Pitt camp preview: Projecting the lineup on offense
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Pitt's training camp will start on Monday, and while the coaches released a preseason two-deep, Panther-Lair.com is taking a stab at projecting the lineup on each side of the ball.
Today: the offense.
NOTES
- As long as he is healthy, it seems inevitable that James Conner will get the first snap of the season opener against Villanova. He has to.
- Matt Canada will decide what formation to use on the first play of the Villanova game; the assumption here is that he'll go with 11 personnel - one running back, one tight end and three receivers.
- Dontez Ford is probably the most "locked-in" starter at receiver. Pitt's preseason two-deep lists three starting receivers, with Jester Weah and Quadree Henderson filling the other two roles. Given their work in spring camp and the various abilities each player brings - Ford as a possession receiver, Weah as a speed threat and Henderson as a smaller slot target - it makes sense that those three will get the call.
- The offensive line from left tackle to center is pretty much set; what has to be determined in training camp is the right side of the line. Brian O'Neill stepped in at right tackle after Jaryd Jones-Smith suffered an offseason injury last summer, but now Jones-Smith is healthy, giving Pitt a pair of high-caliber players who both project as tackles.
The most likely scenario is that one of them moves to right guard. That decision will be made over the course of training camp, but we're leaning toward O'Neill moving inside and Jones-Smith manning right tackle.
- While they aren't in our projected starting lineup, fullback George Aston and tight end Jaymar Parrish will see plenty of playing time this season. The same goes for backup receivers Tre Tipton and Zach Challingsworth, as well as at least one - if not more - of the incoming freshman receivers.