Pitt Has Early Winner in Safety Competition

Pat Narduzzi has at least one starter on the back end of his defense.

PITTSBURGH -- Safety was one of the most high-profile position battles that would take place at Pitt Panthers training camp this summer, but one player has emerged as a leader in a crowded defensive backfield. 

Javon McIntyre played in all 13 games in 2022 and made his first start as a Panther in the Bowl game against UCLA, tying the team lead in tackles with seven and grabbing the second interception of his career. He's carried that momentum into the spring and summer and has already been labeled a 2023 starter by his head coach after cleaning up his play dramatically. 

“No question about it, [he’s cleaned up mistakes] or else he wouldn’t be a starter," Pat Narduzzi said. "But [McIntyre] is doing much better. The MA’s [missed assignments] are way down or nonexistent right now.”

Narduzzi and defensive coordinator Randy Bates said there were plenty of mistakes mixed in with the flashy plays he made while shouldering significantly more playing time toward the end of the year. But now, McIntyre is more refined and becoming a leader on the back end of the defense. 

"He's been the guy," Narduzzi said. "I told you back maybe four, five days ago about how he's done a good job communicating and people talked about him being the guy right now. He's done the best job. The corners are comfortable with him because he’s giving them the call fast. He knows exactly what he’s doing, he’s studying it.”

McIntyre said at the onset of training camp that he's not worried about finding a starting role. He still sees himself as one part of a whole safety room. McIntyre takes as much from his teammates as they do from him. 

"We're battling for spots but we're still brothers at the end of the day," he said. "It's one room, we're all the safeties and whoever gets the starting spot will get the starting spot because they earned it and we're going to help push them through the season whoever it is."

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