Pitt Testing Young Talent on Defense

The Pitt Panthers will find out a lot about their depth this weekend at their second scrimmage.

PITTSBURGH -- Another week of Pitt Panthers training camp is in the books and that means another scrimmage looms during the weekend. On Saturday, the team will venture to Acrisure Stadium looking for more answers to the open questions in their 2023 lineup. 

On defense, the Panthers have some holes to fill not just at the top of the depth chart but down in important reserve roles as well. And across the board, the coaching staff believes there are a few underclassmen that are capable of taking on important jobs. 

"We’ve got a bunch of young guys who are pushing their way up the ladder," defensive coordinator Randy Bates said. "Where those guys will end up, we’ll probably know after the scrimmage.”

Even among a crowded linebackers room, head coach Pat Narduzzi has been a believer in Braylan Lovelace, a local member of Pitt's 2023 recruiting class, since spring ball. 

He said following the spring game that Lovelace was capable of playing right away and training camp has only affirmed Narduzzi's high expectations. Lovelace - who added 25 pounds to his frame since arriving for the start of the 2023 spring semester, will "for sure" be a part of the linebacker rotation. 

Behind Lovelace are four up-and-comers in the defensive secondary - freshmen Cruce Brookins and Ryland Gandy and redshirt sophomores Tamarion Crumpley and Noah Bigelow. 

“Both [Crumpley and Bigelow] have come a long way from where they were," Narduzzi said. "Ryland Gandy might be the fourth cornerback right now. But Bigelow and Crumpley could push him out if they really want it.”

Unlike Gandy, Bigelow and Crumpley, Brookins is rotating positions to figure out which position - safety or corner - is best suited for his talents. But both Narduzzi and Bates have been impressed with his ability to learn both spots while climbing up the depth chart. 

"Cruce is doing a great job," Narduzzi said. "He’s getting some reps with the 2’s sprinkled in without too much. He’s played a little corner, played a little safety. He’s very capable, he’s smart, so I’d say he’s the guy."

In the trenches is a difficult place for true freshmen to earn any playing time but defensive line coach Charlie Partridge said Isaiah "Ghost" Neal, the highest-rated member of the Panthers' 2023 recruiting class, has begun to flash during practice. 

He's got talent, but to make it as a Power 5 defensive tackle, Neal will need to work on his body, according to Partridge. 

“Ghost has shown that he can do some things," Partridge said. "He’s got really good twitch and great pass-rush instincts. Just got to continue to develop his body and put himself in a good position against the run.”

A lot has been made of the losses the Panthers suffered to the NFL Draft last spring. Pillars of past defenses like Calijah Kancey, SirVocea Dennis, Errick Hallett, Brandon Hill, Habakkuk Baldonado, Deslin Alexandre and more are gone, but Pitt is confident they have a bright future ahead, beginning with the weekend scrimmage. 

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