Pitt Football Practice Takeaways: Panthers Prepare to Scrimmage

The Pitt Panthers will learn a lot about themselves come Saturday, when they scrimmage for the first time this season.

PITTSBURGH -- An impending scrimmage, slated for Saturday at the Rooney Sports Complex, has the Pitt Panthers fired up. Thursday was devoted to fine-tuning scheme and technique ahead of the first near-game speed competition of the summer and Friday will feature light workouts in an attempt to keep players fresh. 

Weather: It's been relatively chilly this week, with temperatures falling right as the Panthers began to use full pads. It was 73 degrees with 68% humidity on Thursday but bright sunshine made it feel much hotter. 

Dress: Pitt wore full pads, but will dress lighter on Friday. Coaches want to keep the players fresh for Saturday's scrimmage.

Soundtrack: Maybach by 42 Dugg, featuring Future and Make No Sense by Youngboy Never Broke Again. 

Here's what I observed as Pitt prepared for their first unofficial preseason game. 

Weekend Plans

Head coach Pat Narduzzi claimed that the coming scrimmage was "probably the most important" of the year - not because he's taking much stock in the results, but because it is the first one. It is an inaugural look at his new squad - the one charged with defending an ACC title. 

To get the best look at his Panthers, the coaching staff is holding back ever so slightly. Pitt was in full pads on Thursday and ran 11-on-11, "good-on-good" (first offense vs. first defense) plays with live contact, but Narduzzi will oversee a light practice on Friday in an effort to keep the players well-rested for Saturday. 

Under-The-Radar Reciever Impresses

The top of this Pitt receivers room is already crowded and it stands to fill up even more, especially after the day redshirt junior walk-on Gavin Thomson had on Thursday. It seemed like every time Thomson finished a route or drill during the open portion of practice, his position coach, Tiquan Underwood was yelling some kind of encouragement to the former Central Catholic standout. 

Thomson demonstrated sticky hands, hauling in a misplaced ball with one hand while turning up field on a crossing route and corralling a difficult over-the-shoulder fade. His feet were similarly sharp. Thomson's routes featured efficient footwork and made timing easy on his quarterbacks. 

It will be difficult for Thomson to break through into Pitt's rotation at receiver, but look for the special teams veteran to add a new position - punt returner - to his resume. He's been spending the early stages of practice returning kicks all training camp long. 

Narduzzi Recruited Portal With Experience In Mind

Narduzzi has heaps of faith in his incoming transfer class. Headlined by the additions of receivers Bub Means and Konata Mumpfield and linebackers Shayne Simon and Tylar Wiltz, he believes all nine newcomers by way of the transfer portal will contribute to the 2022 team. 

"There's a few [transfers]," Narduzzi said "I think all of those guys are going to make an impact on who we are as a team this year. We did a great job of selecting those guys and we're excited to see where that goes."

The coaching staff anticipated needing so many reinforcements and that's why, according to Narduzzi, they recruited the transfer portal looking for experience and production instead of simply fishing for talent. 

"You're evaluating talent but also they've done it before so you've got the maturity to come in and transfer," he said. "It's not like they're some freshman who didn't like it here and wants to come here to see if he likes it, ... It's guys who have played football that we were looking for." 

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