Pitt tight ends caught 10 passes during the 2018 season. A lot of factors went into that, like play calling and Pitt having a dominant rushing attack. However you look at it, it was not a productive season for the tight end position a year ago.

Through four games, the Pitt tight ends aren’t posting eye popping numbers by any means, but it’s a step forward, and they are becoming options in the offense each and every week.

Will Gragg has ten catches for 61 yards on the season, five more passes than he caught in all of 2018. Rutgers graduate transfer Nakia Griffin Stewart has six catches on the year, already four more than he had with the Scarlet Knights a year ago.

These aren’t giant leaps forward, but it seems like it after how things played out in 2018. The position is getting some touches, and some crucial ones at that. At the very least, this unit is being used more than it was in 2018. For tight ends coach Tim Salem, that is all well and good, but the only stat he cares about is winning.

“Unlike maybe a lot of other people, I don’t care,” Salem said about his guys seeing more targets in the passing game. “I just care about winning and if we have to run the ball every snap and the tight ends don’t catch a ball, who cares? Because we won the game. If we’ve got to throw it to them 20 times then you throw it to them 20 times. This is a team game and I think sometimes in the big world, big picture whether it’s high school kids or college kids it’s a ‘me me me’ society - why didn’t you throw the ball to me 20 times today? Well we didn’t, but you had to do this and we won the game, so I’ll be damn happy.”

OK, so maybe an answer you would expect from a coach. But as a player, especially one trying to fit into a new program, Griffin-Stewart is pleased with how things have gone on the field.

“I’ve seen the offense progress pretty well,” the Rutgers transfer said. “We’re getting better each and every week. Last week was obviously a big week, one of the biggest wins I’ve ever had in my personal career and from a personal standpoint I feel like I’m getting more comfortable with every week. So it’s been a week by week transition, but I feel like we’re going in the right direction and I’m excited for the rest of the year.”

16 catches between the tight ends is nothing to write home about just yet, as it is still a work in progress for that entire side of the ball to make the transition to a new offensive coordinator. Pitt was a run heavy team a year ago, as the Panthers had one of the best rushing attacks in the country. In 2019, however, Pitt has attempted the second most passes in the country behind only Washington State to this point - almost a polar opposite of how the team played a season ago.

While the offensive philosophy has changed, the tight ends still have to maintain some of the same keys as last year, like run blocking. Salem likes what he sees from his guys, but of course would like to see more at the same time.

“We’re getting some bodies on people,” Salem said. “Again if you’re being selfish and picky you’d like too see guys knocked into row 114 of the section up there in the stands, rolled out in the damn tunnel eating hot dogs in the concourse - that’s what you really want.

He added, “Can you block them better? You can always block them better and that’s what we’re striving to do.”

Griffin-Stewart concurred.

“We need to improve in every area, but I feel like we’re doing well. I think the biggest thing we need to do together collectively as a unit is just finish more,” he said. “We’re getting in the right spot and blocking the people, but we just got to bring more nastiness to the game and try to finish those blocks on every play.”

So the tight ends are producing more, but the tight end coach just wants to win, and if you know how Salem is, you would expect nothing less from him. The Panthers’ tight end coach is always on the move, and that energy is felt throughout the whole building.

“The most eccentric person I know,” Pitt safeties coach Cory Sanders laughed. "Salem is go go go all the time. I’ve never not seen him just rocking and rolling fast, so yea Coach Salem is a funny one.”

Griffin-Stewart said he knew exactly what he was getting into when he signed to play for the Panthers’ coach. His former Rutgers teammate Matt Flanagan also transferred to Pitt and gave him the scoop on Salem when he first started getting recruited.

“We come into the meetings early in the morning and he’s already going, but that wakes us up and that keeps us giving, that gives us energy in practice to see him come out there and bring that energy every single day,” Griffin-Stewart said. "He’s the same person every single day, so that motivates us to bring the same persistence and that same effort every day.”

Overall the Pitt tight ends are producing more than last year, and so is Griffin-Stewart on a personal level after a two-catch season a year ago in Piscataway. His season in Pittsburgh has already exceeded expectations.

“It’s been better than what I thought it would be,” he said. “I had a pretty quick transition with my teammates, I’m surrounded by a great group of guys, a great coaching staff and I think we’re going to do some great things this season, so I’ve been very pleased with the transition.”