Pitt Football
Pitt Football Practice Week 6: Sights and Sounds
PITTSBURGH — The Panthers got back to practice on Tuesday as Pitt gets set for a visit to Syracuse, New York to take on the Orange this Saturday.
Pitt’s offensive line has been in a state of flux recently, with starting right tackle Jaryd Jones-Smith getting benched and being replaced by starting right guard Alex Bookser last week.
Narduzzi said on Monday that he liked the job Bookser has done in both run-blocking and pass-blocking.
That opened up a competition at right guard, with Mike Herndon and Brandon Hodges splitting the snaps last Saturday against Rice.
But the Panthers may have an additional battle brewing, too. Jimmy Morrissey and Conor Dintino battled for the center spot all training camp, with Morrissey, a redshirt freshman former walk-on, winning the battle and gaining praise for his leadership of the group of veteran linemen.
But Dintino found his way back into the rotation last Saturday, and Tuesday morning, Hodges was lined up center during one drill, with Dintino taking snaps with the first team in another.
Here’s more from offensive line coach John Peterson and Hodges:
BIG TEST
Pitt’s defensive line has a tough test this Saturday. Syracuse won’t be running the ball much, but quarterback Eric Dungey is 6-foot-4, 225 pounds and averages 6.8 yards per carry. Here’s the defensive line preparing for the Orange.
SURE HANDS
Running back Chawntez Moss fumbled at the 1-yard line last week against Rice, so it shouldn’t be surprising that the Panthers backs and receivers took on extra ball security drills this week. Here, Pat Narduzzi and Andre Powell try to jar the ball loose with large foam pads.
