Pitt's defense in need of more playmakers

As his son flipped through channels, he finally landed on Pitt’s 27-24 loss against Iowa, which was being replayed on the Big Ten Network. With the game progressing to Iowa’s final, game-winning field goal drive, Narduzzi had to again be reminded of the tough defeat, which largely can be traced to Pitt’s inability to pressure the quarterback on that drive.

“I already knew it,” Narduzzi said. “You watch how we did not get a rush. Three of the last six plays of that game were quarterback scrambles for yardage.”

Not having defensive end Ejuan Price - who led the team in sacks last season - on that drive due to an injury he suffered earlier in the game certainly played a part in the lack of pass rush. Still, that one drive emphasized a season long issue. Outside of a handful of players, Pitt just didn’t have enough playmakers to become a truly dominant defense.

This season, Narduzzi is optimistic that things will be different. His players better understand the defense now, and he’s got increased depth, too.

That increased knowledge is something that several players stressed will help them emerge as better playmakers.

“We’re just so far ahead now, day two during camp versus day two last year. It’s huge,” linebacker Matt Galambos said. “By the end of camp we’ll feel way more confident then we were last year.”

One such player who believes he’s ready to take the next step is Jordan Whitehead. Though the sophomore safety was one of Pitt’s best defensive players last season, he didn’t have much to show for in the turnover department, with only one interception. Whitehead said he was “iffy” on some parts of the defense last season, but now feels comfortable enough that he’ll make the plays he didn’t make previously

“Last year I was a step away from - who knows? - ten interceptions, five interceptions,” Whitehead said. “Just a step away so that little step makes a difference.”

Safety Terrish Webb too feels like he’s ready to make more plays, as he said he’s able to now focus on the little things now that he totally understand the overlying ideas of the defense. Linebackers coach Rob Harley stressed the importance of being able to focus on the nuances of the defense, as he said several players understand “the what” and now can try to understand “the why” of the defense.

The increased smarts have led to more productive player-coach dialogue.

“Schematically you can ask questions that have more depth, questions that mean more for yourself, for the team and the team you’re going against,” Galambos said.

In practice, numerous players have noticed that they’ve had to think less, which allows them to play faster and be quicker to the ball. Linebacker Bam Bradley laid out one of many scenarios where this will help in games.

“Maybe last year I was like ‘I need to get to this gap, I need to make sure I’m here,’” Bradley said. “But now that I know where I’m supposed to be and how teams are going to attack us, it’s like ‘maybe I don’t need to get all the way to this gap because the ball is over here.’”

Already one of the faster players on Pitt’s defense, Bradley shed ten pounds of fat and added three pounds of muscle over the offseason. He feels faster than ever, and combined with increased knowledge, there’s optimism amongst the defensive staff that he can emerge as a playmaker— something he often was not last season.

Bradley is one of a few players who Pitt hopes will become a ‘new’ playmaker. Headlining that group is defensive end Dewayne Hendrix, who sat out last year after transferring from Tennessee.

Hendrix has been penciled in as the starter opposite of Price since the spring, having greatly impressed the coaches with his natural ability and physical attributes.

“He’s just a player,” defensive tackle Shakir Soto said. “He has speed, power, he has it all. He’s smart, he knows when to make a certain move and when to not.”

The benefits of Hendrix’s presence are multifold, defensive coordinator Josh Conklin said.

“I think when you add the addition of a guy like Dewayne Hendrix at the defensive end, who's got some pass rush ability, that’s going to allow you to free up Juan Price,” he said.

Soto, too, is someone the coaches are seemingly optimistic about. A converted defensive end, Soto now weighs around 285-290 pounds. Despite that weight increase - 30 pounds since the players last tested their 40 times, broad and vertical jumps, among other things - Soto’s numbers in those drills are the same now as they were before, he said.

Having not been previously all that effective at end, Soto thinks his speed will play much better inside.

“It’s easier to run around players. I’m so much faster than a lot of players,” Soto said. “I’ve always had power, but now the combination of the two is going to help a lot.”

With a seemingly improved defensive line, Conklin’s hope is that his defense can generate more pressure out of the base defense, instead of strictly out of designed pressures, which he believes he had to run too much of last season.

And if that’s case, Narduzzi likely won’t be forced to relive as many agonizing moments next offseason, when there’s again nothing to watch on TV.

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