Tiquan Underwood met the media for the first time as Pitt's receivers coach on Wednesday, and here's the full rundown of what he said.

Underwood: I really look forward to working with you guys, for sure. I’m really happy to be here and I’m just looking forward to joining this team, joining this culture. What Coach Narduzzi has built up here has been phenomenal, so I’m just glad to be a part of it.

What was the draw here and how did the process start with the connection between you and Coach Narduzzi?
Underwood: What was the draw here? I would just say, Coach Narduzzi, number one, and what he’s built here. Last year they were the ACC champions, and the culture, the people that are here - I was really drawn to the people, personally. Not that the place that I left (didn’t have) great people also, but having that first conversation with Coach Narduzzi over the phone, it just felt right. It felt like a good fit. So that was really it for me, and it just took off from there.

I’m always curious: what’s Coach Narduzzi like in a job interview?
Underwood: Oh, man. He’s awesome. He’s awesome. What you see is what you get. Coach Narduzzi is very consistent in who he is, and I have tremendous respect for that. He was very honest, very direct; he told me what he has built here and what he sees for the future, and also what he wants in a receiver coach and an assistant coach, and the two sides - myself and him - just matched. It really lined up perfectly.

What was the toughest question he asked you?
Underwood: The toughest question he asked me…I would say when he offered the job, because, as you know, Rutgers is my alma mater. I played there, coached with Coach Schiano, played for Coach Schiano, and to leave the school - like, that’s home, that’s where my heart is, it will always be there, but when he offered the job to me, it was like, man, this is real and if I do decide to go to Pitt, I know that some people may not take that well. But at the end of the day, I have to do what’s right for my family and also myself and my career, and I felt like this was the best place for me right now.

Those decisions are always hard, but in the short term, how much of a draw was it to come here and work with a guy like Jordan Addison?
Underwood: Man, the resume that Jordan has built is phenomenal. That’s just hats-off to Coach Narduzzi, the coach that coached him last year - they all did a phenomenal job, a collective effort, and I just want to come here and help Jordan and the rest of the receiver unit just elevate their game. That’s my job. And we have a new offensive coordinator in Coach Cignetti, who’s a great coach, very experienced, and I’m looking forward to teaching these guys the offense and also elevating their game and having a tremendous spring ball capped a tremendous season.

What have those conversations with Coach Cignetti been like so far?
Underwood: They’ve been phenomenal. He has so much wisdom, so much experience, he’s been at so many different places, coached under great coaches and with great coaches, and for me to be in that offensive staff room with somebody like that is phenomenal. Number one, I get to learn from him; number two, to actually have a seat at the table and have a voice and be part of those conversations is pretty awesome.

There’s stories about how tight your receiver room was at Rutgers. Could you describe your style and how you interact with the guys?
Underwood: You’re absolutely right: we had built something pretty special in the receiver room at Rutgers, and coming here, they have something very similar. My style, I just try to tell the guys, everybody’s running their own race, so don’t worry about the next man. Worry about yourself: how can you get better today? We’re all here for the same common goal, and that’s to win a national championship, first by winning an ACC championship. And we have to do that together, so everybody has to be rolling in the same direction.

As far as my style, I’m very open, very direct. I just try to be real and honest with the players, and just try to build those relationships, because if you have a strong relationship with somebody, it’s open, it’s honest and the player will really play for you that way when they know that you care and they begin to trust you.

Will you continue to do birthday cakes and things like that?
Underwood: Oh, I’m huge on that. As soon as I got here, I asked John Ford, I said, can you shoot me all the wide receivers’ cell phone numbers, number one, so I could get in contact with them? And, number two, I need their birthdays, because we all were born on a certain day, and it feels good to be celebrated and acknowledged. Some people’s upbringings, sometimes you didn’t have birthdays or you didn’t get a birthday cake or whatever the situation is, so I look forward to bringing that here, for sure, and celebrating the wide receiver unit.

Do you bake the cakes?
Underwood: I don’t bake them myself. I don’t. I don’t have that many skills. But I’m a big ice cream cake guy, Carvel preferably, so we do the Carvel cakes and sometimes we’ll throw a picture on there.

Part of your title is pass game coordinator; is that like a co-offensive coordinator? What kind of role will you have?
Underwood: So, Coach Cignetti, he offered me the job here as the wide receiver coach-slash-pass game coordinator, and what that means is, number one, I’m responsible for the wide receiver unit, and number two, just more responsibility when it comes to the pass game, more of a voice, more of an input, and I look forward to collabbing with Coach Cignetti and also learning from Coach Cignetti. But I’m really looking forward to the offense that we’re building here for this upcoming season.

