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Tuesday Pitt Football Practice Notebook

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Pat Narduzzi pumps up the team during warmups. -- ALAN SAUNDERS

First practice of the week for Pitt as they prepare for Saturday’s opener vs. Youngstown State. PSN’s Alan Saunders is on the South Side and will have you covered. 

**Looks like Youngstown State will have five starters from Western Pa. https://twitter.com/brian_dzenis/status/902559116375

 

 

Pat Narduzzi had things ramped up Tuesday morning, with the music turned up a notch and Narduzzi bringing a gametime-level of intensity to the festivities.

Early in the viewing window, Pitt was focused on special teams, with potential punt gunners Therran Coleman, Aaron Mathews and Jason Pinnock amongst those working on shedding blocks.

Up field, the rest of the punt unit was working on staying in their lane during a return and angling to move a returner to a specific side. Included in the punt cover unit was redshirt freshman quarterback Thomas Macvittie, who is still wearing a red no-contact jersey, even while working on special teams.

Thomas Macvittie (red) and Qadree Ollison work together on a tackling drill. — ALAN SAUNDERS

Macvittie is wearing red, but true freshman Kenny Pickett is wearing blue, meaning he’ll be joining walk-on Jake Zilinskas on the scout team while Macvittie works with the starters.

Kenny Pickett warms up before Pitt practice. — ALAN SAUNDERS

On the other field, the offensive and defensive lines worked out. It’s hard to work out a rotation from the drills they were doing, but it seems that Dewayne Hendrix, Allen Edwards, James Folston and Rashad Weaver have the playing time locked down on the outside, with Patrick Jones behind that group and Kaezon Pugh headed to the scout team.

On the offensive line, things are even less clear because of Alex Bookser’s situation. Bookser has been practicing, but will be suspended for Saturday’s game against Youngstown State. So while Jimmy Morrissey was named the starting center on Monday, it remains to be seen how long he’ll hold onto that job.

Jimmy Morrissey works out before Pitt practice. — ALAN SAUNDERS

Before the end of viewing window, Narduzzi addressed the team as a whole before letting senior cornerback Avonte Maddox break the team out for the first practice season of the 2017 regular season.

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
 
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