Talking offense with Matt Canada

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Pitt offensive coordinator Matt Canada met the media on Thursday to discuss quite a few aspects of the Panthers' offense. Here's what he had to say.

On the depth chart
I know, if we had a game today, who would play, and that’s something we will continue to evaluate. It may change tomorrow. So the depth chart’s not - that’s not my pay grade, so you talk to Coach Narduzzi about what he wants from that.

As a play-caller, does the skill that you have here give you more freedom with calling certain plays?
I don’t know if I have any more freedom. We’re always going to try to maximize our talent and use what our players do very well. I do feel very fortunate that we have good players; we have guys who make plays, who do the things we want them to do. We have some multiple-personnel groups so if guys get nicked up - which happens all the time - we have some flexibility. But it really is always predicated on how their players play, what they give us and then if we have a player capable of attacking their deal and making plays for us. It’s all part of the package.

I’m happy with where we are. I’m happy with how the camp has gone and what we’ve got in. I’m really, really pleased with where our guys are and the way they work. They like football; I’ve said that over and over. I really, really like the way they work at football.

Given that you’re going to have a lot of depth on the offensive line, do you like the way it’s shaping up with the starters?
Yeah, I’ve mentioned that: we’re fortunate to have as much depth as we do up front. We have some really, really quality offensive linemen. In most places, you’ve got three, maybe four or four-and-a-half - you know, a guy you’re trying to hide - but we are certainly deep up front. We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing with those guys but I’m happy with the way it’s shaping up. You know, every day is an interview. Every day, you’re trying to get better.

Do you expect Bo (Schneider) to work on the scout team this year?
Yes.

What do you think that can do for his development working toward next season?
I think it’s always great for a guy. Obviously, he played last year where he was and obviously, he’s ineligible so he can’t do anything but be a scout-team guy when you transfer. So it will be good for him and it will be good to give those guys a good look. That’s important. You get toughness and you learn a lot of things down there; I think he missed that last year based on where he was because of their situation and he got kind of thrown into playing right away. Which can be great but it can also be a challenge. Now he needs to kind of come back and restart, re-tool, get to work on the fundamentals and the things we work at. So it’s a positive that way and I think he’ll be very good at it.

You’re focused on the other three or four guys but have you seen anything in camp that makes you think Bo might be able to help you next year?
Oh, yeah. I think Bo’s a good player. You know, I’m not trying to minimize the question but - in the individual (practice periods) I’m trying to coach everybody, but right now we have a football game to win against Villanova and we’re focusing on those guys that can help us win that game. Next year is a long, long way away. We’re certainly always building for that, but that’s not a number-one priority right now.

Bo’s working hard, like they all are. Again, there’s nobody having to coach effort right now, and that’s something that’s fortunate for us. Our guys are working hard.

Have you seen progress from Manny Stocker and Ben (DiNucci)?
I see progress every day and then some days, you know, we’re always looking to be better. That’s true with everybody. That’s true for James and Qadree and Hall and those guys, too, or Biz and Dorian; we see progress and then we see things we need to coach. That’s the beauty of coaching. So they’re both improving and getting better. They’re all getting better. So we just have to keep working at it.

They have different skill sets, they have different talents, different things you would focus on. So that’s something we’re obviously working on and kind of evolving how you want to go and packages you want to have ready to go.

How is Scott Orndoff shaping up?
Really, really happy with the way Scott’s playing. I think he’s playing like a senior. We haven’t played a game yet but as far as the way he’s working in camp, his work ethic, his blocking has improved, his ability to catch the ball, his knowledge of the game, knowledge of the offense; I can’t say enough, to be honest, about Scott. I know he was a very good player before I got here and he did a nice job in the spring, but he has elevated his game since the spring.

Where does DiNucci need to improve?
Everything. They all need to improve everything. Throwing the ball, knowing what to do; man, we’re all learning our concepts, running our plays. So he just needs to keep improving. And that happens. I mean, we’re in a situation where we’ve got a guy who’s a transfer who played wideout last year and, just with our situation, who’s the next guy. And you’ve got Ben, who’s a redshirt freshman who was on the scout field last year and we’re trying to force him up into that. Thomas is a true freshman who - that’s the way things work with quarterbacks. Guys transfer now and guys want to play and you build your depth and guys leave and good for them; everybody wants to play - only one quarterback gets to play, most of the time. So it’s nobody’s fault, it’s nothing bad. Ben’s doing a fine job but he needs to improve on everything of being a great quarterback.

Do you feel it’s a healthy competition between those guys?
Oh yeah, it’s very healthy. It changes. We’re pretty fluid. It changes by the play. So we’re doing a good job with it, they’re working at it, there’s a great camaraderie in the room, those guys are fighting hard to get along and there’s no animosity. Everybody wants to play and ultimately everybody wants to win. I think that’s the best thing you can say about this football program is how much everybody’s together, how much everybody wants to win and everybody’s ego’s at the door, and it’s true all the way around. It’s certainly true with those two guys.

What was the process like of working with Nate on his footwork and his mechanics?
That’s a hard question for me. It was just normal for me. I just coached him like I coach everybody else. Nate, I love coaching Nate. Nate is a sponge. He wants to learn, he wants to know why, he’s competitive, he’s very, very accurate; so I think…obviously as a coach, whatever your job is - you want to write better articles or give a better speech, whatever it is you gotta do, you work and you hone it. So I’m coaching him - if his feet can be better, if his arm can be better, if his knowledge can be better, then that’s what we’re trying to do. It’s been good.

You said there’s no animosity; have you ever been involved in a competitive situation where there was animosity?
Sure. Yeah. Always. I mean, everybody wants to play and not everybody can do that. I said that to the offense today: we have a very unique team right now. We have 20 seniors up there - whatever that number is of quality men who are leading, who are doing their job, and you’ve got a bunch of guys following them. That doesn’t always happen. You don’t have that many seniors, you don’t have that many guys who say - you know, everybody wants the ball, right? Everybody wants to play. Everybody does. And on the other side of the ball, I’m sure Coach Conklin would say everybody wants to be the guy who blitzes and gets the sack; but somebody’s got to take that gap so we do. And same for us. Somebody’s gotta block. If we throw a touchdown, Biz has gotta block so whoever can catch it and get his name in the paper.

The fact that everybody is checking their ego is special. That doesn’t always happen in competition or even if it’s not a competition. If it’s, you know, him getting the ball vs. me. And right now ,I couldn’t say more about the way they’re working. They just want to win. It’s a very unique, I feel, a very unique group and very tight team. I’m excited to start playing somebody else and see how it’s going to go.