Pitt OL Ryan Baer Taking Accountability After ‘Embarrassing’ End To 2024

Pitt offensive lineman Ryan Baer did not mince words when asked about the outcome of the 2024 season.

“Unacceptable,” “embarrassing” and “horrible” were just some of the ways he described the finish to Pitt’s season after starting 7-0 and the way the offensive line played down the stretch.

“It was embarrassing, really,” Baer said last week. “Obviously, injuries – you don’t make excuses. You have injuries, stuff happens. Everyone around the country has injuries. You need to be able to step up, next man up. We didn’t. Especially as an o-line, we played horrible. It is what it is. I didn’t play great, we didn’t play great as a unit, so we just got to turn it around. It’s in the past now. We just got to use it as fuel.”

Another year older in the Pitt program as a redshirt junior, Baer is now assuming a leadership role and he is taking accountability for all the failures from a season ago.

“I just want to be more vocal,” he said. “I’ve never really been the most vocal guy around here, but as you get older it’s kind of your job to lead by example and to lead vocally, too, so just trying to be a little more vocal.”

Pittsburgh Panthers offensive lineman Ryan Baer (70) August 31, 2024 Photo by David Hague/PSN

The Eastlake, Ohio native might not always be the most comfortable as a vocal guy, but understands what is needed after experiencing former teammates and offensive linemen Branson Taylor and Matt Goncalves go through the same development. Baer also saw those leadership traits in his time around quarterback Kenny Pickett.

“I wasn’t here with Kenny, but I was around when he was getting ready for his pro day. Just meeting him, seeing what it means to be a leader and the respect that you gain. You have to earn to be a leader, you can’t force yourself to be one. You have to earn that respect, so I’m not going to force anything and if people see me as a leader, then I’ll lead. You have to earn it,” Baer said.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi also acknowledged Baer as a leader, especially within the tackle group that welcomed in transfers Jeff Persi from Michigan and Kendall Stanley from Charlotte.

“Ryan Baer is a man. He’s the leader of that group… he just does his job and leads by example when he’s out there,” Narduzzi said on Thursday.

The 2024 campaign was one full of challenges for Baer. He became the starter at right tackle to open the season before suddenly shifting to left tackle after Taylor suffered a season-ending injury. Baer’s play took a hit once he moved to right tackle.

Pitt Panthers’ Ryan Baer (70) at left tackle blocking for quarterback Nate Yarnell (19) November 16, 2024 David Hague/PSN

In the final five games, Baer played 412 snaps at left tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. He allowed 21 pressures and six of his seven sacks that he allowed during the season came in that stretch. During the entirety of the season, Baer allowed 44 pressures and took five penalties as PFF gave him an overall 58.9 grade — 404th amongst tackles.

Baer is working back at right tackle, the spot in which he is more comfortable with.

“I feel a lot better at right tackle,” he said. “I want to be able to play both just in case anything happens like last year, but right now I’m at right.”

The 6-foot-7 Baer says he is slimmer than he’s ever been in college and feeling his best as spring camp is underway.

“I’m the lightest I’ve been since my junior year of high school, so I’ve really tried to hone in on my body,” Baer said. “I’m down to like 319 right now, so just trying to thin down in the different style of offense.

“I feel great. I feel a lot more in shape, a little more agile, so I definitely feel a difference.”

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With Year 2 under offensive coordinator Kade Bell and offensive line coach Jeremy Darveau, Baer feels the line will be better prepared for the upcoming season.

“I think it’s going to help a lot more for development. Spring is a time where you want to develop. You’re not preparing for other team’s defenses. It’s just you and your team’s defense going at it every day. Now that we know the offense, it’s not more of a learning phase. It’s us going out and developing and getting better. Now we can take this spring and develop ourselves into the offense that we’ve been doing for a year, which I think will help us out a lot.”

In the early days of spring camp, Baer has noticed a different tone to practices and drills only three months removed from the sixth and final loss of a miserable losing streak to conclude 2024, and he hopes it continues that way.

“We’re not in pads yet, but even just being in spiders, the o-line, d-line, we’ve been battling. That’s’ good. That’s what we need. Starting off 7-0 last year and finishing the way we did was unacceptable, so we need to change something up and I think we’re on the right foot right now,” Baer said.