Inside The Panthers

Pitt LBs Embracing Shark Mentality

The Pitt Panthers linebackers have truly embraced the shark mentality on defense.

Matthew Scabilloni

Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis celebrates after intercepting West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Garrett Greene (6) in the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Image Images
Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis celebrates after intercepting West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Garrett Greene (6) in the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Image Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have their first 4-0 start since 2000 and the strength of the linebacker corps in the defense is a big reason why.

Each season, Panthers linebackers coach Ryan Manalac gives the linebackers a name they rally around and this season, his players chose to go by the nickname 'Sharks.'

"There's no complaining [with sharks], you get up, doesn't matter if there is any bumps and bruises," Manalac said. "You are going to get up and attack every single day mentality. You are certainly going to attack your preparation."

"Then on the football field that's an aggressive mentality," Manalac said. " We are going to go and we are going to take shots. One shark misses the next one is there."

Redshirt sophomore linebacker Kyle Louis has led the 'Sharks' on the gridiron. The native of East Orange, N.J. has tabbed 33 total tackles, four tackles for loss and one sack. Louis has also wreaked havoc by forcing multiple turnovers this season, through four games he has two interceptions and a forced fumble.

Louis made the biggest play of his career when he intercepted Mountaineers senior quarterback Garrett Greene's pass to end the game, giving the Panthers a big victory in the Backyard Brawl.

He would run over to the student section and put up his hand to his head, signifying the sharks' call, which all the linebackers and many players from other position groups came over to do as well.

"That's our culture," Louis said on the shark mentality prior to the Backyard Brawl. "That's our totem. Everybody love the sharks. We bring a different type of energy to the defense, we bring a different type of energy in the room, we trying to bring a different type of energy to the city, like we're trying to have everybody throw up the sharks in the student section when we make a play. That's our goal. We trying to be the best in the country, so it's starts there..."

Redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein has taken notice to how great Louis has played for the 'Sharks'.

"He’s one of the most dominant and explosive defensive football players I’ve ever played against," Holstein said. "He’s always in the right spot. He’s big, strong, athletic, fast. He’s disguising what he’s doing really well and he’s always in there making plays. Y’all see it all the time. "He’s in there. He has a knack for being around the football, making tackles, turning the ball over, just being in the right spot. It’s really, really comforting when you got a guy like that on the other side of the ball."

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi also sees great things in Louis and that he saw it way back in spring practices.

"He's a beast," Narduzzi said. "That guy he is a football player and we knew it in spring ball. I told a lot of the linebackers he was the 'dude.'"

Louis isn't the only sophomore 'Shark' who has made a big difference for an undefeated Pitt team. Sophomore linebacker Rasheem Biles earned his first start against West Virginia in week three and has made a huge difference for the 'Sharks' in every game he has played this season.

"One heck of a football player," sixth year linebacker and captain Brandon George said about Biles. "Like rabid dogs that's how we are trying to play and that's what he plays like."

Rabid dogs and sharks are eerily similar. Both go after everything they see in front of them without fear. That's why Biles has tallied 32 total tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks on the year.

Biles and Louis aren't ones to sit back and let the play come to them, that's not what sharks do and that's not what Pitt linebackers do.

"We want to make a difference," Louis said. "We not here to just do our job, we are here to make plays."

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Matthew Scabilloni

MATTHEW SCABILLONI

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