Tim Salem met the media on Tuesday and talked about Pitt's tight end room heading into the opener. Here's a full rundown of his remarks.
The depth chart lists several tight ends as co-backups; did they not separate themselves or are they all contributors?
Salem: No, they’re all contributors. You’re talking about the four tight ends we have? They’ve gotten plenty of reps this month of August, they all have worked to be players, I love the effort, love the attitude and with that, we have that word - guys get certain packages and so forth to get them on the field, but we have a number of players on the offensive side of the ball that have done a great job this August and have worked very hard. We’re going to need everybody in this whole run of September-October-November - it’s a long run, so we’re going to go.
Did Jake show you anything in particular?
Salem: Yeah, he got tougher, I think, from spring. He had a good spring, but he got much tougher, obviously lifting weights and now knocking some people around, putting his face in there. Football, you block, you tackle, you have to put your helmet and shoulder pads on people. He’s showed that this August.
How have you seen Gavin grow as a player from last year to this year?
Salem: Well, I guess he, like Jake himself, has gotten - he was a tough kid anyway, but probably the best thing he’s done now is blocking with hands inside, the real technical part of blocking instead of sometimes getting hands caught outside the shoulder pads. So he’s improved his hands, his strike is much more violent, so that’s the best things he’s improved on this offseason and through August.
He was really happy with his camp; were you pleased with how he practiced?
Salem: Yeah, because he came in in tip-top shape. It’s always good when you’re in shape, because it shows you’ve worked, so he worked, he’s in good shape, he’s able to get himself through the practices.
The tight ends did a nice job this August of fighting through bumps and bruises. You know, they’re not getting hurt, they’re not in the injury report; they’re out there damn playing football and showing some toughness, and that’s what this game’s about and they displayed that, which, you know, good for them.
Are there elements to the way the tight ends can be used in the offense this year that might be different or more advanced because of the tight end room that you guys have this year?
Salem: Well, yes and no. Right now, we’re just out there running plays for Wofford and then for Cincinnati and West Virginia. I think the tight end group has a very much ‘We not me,’ just like the team does. I think the tight end group cares about winning. Of course, every kid wants to have the ball thrown to him 25 times and have five touchdown passes, but they know that’s not going to happen. What are we going to do for the team to win? We play the game to win, and I think these guys know what winning is and what it is about, that I’m not going to be selfish that I didn’t get the ball thrown to me once in the fourth quarter but we won the game. Good. We won the game. And I think that’s probably the attitude this group has been displaying.
Is this the deepest group of tight ends you’ve had at Pitt?
Salem: I guess. There’s four. I can’t think back. I’m worried about today and tomorrow. I don’t remember. You’d have to bring me back. Right now, my mind is on - we’ve got practice today, we’ve got Wofford, I’m just concerned about that.
Tell me about Malcolm Epps and what you think he might add to the offense.
Salem: Okay. Nice, tall, long range, can run. He’s displayed good hands. His blocking has improved, i’d say, immensely since we started in pads back on August 2nd. He’s taken the coaching, he spends the time with the tackles and tight ends in groups and different pods. I think he’s gotten tougher and I think he’s learned to use his hands better and he’s improved. That’s why he damn practiced, and he shows that.
When was the last time you had a chance to coach a guy with his catch radius? I feel like Pitt hasn’t had a guy who could really go up and get a ball like he can.
Salem: You mean the radius the size of the Cathedral? That’s right. He’s got a catch radius.
When was the last time you coached a guy like that?
Salem: Well, okay, so Lucas Krull was the same way. He had a huge catch radius for a guy who’s 6’6”. Malcolm is like the same way. If you’re a quarterback and you look down the field - ‘Oh, I can see that guy.’ Because he’s big, he’s tall. There’s a lot of football and they’re all going to have to do their part, and I think they all know that. So good, we’ve got some guys that will do their part and if the whole collective group does it from offense, defense, special teams to coaches to even the writers got to help us, right? We’ll all get this thing done.
You don’t need my help.
