The two-deep: Pitt goes with a three-punter look
Pitt has one of the most unconventional depth charts in the country this week. Here's a look at the changes the staff made on offense, defense and special teams.
| Pos. | Player | Player | Player |
|---|---|---|---|
|
QB |
Kedon Slovis |
Nick Patti |
Nate Yarnell |
|
RB |
Israel Abanikanda |
Rodney Hammond OR |
Vincent Davis OR C'Bo Flemister |
|
TE |
Gavin Bartholomew |
Karter Johnson OR |
Kyi Wright |
|
WR |
Konata Mumpfield |
Jaylon Barden |
|
|
WR |
Jared Wayne |
Gavin Thomson |
|
|
WR |
Bub Means |
Myles Alston |
|
|
LT |
Matt Goncalves |
Branson Taylor |
|
|
LG |
Marcus Minor |
Ryan Jacoby |
|
|
C |
Jake Kradel |
Terrence Moore |
|
|
RG |
Blake Zubovic |
Jason Collier |
|
|
RT |
Gabe Houy |
Ryan Baer |
There was really only one change made on the offensive two-deep, and it happened on the offensive line, where the coaches listed Matt Goncalves as the starting left tackle and Gabe Houy as the starting right tackle.
That was a change from the last few weeks, when Goncalves and Houy were listed as “OR” starters at right tackle and Branson Taylor was listed as the starting left tackle. Despite that listing, Goncalves started the last three games at left tackle and figures to continue in that role going forward.
Taylor is now listed as Goncalves’ backup at left tackle, while freshman Ryan Baer, who was the backup left tackle previously, is now listed as the backup right tackle.
| Pos. | Player | Player | Player |
|---|---|---|---|
|
DE |
Habakkuk Baldonado |
Chris Maloney |
|
|
DT |
Devin Danielson OR |
David Green |
Deandre Jules |
|
DT |
Calijah Kancey |
Tyler Bentley |
|
|
DE |
Deslin Alexandre OR |
John Morgan |
|
|
Star |
Bangally Kamara OR |
Tylar Wiltz |
|
|
MLB |
SirVocea Dennis |
Brandon George |
|
|
Money |
Shayne Simon |
Solomon DeShields |
|
|
CB |
M.J. Devonshire |
A.J. Woods |
Ryland Gandy |
|
CB |
Marquis Williams |
Noah Biglow |
|
|
FS |
Erick Hallett |
P.J. O'Brien |
|
|
SS |
Brandon Hill |
Judson Tallandier OR |
Javon McIntyre |
On defense, the only change the coaches made was to remove junior Dayon Hayes. Hayes was arrested on misdemeanor assault charges late Sunday. Pat Narduzzi said Monday that Hayes would be subject to internal discipline pending the outcome of his legal situation, but it is unknown if he will play this weekend at Virginia.
| Pos. | Player | Player | Player |
|---|---|---|---|
|
PK |
Ben Sauls |
Sam Scarton |
|
|
P |
Cam Guess OR |
Sam Vander Haar OR |
Caleb Junko |
|
H |
Cam Guess |
Sam Vander Haar |
|
|
LS |
Byron Floyd |
James Fineran |
|
|
KR |
Israel Abanikanda |
Vincent Davis |
|
|
PR |
Konata Mumpfield OR |
M.J. Devonshire |
Jaylon Barden |
|
KO |
Ben Sauls |
Sam Scarton |
Perhaps the most interesting development on the two-deep this week was at punter, where Pitt has made the unprecedented move of listing three players as “OR” starters. That list includes redshirt sophomore Cam Guess, freshman Sam Vander Haar and redshirt freshman Caleb Junko. All three punted in Saturday’s win over Syracuse, with Vander Haar punting first and last - the last being a perfectly-placed kick late in the fourth quarter that was downed at the Syracuse 1.
"Sam came in, did a nice job on that last sky punt," Narduzzi said Monday. "Not where we want it to be as far as the direction, but did a nice job putting one at the 1. We'd like the other one to be inside the 10. That's his role right now. We'll see how those other guys do with that this week. We'll see.
"Then when you look at Cam and you look at Junko, both of them have legs. We're going to find out what they do this week, so it's an 'OR' right now. Maybe Sam Vander Haar goes out there and kills it this week, but it's an 'OR,' and there's a battle going on there, as I think we all see."
Narduzzi added that he and the coaching staff believe they will have an idea of who their punter for 2023 is by the end of this season.