Pitt FB Recruiting
Breakaway Speed Made Juelz Goff Can’t Miss Recruit for Pitt
Pitt had two running backs committed to its class of 2o24 for the entire season, picking up a verbal commitment from Juelz Goff in January and Yasin Willis in July, but only one of them eventually signed.
And apparently, if you ask just about anyone, they’ll tell you that Pitt got the right one.
“You know, at one point we had two, but there’s no question (Goff) was the guy,” Narduzzi said last week. “His dad will tell you, he’ll tell you, I’ll tell you, if we were going to lose one, this is the one we did not want to lose. He’s a 10.8 100-meter guy, he’s the all-time leading rusher in that school district there.
“He’s got that breakaway speed, you talk 10.8 and he’s only a senior in high school. He’s explosive, and it’s one of those guys if you give him a crack, he’s gonna take more than you blocking, and that’s what we need.”
Willis flipped to Syracuse earlier this month, following an official visit with the Orange, and that made Goff the running back of the future for the Panthers. And his ability, the ability to hit that second gear and explode into the secondary, is a tailor-made fit in new offensive coordinator Kade Bell’s offense.
Goff, who committed to Pitt over offers from Boston College, Duke, JMU, Old Dominion and Rutgers, has earned back-to-back All-State honors at Central York High. He followed up a 1,600-yard junior season with another, racking up 1,623 yards (7.3 yards per carry) and 31 touchdowns — setting the school record for career rushing yards in the process.
One of the best examples of his dominance came in his senior season opener, a performance in which he carried Central York to a 45-35 win over Central Dauphin High, racking 279 rushing yards, 20 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
It was a clinic Friday night as Goff showcased his lateral cuts and breakaway speed, toying with the Central Dauphin defense all night long on just 27 carries. That’s good for just over 10 yards a carry.
Senior Highlights – https://t.co/Kubeboo8zz
222 Car, 1623 Yards (9 Total Games)
31 Rushing TDs
7.3 YPC
Offensive POTY
All-Time Rushing Leader pic.twitter.com/oDoY0qLc36— Juelz Goff (@JuelzGoff) December 1, 2023
It was his explosive speed that helped him set a program record, earning multiple Player of the Year honors and first-team All-State honors not long after, but also what made Narduzzi and the coaching staff covet his signing.
“Well, I think it comes down to speed,” Narduzzi said. “There’s a lot of good backs that are a little bit slower, a little bit bigger, but this dude’s explosive. And as a defensive guy, the one thing you don’t want is to have that guy that if you give him a crack, a five yard run turns into a 55, that’s what you don’t want.
“If you lose a big guy, and you miss him for five, you gain seven, or eight, or ten, you’re okay. And those guys aren’t going to bother you as much.”
It will be difficult to crack the running back rotation as a true freshman, working behind a veteran rotation that will likely feature three backs at any given time, but he’s still a name to watch as an early arrival this winter. The ability to integrate into the new-look offense will be paramount.
Rodney Hammond Jr. figures to be the lead back entering the 2024 season, but that was the expectation before last season, too. Derrick Davis Jr., Desmond Reid and Daniel Carter should feature in the rotation. And Montravius Lloyd showed flashes as a true freshman.
Goff’s ability to see the field, outside of situations in which the youth hits the field, may come from how quickly he’s able to adapt to the Pitt offense and bulk up for the next level. But he does hold high expectations from the coaching staff already.
He’s a GREAT kid too!
H2P!!!