Salem: Don’t need your help? Okay, well, you’re not going to play then. But I think we have a good group.
With the different types of tight ends, though, it seems like this is one of the more diverse groups you’ve had here in terms of different skill sets. Does that intrigue you for the different types of things you can do with that position?
Salem: That’s a good question, because Karter Johnson, who’s not 6’5” or 6’6” but has a lot of grit to him, you can say he’s probably more of that F fullback type, although he runs down the field nicely and he does do a very good job on the line of scrimmage. But he’s a fullback body And Jake Renda’s - yes, he’s 6’4” and a half, he’s 230 pounds and runs good - you know, he’s got receiver skills, too. Good for him. But he’s also shown toughness. Then Gavin has been putting his face on people and Malcolm has gotten tougher and Malcolm gets down the field. So there’s four guys but the thing about football nowadays, all it takes is one guy gets a sore shoulder, one guy stubs his big toe and oh geez, you lose two. So depth is important for all football teams in America from here on out.
That versatility, does that allow you in the offensive coaches meetings when you guys are going over elements of the offense, does that allow you to say, ‘Hey, this is something we couldn’t do last year?’ Are there things that you can say, ‘Hey, let’s add this wrinkle to this formation or this play or this concept?’
Salem: Well, that’s happening to all football teams across America. You’ve had August to practice; now what is our identity? Where are we now, getting into games? But that goes for all positions - you know, running backs, what’s our depth, receivers, what’s our depth, what can the quarterbacks do, what kind of throws can they make, what can tight ends do? So that’s our job to mold, you know, what direction can we go? Who really are we?
The offense had a solid August. Well, good for us. Now it’s time to put it to test, because now we’re going against different people in different jerseys and different colored helmets that look funny, so go get them.
Because of that versatility, could we see snaps vary based on matchups?
Salem: You mean like put five tight ends on the field at one time?
No, but use different guys in different games because of the matchups?
Salem: Is that what you want to do? I’ll suggest that to Coach Cig at 1 o’clock if that’s what you want. I’m going to use his suggestion.
I mean, well, sure. But again, if we’re going to decide, oh, we’re going to put three running backs in the game and focus on them, well then, good. If that’s what we’re going to do, that’s what we’re going to do. I’m back to saying, at least the tight end group understands we’ve had a good camp, we’ve done a nice job in August and yeah, we want to be selfish but I think our players want to win. ‘Coach, what is it going to take to win today? Okay, good, that’s what we’re going to do.’ If we have to run the ball every snap, they’re going to do that and I kind of like those guys because they’re not selfish. They’re team players. And that’s good.
Is that something you recruit or is that something that has just become part of the program?
Salem: No, I think that’s when you walk in the door in the front down the stairs. Coach Narduzzi, I’ve been with him for awhile; that’s like the culture we have here. I think kids walk in the front door every day, want to come to practice, they want to lift weights, they want to meet. They like that. I’ve been other places where the kids didn’t want to come to the building and you’re pulling teeth just to get them to practice. Our kids come here ready to go. So thank you, players. But that’s back to the head coach and the program and the culture we have and the players and the team unity and ‘we not me’ and the stuff that makes the game much more exciting.
Now it’s time to play. I’m getting tired of practicing like these kids are. We’re playing somebody else, so good for us.
Coaches live a nomadic existence. You’ve been here almost nine years. Why are you still here?
Salem: Because it’s a really good place. I mean, I’m working at a great school, easy to recruit to academically, you’ve got a city that I think is a great, great city - y wife loves it here - working for a program from Heather Lyke right on to Coach Narduzzi and we’ve got a new chancellor that, she seems to be into football. But this is a great place to work. We’re recruiting good kids; that helps. But just the culture, the atmosphere and the environment, you just feel winning. Winning’s good. Why would you want to leave winning? Just keep here and keep working hard and keep winning.
Would you be in favor of five tight ends on the field at one time?
Salem: Why not? That’s those four and me, right? That’s five. I have a year of eligibility left.
