PITTSBURGH — Fall camp has officially come to an end, and the captains for the 2023 season have been announced.
As voted upon by their Pitt teammates, Pat Narduzzi announced at the Kickoff Luncheon that Matt Goncalves, David Green and Shayne Simon will serve as the three captains this season.
Goncalves, who is expected to serve as either the left or right tackle this season, has taken strides since being inserted into the lineup last season.
Goncalves earned third-team All-ACC honors last season, taking 830 snaps last season, which only trailed Jake Kradel, and he’s once again back as Pitt’s starting right tackle. And he’s also Pitt’s only preseason All-ACC honoree.
He’s played in 35 games (making 21 starts dating back to 2020), and his size (6-foot-6, 330 pounds) and versatility (able to play on the left and right side of the line) should entice scouts.
He earned a 71.9 PFF offensive grade last season, with 76.2 in pass blocking and a 67.2 in run blocking, in 830 snaps — starting all 13 games last season. According to PFF, he didn’t allow a sack while allowing five quarterback hits and 12 quarterback hurries.
Green, a sixth-year player out of Pittsburgh Central Catholic, has been one of Pitt’s more vocal leaders this summer. With Calijah Kancey now in the NFL, Green’s leadership on and off the field will be paramount.
Green will be returning for one last go-around at Pitt this season. And he’s continued to grow and mature in the system, Green is expected to be a vocal leader on the field and wreak havoc in opposing backfields.
Green played in all 13 games last season, rotating as a starting defensive lineman with Devin Danielson (who is also back for his sixth season) alongside Kancey.
He racked up 410 defensive snaps in 2022, grading out as an above-average run-stopper. He recorded 22 tackles (11 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup last season.
In a career where he’s graded higher and higher each season, Green has racked up 59 tackles (31 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, a forced fumble and two pass breakups.
Simon arrived from Notre Dame in January of 2022 and immediately worked his way into the starting lineup at Money. He slid inside to play Mike and will be a key veteran leader despite just one season in the program — making the enormous decision to use his sixth season of eligibility.
He played 588 defensive snaps in 2022, grading out as an elite coverage linebacker from the Money slot, recording 46 tackles (28 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, six pass breakups and a forced fumble and recovery.
Simon’s leadership, emerging as an “outsider” as he called it, to one of the most trusted players on the team has been rapid. Simon’s poise and leadership at Mike will be paramount as Pitt ushers in a new age of safeties behind him.
Pittsburgh Sports Now will have more on the 2023 captains and the Kickoff Luncheon.
