Pitt has found its next running backs coach from the FCS level but unlike some other offensive hires, he’s not coming from Western Carolina.
Pitt has hired Howard offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Lindsey Lamar to serve as the Panthers’ running backs coach, Pat Narduzzi announced Tuesday. It’s the first time Lindsey has coached running backs at the college level.
Andre Powell, who served as the Pitt running backs coach and special teams coordinator over the last eight seasons, was let go last week, and Lamar is part of the youth movement on the offensive coaching staff.
While Lamar hasn’t coached running backs at this point in his career, he has experience at the college level himself as a running back — and he coached at the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp over the summer as part of a fellowship program.
Lamar, 33, spent the last three years as the wide receivers coach at Howard, and he was elevated to offensive coordinator ahead of last season — while retaining his position coaching the wideouts.
Howard went 6-6 last season, averaging 28.5 points per game and 367.3 total yards per game. It was a balanced attack offensively, with eight different Bison catching double-digit passes, and three different Bison serving in the running backs rotation.
Lamar may have worked primarily with the wide receivers during his time at Howard, but he was a running back during his playing days at USF in the early 2010s. He earned All-Big East honors and Big East Special Teams Player of the Year in 2010.
He began his coaching career at his alma mater in 2015, serving on then-head coach Charlie Strong’s staff, and he got his start as a graduate assistant. He was promoted to promoted to the role of special assistant to the head coach in 2017 and then promoted once again to a quality control position in 2o19.
Lamar, who is from Tampa, Fla., has connections in the Florida area, and he’s coached in the DMV over the last few seasons. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him take over Powell’s role in the DMV.
Lamar is one of the newest in the wave of young offensive coaches, along with Bell, offensive line coach Jeremy Darveau and tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Jacob Bronowski.
Go Heather, Go! She, no doubt, has been very involved in these assistant coach hires.