PITTSBURGH — Pitt got back on the practice field on Tuesday following the Panthers’ 44-38 overtime victory over Syracuse last Saturday that evened the Panthers’ record this season at 3-3.
But any kind of good feelings carryover from the game were long gone by the time the whistles started to blow on Tuesday morning.
The Panthers had an intense practice session, with head coach Pat Narduzzi and involved personally in several of the team’s drills. Here’s Narduzzi and Charlie Partridge working on a strip sack drill with Pitt’s linebackers and letting them know when it doesn’t go perfectly.
Pitt’s defense still has many details to clean up from the Syracuse game, and it seemed like a lot of the Tuesday drill were tailored toward that. Rob Harley worked with the defensive linemen on keeping contain during pass rushes and Partridge had his linemen working on fighting off double-teams as the point of attack.
MISSING MAN
Wide receiver Taysir Mack (right foot/ankle) dressed for practice, but did not participate in the portion of practice open to the media. Shocky Jacques-Louis, Aaron Mathews and Maurice Ffrench worked with the first offensive group with Rafael Araujo-Lopes and Dontavius Butler-Jenkins rotating through.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
I highlighted George Aston’s lead blocking skills in my film study of the Syracuse game. Aston is a dominant physical player, but he also plays with solid technique. That comes from his meticulous practice regiment, and a pair of willing — if barely — walk-ons to absorb some punishment.
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Narduzzi said on Monday he wanted to get his passing game into a better rhythm. Wide receivers coach Kevin Sherman had his players working on short, quick routes on Tuesday in order to do just that in sights and sounds from Tuesday’s practice.
