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Charlie Partridge likes what he has seen out of the defensive line this year, and here’s what he told the media on Monday.

How is your job different now being assistant head coach?
Partridge: I’m a sounding board for Coach. He asked me to take a look at the program on a daily basis through the eyes of a head coach, and we just get the opportunity to talk about things that sometimes you can only see when you’ve sat in that chair and kind of looking at things from 20,000 feet.

What’s different about your group from when we talked to you in the spring to now?
Partridge: Just that they had a great summer. They’re in great shape. You can feel that Coach Andrews and his staff did an amazing job; their power output, just what they’re able to do is dramatically improved for a three-month or two-month period. And they’re more mature than they were.

I kind of compare apples to apples. I hear what you’re saying, but I try to compare where we were last August to now, and it excites me.

Production-wise, as far as numbers go, was what the defensive ends produced last year about what you expected? And how much more do you expect this year out of those guys?
Partridge: You know, we’re excited to get ready for the Albany game and we want to do everything we can to help the team win and we’re excited to continue to get better every single day.

Is it fair to say that the depth and options you have this year as far as two-deep is improved a lot?
Partridge: I think so, compared to a year ago. I think you’re looking at five, maybe up to six D-tackles that are really in the mix with four D-ends. John Morgan is standing out as one of our true freshman D-ends, so that might give you a fifth. And you have another option: Keyshon Camp is moving like a D-end, so we’re going to swing him a little bit, in case something were to happen. And also Deslin has experience both inside and outside.

So you feel good about the depth. You just have to be smart with them because things can happen fast.

Narduzzi talked about Weaver being a smart guy - he could be a possible head coach at Pitt someday - in your mind, what is setting him apart right now?
Partridge: That’s one of his attributes that is a strength is his intelligence. He’s able to process a lot out there in a short period of time. Players like that are able to take calculated risks instead of just trying to make a play, regardless of what it may do to the defense. That’s where you’re - when you’re seeing him produce out here on the field, he can tell you why he did it. He’s not just a robot, where he’s doing exactly what we told him. You can have different conversations and tell him when, how and why to take a risk. That’s what’s going to allow him to produce and, honestly, maybe look faster than you may get on a 40 time with him.

Is that unusual for a sophomore to do that?
Partridge: It is. I think it is. I’ve only seen it a couple times in my career where guys are able to process that high on the practice field with cognitive skills.

Anybody here your first time do that?
Partridge: Boy, that’s a long time ago. I’m getting old. Sorry.

You talk about those tackles who could swing out to D-end if you need them to. Would that allow you to redshirt all of your freshmen or are you assuming at least one of those freshmen will get out there?
Partridge: You know, the new rule really kind of gets redshirts out of our minds. It truly does. We’re going to continue to develop those kids. I think we’re even talking about plans to further focus on some of that development through the course of the season. So it’s hard to even discuss redshirts with that new four-game rule.

How different of a player is Jaylen Twyman from last year?
Partridge: If you’ve really looked at him, you can see how much he has changed his body. I forget what the numbers are, but his body fat percentage went way down. His strength numbers have gone way up. He didn’t quite double his 225 bench test, but close to it. He’s just able to produce more power, he’s able to sustain longer out there on the field. Now it’s just putting all the little things together as a technician. But I’m excited about where he can go through the course of this year.

Do you see a big role for him?
Partridge: Yeah, we’ll see. I mean, the competition is on. That’s the fun thing. I just told the guys, I said, ‘We’ve got a great competition.’ I don’t know who’s going to start. We’ve got up to six D-tackles that we think have a chance to play winning football, and we’ll see who it ends up being.

Dewayne Hendrix - through the spring and the summer and now, how much have you seen him having that year of experience and finally playing a full season, how much has that benefited him?
Partridge: You know, I think last year all of us - maybe you guys and myself included - because he’s going into his fourth year, said to yourself - you trick yourself, you think he’s got more experience than he really does. Like you said, last year was his first year really playing college football, with the injuries and the transfer and all of those types of things. So he feels like a veteran, second-year experience guy, if that makes sense, which usually you have a big jump. He knows his assignments more, we’re able to have more second-level conversations about formations and things like that.