2018 Pitt Football Camp | Day 4 | Videos, Photos & Quotes
8/6/2018 3:00:00 PM | Football
PITTSBURGH—The Pitt football program held the fourth practice of its 2018 training camp on a hot and humid Monday morning at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side of Pittsburgh.
Head coach Pat Narduzzi met with reporters prior to the session, while assistant head coach and defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, offensive line coach Dave Borbely, offensive linemen Stefano Millin and Mike Herndon, linebacker Oluwaseun Idowu and defensive lineman Rashad Weaver all answered questions from the media after the workout.
See below for photos from practice, videos from each interview session and a transcript of Coach Narduzzi's media availability.
Head Coach Pat Narduzzi
Opening statement:
"Our guys knocked out practice three, first day in the shoulder pads. It was an average day. I explained it to them: today is going to be a better helmet-and-shoulder-pad day than Sunday was. I think that we made major strides. We got some nice heat the last day, and I think that we are going to get it again today. You guys can feel the humidity, so we are looking forward to a great practice today."
On the benefit of the experience of Connor Dintino and Mike Herndon:
"Those guys have been around. They understand and they have watched a lot of guys before them step in and start. Obviously, they have both played before, whether offensively or defensively, so they have been in games. I don't worry about those guys at all, and the fifth-year senior thing is a big thing. Everybody would like to play as freshmen, but I can't tell you how important it is to be a fifth-year guy. Those guys are a wealth of knowledge. I think that it is a great thing."
On if he expects Rashad Weaver to improve greatly this season:
"Yeah, I expect big strides from [Rashad] Weaver; I expect big strides from [Amir] Watts; we expect big strides from everybody out there on the field today, so he is no exception."
On Rashad Weaver's strongest attribute:
"The fundamental thing that we talked about today was knowledge. I just tweeted out a few minutes ago a quote that I liked from our quiet time in the morning. One thing that I have to tell you about that guy is that his knowledge is good. He could be sitting as a head coach at Pitt someday. He's got great football knowledge. We talk about all the different tools that kids can have—one guy could be fast, one guy could be strong, one guy could be a good football player. One guy is going to be really strong mentally. He's one of those guys mentally that knows what to do, which allows him to play at a higher level."
On his confidence in players stepping up in the secondary:
"I think we've got some quality depth back there. There is going to be a [positional] war back there. Right now, Damar Hamlin is playing at a high level. If I had to pick my number one guy, Damar Hamlin is playing at a high level right now, playing fast and doing the little things right. Every year is a new year. You are going to have holes to fill. I feel confident with what we have to go out there."
On the swagger of the secondary:
"I think that you only find that out at the end of the year. They can be the snipers, they can be whatever they want to be. But at the end of the year, we'll find out where they are and really what their name ia."
On Damar Hamlin's attitude with being healthy:
"I think it's enjoyment. You see his mom and dad out here watching him practice. That's the beauty of being a Pittsburgh kid, where your mom and dad can come out on a Friday afternoon and watch him. There is a sense of relief. You would have to ask him. I know that it is a joy for me to watch that guy play and play the game he loves. There is nothing worse than seeing a guy that can't go out and do what he wants to do and loves to do."
On the impact of the field safety position for Pitt's defense:
"It takes 11 guys. If one guy is out of place, it makes an impact. It is not something new. There will be challenges in every game, I guarantee you that. Obviously, it helps to have that guy doing the little things right."
On if the field safety position tends to get more interceptions:
"No, I can't tell you that. That's kind of a guessing game as far as who will be that guy. Is it the linebackers, the cornerbacks, the safeties? I would say, generally, that the safeties would probably get more than our corners based on how offenses are nowadays, but that's a crapshoot."
On how Paris Ford is adjusting to cornerback:
"He's doing well. He was a little up and down during that typical summer coaching out there that they give themselves, which may be non-existent. To the second day, he really progressed. He was back to normal, back to where he was when he came out to spring ball, so we got him readjusted and refocused on the details. He was really good yesterday and had a great pick yesterday in a drill. We expect great things out of him. He is doing well."
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach Charlie Partridge
Offensive Line Coach Dave Borbely
Offensive Linemen Stefano Millin and Mike Herndon
Linebacker Oluwaseun Idowu
Defensive Lineman Rashad Weaver
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
Head coach Pat Narduzzi met with reporters prior to the session, while assistant head coach and defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, offensive line coach Dave Borbely, offensive linemen Stefano Millin and Mike Herndon, linebacker Oluwaseun Idowu and defensive lineman Rashad Weaver all answered questions from the media after the workout.
