Pitt freshmen make debuts in key situations

In the Panther’s 28-21 overtime win against Youngstown State at Heinz Field Saturday, running back AJ Davis, tight end Tyler Sear, cornerbacks Damarri Mathis and Jason Pinnock and long-snapper Cal Adomitis saw playing time.

That’s an increase from 2016, when one freshman - Amir Watts - played in the season opener, and 2015, when four freshmen - Tre Tipton, Quadree Henderson, Darrin Hall and Jordan Whitehead - played in the opener. 2014 was the most recent year that saw as many as five freshmen play in the first game of a season, but 2017 was a bit unique from that season.

The key difference between 2014 and 2017 was the way the coaches used the freshmen. In 2014, Chris James made the biggest impact, rushing 14 times for 77 yards. But 10 of his carries came after halftime, when Pitt was already ahead 42-0.

Conversely, the freshmen in 2017 were used in key situations. The most notable was running back AJ Davis, who carried the ball four times and gained eight yards. His first carry came on third-and-3 from the Youngstown State 8 in the second quarter. Davis gained two yards on that play, but he stayed on the field for fourth-and-1 from the 6 - and he converted that one with a three-yard run.

He went to the sidelines for the ensuing first-and-goal from the 3 - Hall got the call on that one and gained two yards - but Davis came back out for second-and-goal from the 1. On that play, he found the end zone after his initial leap was denied.

Davis got one more snap in Saturday’s game, and it was another big one. Late in the fourth quarter with the score tied at 21-21, Pitt was driving for what should have been the game-winning field goal, but the Panthers stalled at their own 46. Once again, the coaches called for the freshman from Florida in a fourth-down situation, and once again, he converted it, powering forward to pick up two yards and move the chains.

Four carries: one on third down, one at the 1-yard line and two on fourth down, including a crucial play at the end of the game.

“I thought AJ did a great job,” Pat Narduzzi said at his weekly press conference Monday. “Came in and got a touchdown and I was scared to death we put him in on 4th-and-1 - it's like, we're putting the ball in a freshman's hand on 4th-and-1 - but AJ did a heck of a job just like we thought he did in camp. But big game, first game - I was impressed with him.”

Davis wasn’t the only freshman to see playing time in key situations. Tight end Tyler Sear also made his debut on Saturday, and all of his work came on third and fourth downs. That included a third-and-2 from the Youngstown State 25 in the second quarter; on that play, quarterback Max Browne found Sear wide open in the right flat and hit him for a catch-and-run that gained 10 yards, moving the chains and extending the drive that resulted in Davis’ touchdown.

Sear and Davis were the only freshmen to play on offense, but there were a few more who saw the field in the other phases of the game. Cornerback Damarri Mathis played roughly a dozen snaps on defense, rotating with redshirt sophomore Dane Jackson and also taking a rep in place of senior Avonte Maddox, who briefly left the game with an injury.

Jason Pinnock also got on the field, although not at cornerback; he played on Pitt’s punt return unit. And Cal Adomitis got plenty of work as the long snapper on Pitt’s special teams units. He snapped for four extra point attempts, two field goal attempts and two punts.

It remains to be seen if more freshmen will play in 2017. Defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman has been on the depth chart in each of the first two weeks, but he did not make an appearance against Youngstown State. Nor did running back Todd Sibley, who was behind Davis in training camp but not by much.