Sommers' trust in Narduzzi leads to commitment
The Pitt football program received some good news and also some bad news on Monday. Starting with the bad first, Pitt’s acclaimed defensive line coach Charlie Partridge is off to the NFL to work for the Indianapolis Colts after a successful seven-year run where he produced three All-Americans and four NFL draft picks.
Partridge’s on-field success spilled over onto the recruiting trail and we was very well known and respected in Florida. So when Pitt landed its first 2025 recruit on Monday (the good news), it was hardly expected it would be a talented defensive linemen from one of the best high school programs in Florida, but that’s exactly what happened.
Trevor Sommers checks in as a 6’3” and 250-pound defensive linemen out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale and committed to the Panthers on Monday over a list of offers which includes Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Syracuse, UCF, and West Virginia.
He visited Pitt over the weekend for the junior day, and even in the wake of the Partridge news, Sommers felt comfortable at Pitt and a lot of that had to do with spending time directly with Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi over the weekend.
“The trust in Coach Narduzzi,” Sommers told Panther-Lair.com about why he commited. “He knows a great coach and the tendencies they have and what really makes a great position coach and I fully trust in what he has in the future. I believe he’s not going to recruit a coach he doesn’t believe in.”
Sommers believes in the program and also has been in contact with them for some time now. He was in Pittsburgh back in November for the team’s game against Florida State and was also in town this weekend and came away impressed with what he saw on his second visit.
“I thought it was great,” Sommers said of his weekend visit to Pittsburgh. “I loved the environment, campus, and facilities and it’s in the same facility as the Pittsburgh Steelers, so that’s a great future.”
While he does not know his position coach, he will have someone he knows at his position. He has known incoming freshman Zachary Crothers since they were kids and the two remain friends. Sommers also played on the same Aquinas defense as incoming defensive back Allen Bryant as well.
As a junior, Sommers missed a few games, but in the ten he played, he was dominant. Sommers collected 45 tackles, 16 TFLs, and 13 sacks while playing for one of the best teams in the country. Now that he is committed, Sommers is hoping to take a leadership role as Pitt’s first 2025 commitment.
"Just starting it up strong and I look forward to the future,” he said.