Pitt Practice Notebook, Sights and Sounds: March 13

PITTSBURGH — On the second practice of Pitt’s 2018 spring session, and still with out pads, there was an extra emphasis on special teams teaching, will both punt and field goal phases getting in extra work.

Pitt has an experienced group of specialists, with kicker Alex Kessman and long snapper Cal Adomitis returning from starting roles in 2017 and redshirt freshman punter Kirk Christodoulou becoming the starter after one season of tutelage under Ryan Winslow.

With the sub-freezing temperatures taking practice indoors, Christodoulou was booming punts off the ceiling at the indoor practice facility the Panthers share with the Pittsburgh Steelers on the South Side.

On the other end of those kicks will be some new faces. Redshirt freshman Paris Ford was one of the Panthers fielding punts, as well as true freshman early enrollee Shocky Jacques-Louis and wide receivers Maurice Ffrench and Rafael Araujo-Lopes.

Ford returned kicks for the scout team in 2017 and got rave reviews, regardless of his position or spot on the defensive depth chart, that seems likely to be a place where he can make an impact in 2018.

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

Senior tackle Alex Bookser.

New defensive coordinator Randy Bates.

Redshirt freshman Paris Ford waits for a punt.

Rob Harley supervises stretching.

New offensive line coach Dave Borbely supervises some stretching.

Dave Borbely

New safeties coach Corey Sanders.

Associate strength and conditioning coach Freddie Walker has a new handlebar mustache.

Linebacker Quintin Wirginis stretching.

Pitt players stretching.

Shane Roy.

Paris Ford.

INTERVIEWS