PITTSBURGH — After switching positions multiple times during his time at Pitt, Jim Medure has found a home at the fullback position.
Medure, a redshirt senior from New Castle, PA and a product of Neshannock high school, looks like he is the lead candidate to replace former Pitt fullback George Aston, who will be in the NFL next year. After switching positions multiple times, Medure played the entire 2018 season at tight end before making the switch to fullback this off-season. For the 2018 season, Medure had three catches for a total of 29 yards.
It is undoubtedly tough switching from position to position, but in this latest move, Medure believes that this transition has been different.
“Its been here and there, I don’t want to say simple, but it has been different,” Medure said after practice on Thursday. “With any new position coach, you have different challenges, you have different techniques that you have to get used to, and you have different skill sets you have to learn. Obviously with George Aston, he was unbelievable, in my opinion the best in the country. Big shoes to fill obviously, but it has been alright, we have a couple guys rotating in and taking reps. Overall, after this spring, I think we will be alright.”
After being a teammate of arguably one of the best fullbacks in the country, Medure is trying to adopt that certain mentality that Aston had, which made him such a dynamic football player.
“George (Aston) was a mean dude and he was a tough guy and I’m trying to adopt those personality traits,” Medure said. “I’m trying to build my play around that. I’m trying to fill that same type of attitude.”
At this point in time, Medure does not possess the same mentality that Aston had during his time at Pitt. Running backs coach Andre Powell believes that in order for Medure to succeed as a fullback they will need to find that mean and tough mentality that Aston had.
“I’m not going to say that Jimmy (Medure) is not a naturally mean guy, we just have to reach in there and find it and bring it out,” Powell said after Tuesday’s practice. “He is not as mean as you would like to have him right now, but you don’t get any bowl rings from winning the spring game. So we will just keep plugging and keep working him.”
It is still uncertain through the spring practices how new offensive coordinator, Mark Whipple will use the fullback, but no matter how the fullback is used, Medure will always be ready to do “Whatever they need me to do.”
