Partridge breaks down the defensive line

Pitt defensive line coach Charlie Partridge will be working with a number of new starters this season, and he spoke to the media on Friday about the players who are standing out.

Deandre Jules has been mentioned by the coaches a few times in the last couple weeks - he lost weight, he’s playing well. Is it really coming together for him now?
Partridge: It really is. Coaches - sometimes it sounds like coach-speak, but he has matured off the field and kind of saw this coming. That led into a good diet which led into the weight loss that you’ve heard about. He doesn’t have distractions in terms of, he’s handling his schedule so much better. And playing really good football. Minimal mental errors through the entire camp and it’s just allowing his talents to rise up. So I’m proud of him. I’m very proud of him.

It felt like there were 17 different names for us to watch during camp that could be in your defensive line rotation. Has that list slimmed down at all throughout camp?
Partridge: A little bit. It’s funny, I told the guys today because this morning a statement was made that after the scrimmage this weekend, roles will be set. And that’s true, to a degree. It’s always evolving in college, right? And in the NFL. There’s guys that are in the developmental phase after this scrimmage that could pop right up into the rotation and vice versa. But you’re starting to see a narrow-down; I’ll have a better idea of it after this scrimmage come Saturday.

How much of it with Deandre is getting to know the details? And is that something you can speed up for the younger guys, or is that something they have to go through?
Partridge: I think everyone has their own unique journey. Jules’ journey has been one that, I’m proud of his persistence, he’s continued to stick with it and now I think he’s going to get a chance to see the fruits of his labor, of just stick-to-it-eveness. Is that a real word?

Was there a moment where you felt like you saw it click? Or was it gradual?
Partridge: I saw it happening, really, starting toward the end of last season. It’s been a progression. He’s just gotten a little bit better each year, he’s one of those guys, and in a developmental program, you’re going to have a lot of guys that are third, fourth and fifth-year guys that come out of that development phase and show up, and you’re wondering where they were. They’ve been here the whole time; they’ve just been in the crock pot getting better, getting ready to go, and Jules is looking like he’s a guy that’s got a chance to have an impact for us, which is fantastic.

How well does this team police itself? I’ve heard players talk about, ‘We get on each other,’ and I’ve seen times where Dayon and Nate will kind of put each other in check while you’re coaching them. How does that affect you guys?
Partridge: I think it’s critical. There’s an old phrase out there and I’ll probably quote this wrong, but something alone the lines of, ‘Good teams, coaches lead; great teams, players lead.’ Right now, we have a good group of leaders and it’s across the board: young guys, old guys within groups. There’s a group of young D-linemen that are leading the younger half of the D-line, as an example, and that’s critical to have success, because at the end of the day, we’re going to send 11 guys out there in a given play and we’re turning all the training over to them and we have to have leadership.

Who are some of those younger D-linemen that have stepped up?
Partridge: You know, Ghost is a guy that has done a nice job. Mav is a guy that’s working really hard; Maverick Gracio. Sam O, Jimmy Scott, those are some names at the top of my mind with that younger half of the room.

How different of football players are Sam and Sean in camp two compared to camp one?
Partridge: Yeah, night and day. Both of them were guys we were excited about last year. Like most D-ends, Sam loves pass rush; he’s learned to love and appreciate stopping the run, which is the admission ticket to the other. Fitz has just gotten so much better with his knowledge, his awareness of, you know, for example, knowing where protection is going to slide and how to take advantage of that. So they’re both taking really good steps from year one to year two.

Dayon has quite a legacy to live up to. How is he doing in that regard?
Partridge: The thing I like about Dayon is, he’s coming to work every day. There’s never that fall-off in terms of effort compared to years past. That was a part of his growth process; he didn’t know when he wasn’t working, and now he knows. I’m not having to track his effort from snap to whistle as much as I have in the past. It always happens - there’s going to be a couple loafs that pop up, but his sheer pure effort running to the ball has been fantastic this camp.

What is his ceiling?
Partridge: That’s hard to predict, man. There’s been a lot of players that went way beyond what I could have anticipated, so I don’t know where the ceiling is with him. We’ll find out.

We’ve heard a lot about him and Nate, but you need more than those two.

Partridge: 100%.

Who else is emerging?
Partridge: Well, as you look at it, Bam has had a really nice camp. Nahki is starting to turn the corner. Sam O and Jimmy Scott, those six guys are all fighting for playing time. The first couple that you mentioned plus those additional four - those guys are doing a good job of competing with each other. I think you guys know how I work: I could have two-to-three starters, right? You can have a starter that maybe doesn’t take the first rep, but he could get starter-level reps. And you’re going to have two-to-three guys that rotate, so I’m glad that I have six guys that are really starting to play good football. I think that half of the room - the D-end room - I think is a group that you’re going to see evolve through the course of the year and I’m excited to see where it goes as the season continues.

Same question for the inside. Who are some of the guys emerging there?
Partridge: Outside the sixth-year guys? Because we kind of know what those guys are. Well, you talk about Jules; I think he’s a guy that certainly has completely jumped out. Fitz is going to play. Fitz is playing this year. And Elliot is still cooking. He’s still coming along. But those three guys are the next three after the sixth-year guys. And Ghost has shown that he can do some things. He’s got really good twitch, he’s got great pass-rush instincts; he’s just got to continue to develop his body and be in a good position against the run.

What does David Green mean to this football team?
Partridge: A ton. He’s got tremendous leadership, tremendous character, you know what he’s going to be every single day. And coaches - and teammates, whether they even realize it - love a consistent guy. You’re not surprised by what walks in the room. You always know what you’re going to get out of David. He’s a tremendous teammate and a heck of a player.

Pat told us about you giving credit to the offensive line. What have you seen from them that has challenged your guys and forced your guys to be better?
Partridge: Their double teams right now are outstanding. Tough to deal with. They’re playing extremely physical. Our run game is going to be something that’s going to be fun to watch this year. I think their pass protection has continued to get better as well. And their pride and their unity, you can feel it right now. The competition in that room, I think, is making - they’ve got a bigger group that can help on game day and they look really good right now.

It sounds like depth is not going to be an issue this year.
Partridge: You hope not. You never know when you get a string of unfortunate incidents, but I think we feel pretty good where we are here in late August.

You’ve coached here a long time. This year there’s a real possibility that you could have Dayon, Devin, David and Nahki - four western Pa. kids together. Has there been another line of all local kids in your time?
Partridge: Not that I remember. I’d have to go back and look, but I don’t think so because I think back to the year with - yeah, you had Romeus in there and Jabaal Sheard. Not that I know of. But I think it’s great. I think it’s a testament to the high school coaches here in western Pennsylvania and the great job they’re doing developing D-linemen. There’s been quite a few to recruit here the last five, six years, so I tip my hat to the high school coaches here in the area.