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Pitt released its first official depth chart of the 2017 season Monday, and here's a look at who's listed where and what it all means.
- There weren't many big surprises on offense. A few players worked their way onto the first team after being backups in spring camp, like Jimmy Morrissey, who got the nod at center a few days after earning his scholarship. Or graduate transfer Matt Flanagan, who is listed as the starting tight end despite arriving on campus in May.
The tight end designation is probably a moot point, though, as both Flanagan and Chris Clark will play quite a bit.
- The offensive two-deep is also nearly bereft of "OR" designations, with only Ruben Flowers and Aaron Mathews getting an "OR" as backups to Jester Weah at receiver.
- At running back, the coaches opted for the two upperclassmen, redshirt junior Qadree Ollison and junior Darrin Hall, with Ollison getting listed first.
- There are a few interesting notes on defense. Dewayne Hendrix and redshirt freshman Rashad Weaver getting an "OR" probably stems from questions regarding Hendrix's health status.
- At defensive tackle, the coaches went with redshirt junior Shane Roy and redshirt freshman Keyshon Camp as the first-teamers; DL coach Charlie Partridge said they were the clubhouse leaders at the end of camp. But it's notable that they list redshirt freshman Rashad Wheeler and freshman Jaylen Tywman as the backups to Roy, with Amir Watts and Kam Carter behind Camp.
Ultimately, all six of those tackles can play either interior position, so the separation isn't too significant. But it's still interesting to see Carter get second-reserve billing.
- At linebacker, redshirt junior Jalen Williams appears to have moved from Star, where he has been for the last two years, to Money, where he is backing up Elijah Zeise.
- Also interesting at linebacker is redshirt sophomore Rimoni Dorsey, who spent most, if not all of training camp at safety; he is listed as the second backup at Star linebacker behind Seun Idowu and Anthony McKee.
- The coaches opted to list redshirt junior Dennis Briggs, who was voted captain last week, as the starter at strong safety but went with an "OR" at the other safety spot between Jazzee Stocker and Bricen Garner. Both Stocker and Garner will likely see time on Saturday.
- Pat Narduzzi said late in training camp that freshman Damarri Mathis was battling redshirt sophomore Dane Jackson for the starting cornerback job opposite Avonte Maddox, and that battle appears to still be ongoing, since there's an "OR" between Jackson and Mathis on the two-deep.