A.J. Davis thought he had Phil Campbell beat. In a series of tug-of-war matchups that ended Pitt’s conditioning session on Thursday, Davis had dragged Campbell to the ground and let go, believing he had won.

But he didn’t drag him far enough, and Campbell grabbed the rope. Campbell won. There might not have a been a football in sight during the session, but the lesson Pat Narduzzi wants his team to learn is still applicable when the footballs do come out and the pads eventually go on: you have to finish.

Thursday morning’s conditioning workout - part of what Narduzzi calls Pitt’s “4th quarter program” - was the next to last for the Panthers before they start up spring practice next Wednesday. Depth chart standing isn’t being improved by way of pushing a sled or running through cones, but impressions are being made, as the coaching staff gauges mental fortitude and competitiveness.

“There’s a lot of physical and mental toughness that goes with playing the game of football, so we’re just trying to pay attention to details out here,” Narduzzi said. “And I think, whatever it is, whether it’s the way you stand, our commands when we say ‘ready’ and ‘hit’. It’s just trying to get them in a rhythm of doing the right thing all the time.”

Players like Dane Jackson, now a redshirt senior, are well-accustomed to these type of workouts. The intensity can test a player, so much so that one puked midway through the workout. How they’re able to push through, in Jackson’s eyes, shows who is going to be able to last when the season starts.

“I feel like this brings out the most out of any guy,” Jackson said. “It’s non-stop running, non-stop people having to show their leadership, so it’s just who’s gonna last and who’s gonna be able to fight to the end.”

The gold shirt that Jackson donned indicated that he had met the standard that Narduzzi looks for. Players that put forth a championship performance, Narduzzi said, earn gold shirts. Players on the other end of the spectrum are given black shirts. Everybody else in between wears blue or white.

“They’re going out and competing against each other, whether it’s at the end in the tug of war or a drill where they’re racing someone down through the bags, they’re racing through cones, racing down here with the sled,” Narduzzi said. “So they’re competing with one another. And I think that’s the biggest thing.”

That competition reached its most intense point in the tug-of-war matchups, which the defense won 5-1, the offense’s only winner being Michael Smith. Marquis Williams, John Morgan, David Green, Tyler Bentley and Campbell won for the defense. As punishment, the offense had to complete 10 up downs.

“I was pretty upset about that. I wish I could be out there doing tug of war. I’m a big fan of tug of war,” said senior center Jimmy Morrissey. “It didn’t go well for the offense at all. I think it was more strategy. The defense was smarter. They dropped their hips and kept their feet moving. Our guys kept trying to just plant and hold. It didn't work out too well for us. We’ll get them on Monday, though.

Placed at the end of the workout, the tug of war acts a bit of reprieve for the team, some fun and games in an otherwise grueling time. Still, even then, Narduzzi and his staff are always watching and judging. That’s not lost on Morrissey and his teammates.

“Competition starts with everything that we do,” Morrissey said. “They do personnel reports in the staff room; none of the players are there, but the coaches talk about us all the time.”