See below for photos from practice, videos from each interview session and a transcript of Coach Narduzzi's media availability.
Head Coach Pat Narduzzi
Opening statement:
"Our guys knocked out practice three, first day in the shoulder pads. It was an average day. I explained it to them: today is going to be a better helmet-and-shoulder-pad day than Sunday was. I think that we made major strides. We got some nice heat the last day, and I think that we are going to get it again today. You guys can feel the humidity, so we are looking forward to a great practice today."
On the benefit of the experience of Connor Dintino and Mike Herndon:
"Those guys have been around. They understand and they have watched a lot of guys before them step in and start. Obviously, they have both played before, whether offensively or defensively, so they have been in games. I don't worry about those guys at all, and the fifth-year senior thing is a big thing. Everybody would like to play as freshmen, but I can't tell you how important it is to be a fifth-year guy. Those guys are a wealth of knowledge. I think that it is a great thing."
On if he expects Rashad Weaver to improve greatly this season:
"Yeah, I expect big strides from [Rashad] Weaver; I expect big strides from [Amir] Watts; we expect big strides from everybody out there on the field today, so he is no exception."
On Rashad Weaver's strongest attribute:
"The fundamental thing that we talked about today was knowledge. I just tweeted out a few minutes ago a quote that I liked from our quiet time in the morning. One thing that I have to tell you about that guy is that his knowledge is good. He could be sitting as a head coach at Pitt someday. He's got great football knowledge. We talk about all the different tools that kids can have—one guy could be fast, one guy could be strong, one guy could be a good football player. One guy is going to be really strong mentally. He's one of those guys mentally that knows what to do, which allows him to play at a higher level."
On his confidence in players stepping up in the secondary:
"I think we've got some quality depth back there. There is going to be a [positional] war back there. Right now, Damar Hamlin is playing at a high level. If I had to pick my number one guy, Damar Hamlin is playing at a high level right now, playing fast and doing the little things right. Every year is a new year. You are going to have holes to fill. I feel confident with what we have to go out there."
On the swagger of the secondary:
"I think that you only find that out at the end of the year. They can be the snipers, they can be whatever they want to be. But at the end of the year, we'll find out where they are and really what their name ia."
On Damar Hamlin's attitude with being healthy:
"I think it's enjoyment. You see his mom and dad out here watching him practice. That's the beauty of being a Pittsburgh kid, where your mom and dad can come out on a Friday afternoon and watch him. There is a sense of relief. You would have to ask him. I know that it is a joy for me to watch that guy play and play the game he loves. There is nothing worse than seeing a guy that can't go out and do what he wants to do and loves to do."
On the impact of the field safety position for Pitt's defense:
"It takes 11 guys. If one guy is out of place, it makes an impact. It is not something new. There will be challenges in every game, I guarantee you that. Obviously, it helps to have that guy doing the little things right."
On if the field safety position tends to get more interceptions:
"No, I can't tell you that. That's kind of a guessing game as far as who will be that guy. Is it the linebackers, the cornerbacks, the safeties? I would say, generally, that the safeties would probably get more than our corners based on how offenses are nowadays, but that's a crapshoot."
On how Paris Ford is adjusting to cornerback:
"He's doing well. He was a little up and down during that typical summer coaching out there that they give themselves, which may be non-existent. To the second day, he really progressed. He was back to normal, back to where he was when he came out to spring ball, so we got him readjusted and refocused on the details. He was really good yesterday and had a great pick yesterday in a drill. We expect great things out of him. He is doing well."
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach Charlie Partridge
Offensive Line Coach Dave Borbely
Offensive Linemen Stefano Millin and Mike Herndon
Linebacker Oluwaseun Idowu
Defensive Lineman Rashad Weaver
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ FootballPitt Football | Pitt 30, Syracuse 13 | Field Pass
Tuesday, October 21
NC State Week | Jeremy Darveau, Randy Bates, Braylan Lovelace
Tuesday, October 21
The Book of A.D. | Chapter 1 | In the Beginning
Monday, October 20
Pitt Football | NC State Week | Coach Narduzzi Presser | 10.20.25
Monday, October 20