Inside The Panthers

Feedback on Pitt Newcomers During Spring Camp

Pitt Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi, along with multiple veteran players, shed light on what they’ve seen from newcomers during spring camp.
Kevin Sinclair|
IG: sgboosie

In this story:

Pittsburgh Panthers

During Thursday’s post-practice press conference (available on YouTube), Pitt Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi took the podium first followed by running back Desmond Reid, defensive lineman Jimmy Scott, and linebacker Braylan Lovelace.

Always a hot topic during spring camp, feedback on incoming transfers and early-entry freshmen surfaced. 

“Rashaan Murray has been fun to watch out there,” Narduzzi said in Thursday’s press conference available on YouTube. “We're looking forward to seeing him on Saturday, new guy, lights are turning on, in the stadium. We're long a corner. Shawn Lee (Jr. is) not the longest guy in the world, but he's a competitor as well." 

"(Lee Jr. is) a competitor now. I mean, he's a football player. Again, we'll find out Saturday."

Coach Narduzzi also singled out a rookie on the offensive side of the ball. 

"Ja'Kyrian Turner has) done a nice job,” Narduzzi said on Tuesday. “Really, all four tailbacks, I'm impressed with all of them. But Ja'Kyrian's done a nice job. He can go out and play receiver as well, but I think he's done a nice job in the backfield. He's got good vision, makes people miss, and he's mature. We've got an older guy back there, too. His maturity, it shows out there.”

During Thursday’s presser, Pittsburgh’s star running back also weighed in on the true freshman running back who enrolled in January. 

“We just brought in...Ja'Kyrian (Turner),” Desmond Reid said. “I like what I'm seeing from him. Fast guy. Can make people miss. He's somebody y'all have to watch out for.”

Additionally, returning defensive tackle Sean FitzSimmons didn’t have a lot to say about his new defensive linemates, but he did mention a pair of portal pickups during Tuesday’s press conference.

“I think we got in some great guys… Joey (Zelinsky), (Jaeden Moore), man...they're all guys,” FitzSimmons said. “I feel we're going to be right back to how we were.”

Last season, Jimmy Scott logged 30 tackles, 12-and-a-half tackles for loss, six sacks, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble. 

Scott also expressed optimism about his new teammates in the trenches.

"Right now, (Joey Zelinsky and Blaine Spires), they're looking good. First thing, you just learn the play book. So, that's kind of been a process of its own. But just off raw talent, they definitely looked good from what we've seen in the first five practices.

“Just the maturity level (they carry). At the end of the day, football is just football. Here learning the new stuff, and the caveats of our defense, just trying to teach them that and show them what I know, you know what I mean?”

Aside from the newcomers, Scott was asked about additional players who’ve looked good in spring camp recently. 

“You've got Cruce (Brookins). You've got (Julian) Dugger. On the D-Line, I'll probably say Ghost (Isaiah Neal) is pretty good. Zach Zollers, he's pretty fundamentally sound. We've got a lot of athletes.”

Saturday’s scheduled scrimmage - weather permitting - presents an opportunity for the aforementioned newcomers and others to make more impressions on the coaching staff and their new teammates. 

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt

Published
Kevin Sinclair
KEVIN SINCLAIR

Kevin Sinclair writes coverage of the Pitt Panthers along with the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tennessee Titans for On SI. Previously, he was a recruiting reporter and managing editor at Irish Illustrated, the privately-owned Notre Dame site within the 247Sports Network, for over seven-and-a-half years. Kevin studied multimedia journalism and has been a sports writer for nearly a decade.

Home/Football