZI:
If they’re going to be fourth and fifth on the depth chart, yeah, but if we feel like they can help us win a game, you know, I don’t know how old I’ll be in five years. I guess 55, right? 56 maybe. We’re going to play the guys who can help us win. They’ve done a good enough job in camp and you’d like to pick one of them; you’d like to redshirt one and play one, find out who’s close enough to help you. Then you see how your injuries go, too.

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