Will there be a lot of prep through the week? Will you have extra duties as far as scouting and preparing that part of the game plan?
Underwood: So, this is a first for me as well, so I can’t answer those questions directly, but in the meetings that we have had thus far, it just feels good to have open dialogue and I would assume that I would be definitely looking at more of the defense and the back end, the DB structure and things of that sort and how we can attack them.

Konata told us last week that it felt like there was already a lot of love in the receiver room. What have you see of how they’re welcoming him and how they’re welcoming you and how you guys have been breaking the ice?
Underwood: When you’re a new player or a new coach, there’s always that feeling of being the new student at school. We’ve all dealt with that before. Everyone in this building has been very welcoming. As soon as you walk in here, people are smiling, people are happy, people are happy to be around each other, to work with each other. The energy in this building is phenomenally, and that’s what Coach Narduzzi has built here. It’s about the people, and like Konata said, they are very welcoming. I know you guys are speaking to Addison Copeland, who is a midyear here, and for him to come from high school and make that transition, I feel like the coaches, myself and the players, are going to help him with that transition. Because it’s not easy. It’s not - coming from high school to being thrown in the fire, but once he gets his feet up under him and with the help of myself and the players, it just makes everything easier.

Do you anticipate having more responsibility than any previous job you’ve had because of the extra title?
Underwood: I assume so. I assume so. Getting that title, for me, was very important, with more responsibility - to me, you have to be ready for that. I felt like I was, and that’s kind of why I’m here. I felt like I wanted to take a step forward, I wanted to take a step up, and Coach Narduzzi has given me that opportunity, which I’m very grateful for.

Is it an advantage coming in with a first-year offensive coordinator, where you guys can build something together?
Underwood: Absolutely. Absolutely. Coming here with Coach Cignetti at the same time, where everyone’s learning the offense so I don’t have to feel like I’m behind - I told the wide receivers today, ‘Listen, we’re all in this together, we’re all learning this together.’ And as far as our offensive staff, we’re building it together.

So, like you said, it did time up pretty well.

During your playing career, I don’t think you ever lost to Pitt. But it seemed like there was always a rivalry between Rutgers and Pitt. Do you remember having a particular dislike for Pitt at that time? And is it funny now that you’re wearing Pitt logos and working here?
Underwood: Yeah, so, going to Rutgers - it was the Big East at that time, and Coach Dave Wannstedt was the head coach for Pitt at the time and we crossed paths in Tampa Bay. He’s a phenomenal person, a phenomenal coach, great energy. And going against his teams, one thing you knew, after that game, you’re going to be bruised up, you’re going to be sore, because Pitt was very physical. That was one thing you knew - that they were going to be very physical.

I remember specific names: H.B. Blades, Clint Session, Darrelle Revis, Kennard Cox - they had players and they were tough. That’s one thing I do remember about playing Pitt.

But being 4-0 versus Pitt, I can throw that around a little bit. But now we’re in the ACC, no longer playing those same teams in the Big East, so I’m just looking forward to starting my own little thing here with the wins as far as that goes.

Was there a moment when you first put on the Pitt gear and thought, what am I doing?
Underwood: It really wasn’t, what am I doing? Actually, this was the first hoodie I put on and I went and changed just for this today. I’m a huge Nike guy; I grew up on Nike, I wore Nike growing up, so to me, it just feels right. It just feels right. My wife, she's a Nike person as well, so she’s super-excited as well.

What have you seen from Pitt’s receivers as far as blocking and being physical? How have you graded them in film as you’ve watched them?
Underwood: Watching the film from last year, they did a good job in the run game. They really did. What I try to tell the wideouts, when we’re running routes or we’re scoring touchdowns, the O-line and the running backs are blocking for us, so in the run game, we have to return the favor. It’s only right. That’s the approach we’re going to take. If you want to play receiver here at Pitt, you have to block in the run game. The run game sets up the pass so it all works hand-in-hand.

Did Pitt try to recruit you?
Underwood: Did Pitt try to recruit me? If they did, it was very light. It was very light. It wasn’t really heavy or anything like that. I never was offered by Pitt.

That makes the 4-0 even sweeter.
Underwood: No doubt. But I’m glad to be here. I’m glad to be part of it now. I may not have been as a player, but as a coach, I’m really looking forward to it.

I know you probably have put in a lot of time getting into the program here, but did you get any chance on Saturday to watch Bo Melton play, and what were your thoughts on his performance?
Underwood: Man, you know I watched that Senior Bowl. I had to watch my guy Bo Melton. He had a nice little punt return, saw some practice clips, he did very well. That kid - that young man - holds a special place in my heart, working with him the last couple years and seeing the growth and maturity that he’s gone through, on and off the field. And I’m just happy that he’s a step closer to his lifelong dream of playing in the National Football League.

