Veteran O-Line looks to provide stability to the offense

Pat Narduzzi was asked recently what position group he felt he was the most comfortable with roughly two weeks through fall camp.

“I would have to say if I had to pick one, you made me pick one, it’s that offensive line right now,” the Pitt head coach said.

There is good reason for that.

Following Pitt’s ACC Championship run in 2021, all five starters announced in unison that they would all be returning. It was a unit that paved the way for the third highest scoring offense in the country a year ago, after Pitt posted 41.4 points per game.

Many things have changed, however. There will be a new quarterback this season, a new offensive coordinator, and even some new playmakers on the outside. The one absolutely constant this offense has heading into 2022 is that experienced offensive line.

“It’s crazy just having such leadership and experience up front,” senior left guard Marcus Minor said. "Just being able to have that makes it easier to work with the younger guys and being able to work with the team, people that we’re already used to, so we’re excited for the season.”

In addition to the return of the starting five, key reserves Matthew Goncalves and Blake Zubovic are also returning. Those two have started multiple games in each of the past two seasons, and realistically would be starters this year if it weren’t for unique circumstances.

The free year granted by the NCAA due to COVID-19 allowed for Minor, Carter Warren, Gabe Houy, and Owen Drexel to have an extra year they ordinarily wouldn’t have had in the past. It’s unheard of to bring back four senior linemen off a championship team for a second senior season.

“As we know, I’ve got everybody back,” Offensive line coach Dave Borbely said. “So it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’ve got a lot of depth, I’m rolling a lot of guys in with the first group, but there’s great understanding.”

The understanding is key for this group. Pitt went from Mark Whipple to Frank Cignetti Jr. this offseason. Having such an experienced group has made that transition easy up front, and Cignetti’s offense may have more of a running element which any offensive linemen welcomes.

"Coming back with all the same guys, obviously a new offense, a little bit more difficult,” Goncalves said. “Same routine, same practice - it’s been great.”

The junior linemen admitted the offense isn’t too different, just different lingo and verbiage between the two coaches.

“I’d say we run the ball a little bit more,” Goncalves explained. “Obviously still working a little bit more tackle over, unbalanced, but that’s a good thing though. I’d say just more running the ball, which I like.”

Goncalves is on the line of working with the starters and also with the second group. In addition to kind of that group of first seven players, Borbely and Narduzzi have highlighted players like Branson Taylor, Ryan Jacoby, Terrence Moore, and even true freshman Ryan Baer. Many of those names will likely comprise the starting unit in 2023.

“I mean when you think about it my second group should be my starters this year,” Borbely said. “I have a lot of confidence in that group and certainly by next year I’ll have even more because many of them will have played and been in the system for another year and that group is doing a fantastic job. If it wasn’t for COVID, those guys would be the starters this year.”

The Pitt offense does have some question marks. Can Kedon Slovis fill in adequately for Kenny Pickett? Will Konata Mumpfield and Bub Means offset the loss of Jordan Addison? Can the running game improve?

All valid questions. The skilled guys know, however, that having this experienced of an offensive line will make their jobs easier and gives them a better chance at success.

“Man it’s really important, because I’ve been at a program where the O-Line is not as great,” Mumpfield said of Pitt’s veteran line. “It makes a difference, especially from a quarterback’s standpoint, being comfortable, delivering the ball, and just giving us more time to get open and create space.”

Pitt has seven players with starting experience, and perhaps four more players angling for playing time. That type of depth has created more competition according to Borbely, which he told his returning sixth-year guys.

“One thing I told them is that if you guys decide to come back or when they did come back I should say, ‘We can’t be the same players we were last year, because it won’t be good enough’”, the veteran offensive line coach said. "Sixth year guys, you’ve got to be better players. We can’t have the same players we had last year. We ned to improve and we’re working to do that and that second group is helping that. Because they are pushing the envelope for sure.”

The offensive line as a whole embraces the competition. They admit playing for a coach like Borbely who has been around for this long makes their jobs easier, even with the change around them heading into the season.

“Constant preparation,” Goncalces said of what it’s like being coached by Borbely. “Obviously when you come in, you’re teaching every day. He wants to make sure we’re ready to go and even if it’s the littlest thing and it’s a little call or something like, he wants to make sure we’re on top of it and if we’re not, he’ll be honest with us.”