What can a young receiver do to make a good first impression?
Underwood: What can a young receiver do to make a good first impression on me? Just do what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it. Period. It’s not hard, right? Be here on time. Prepare for meetings. Prepare for your lifts. Prepare for walk-through. Just do the little things, because they all add up. So when you see a kid, a young man, come from high school or he’s a younger guy, a freshman or sophomore, and he’s trying to do the right things, that’s all I need is the effort. That’s all I need. I’ll help you through the transition. I’ll help you through everything else. Just do the right thing and we can go from there.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but what was it like being cut the night before the Super Bowl?
Underwood: Oh, man. That’s a great one. Alright, so, in New England, Coach Belichick, he cuts people at the end of the week every week, so mine just so happened to be literally the biggest game - the Super Bowl. But meeting with Coach before that happened, he said, ‘Listen, we’re going to let you go, we’re bringing up somebody from the practice squad to the active roster,’ and it was a fellow former college teammate of mine; he was a D-lineman, Alex Silvestro. He said, ‘We’re bringing Silvestro up, so we have to let you go, but once we win, you’ll get the ring, you’ll get the money for it, and we’re going to sign you back right after the game.’ One thing about Coach Belichick, he’s a man of his word, and he kept every word.

Unfortunately, we lost that game, so the money was a little bit less than I thought it would be, and instead of a Super Bowl ring, I now have an AFC championship ring. But Coach Belichick, he kept his word, he really did, and I appreciate him for that.

Did you watch the game in a hotel or where were you?
Underwood: I had the opportunity to attend the game. I didn’t want to do that. So I just watched it in the hotel, just rooted for my guys and it just sucks - Eli Manning throws that pass to Mario Manningham, makes a tremendous catch on the left sideline, and for whatever reason, it was their day, so they got the W. It was a hard one to watch, for sure, but no ill will there, no hard feelings whatsoever. We all know this is a business, so sometimes that’s just the way it goes.

How is Jordan taking to working with you?
Underwood: When I met with the receivers, one of the first things I said was, ‘Look, I’ve been in your shoes before. You guys didn’t sign up to play for me; I dealt with that in college, I know how you feel right now, but I’m a resource for you guys. I want to elevate in this room. I want to help you be better. Whatever you’ve done in the past, I want to help it grow even better.’
So that was my message to him and the entire unit. His first two years were phenomenal. Phenomenal. That’s cool, but now, what are we going to do from here on out? Try to get better. Period. And it starts with the little things, just doing the little things every day and gradually that will become a lot, so I’m really looking forward to helping him with his game.

You said you dealt with that, too; how many different receiver coaches did you have in college?
Underwood: My first one was John McNulty. After that, Robert Jackson. Then Kirk Ciarocca. So I had three in four years, so I know how that feels. At first, you’re like, who is this guy? You’re feeling him out, and I know they’re feeling me out right now, but I’m just going to be open and honest with the guys, and as time goes, they’ll grow to learn who I am, I’m growing to learn who they are, and we’re going to do this together, man. I told them, I’m not shy about saying it: I want to have the best receiving corps in the country. Period. And we can do that; with the people we have on this offensive side of the ball, we can do that. But to do something great, you have to put in work, so I challenged those guys: we have to put in the work. Period.

Have you always had the high top? How far back did that go?
Underwood: This dates back to 2011. It actually started as a joke. Two of my really close friends, Jason and Devin McCourty, the McCourty twins, they just dared me - like, ‘Bro, you won’t get that haircut.’ That’s how it started, and it took off from there. I realized that not a lot of people have this haircut, so I said, you know what? I want to be different. It’s not about sticking out, but I want to be different. I’m comfortable in my skin. I’m comfortable with who I am. So I’ve been riding it out. I rode it out as a player and now as a coach. You definitely don’t see a lot of coaches with it, so it helps with recruiting. Anything that’s going to help with recruiting, I’m for it. So they’re like, ‘Oh man, that’s the coach with the high top.’ Once I meet a kid, they’re never going to forget who I am, so I look at it as a recruiting tool.

What area will you recruit?
Underwood: We’re still working that out, but like I told Coach, I can recruit anywhere. I can recruit any person, no matter their background, who they are; I’m a people person and recruiting’s about relationships and being able to speak to people, so wherever they put me, I’m just going to do my job and get the players that fit Pitt and bring them here.

Have you found a good barber yet?
Underwood: I have not found a Pittsburgh barber, so if you guys have any recommendations - I can’t let just anybody touch this, so I need to see some pictures or some proof that they have skills, but I’m going to need a barber, for sure.

I’m actually going home for my second daughter’s birthday; it’s the 11th and we’re going to celebrate it Saturday, so I called my barber like, ‘Bro, I’m coming back, I need a cut.’ Because I haven’t found anybody in Pittsburgh yet.