Inside The Panthers

Pitt Powerhouse Francis Brewu Talks Year Two

After playing in 12 games as a true freshman, Francis Brewu is ready to emerge in his second year.
Kevin Sinclair|
Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Francis Brewu (95) celebrates after defeating the West Virginia Mountaineers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Image Images
Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Francis Brewu (95) celebrates after defeating the West Virginia Mountaineers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Image Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

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After enrolling in January of 2024, Pitt Panthers defensive tackle Francis Brewu saw action in 12 games, recording 15 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and one-and-a-half sacks. Pro Football Focus named the Westerville, Ohio product a Freshman All-American. 

As he works toward Pitt’s spring game this Saturday, the hulking interior defender is focused on the smaller details within a more proactive approach to the game as opposed to his reactive nature last year.

“Takeaways, I've just got a lot to improve on,” Brewu said in Tuesday’s press conference. “Biggest things I want to improve on is getting extension in the run game so I can make a play. A lot of times, I'm driving my guy back. 

“That's cool and that's good, but if I want to make a play, I've got to get extension and lock out and disengage and get to the ball carrier. Also, I've been working on my pass rush a lot as well because last season, I was kind of just going out there trying not to make mistakes." 

“Now I'm going out there trying to dominate, and with that, I've got to be a good pass rusher. So, that's what I've been working on, making sure I'm hitting moves and stuff.”

Heading into year two in defensive coordinator Randy Bates’ unit, Brewu is far more comfortable and confident day to day.

“It's a lot different because we're used to his coaching style, you know, we're used to what he expects from us,” Brewu said. “So, we know what we’ve got to come in and do every day. We know what the goal is, that we have to accomplish it, and we know how he wants us to play and how he wants us to look." 

“So, it's a lot better just to be more comfortable with the coaching," he continued.

When asked about his personal best bench press, Brewu mentioned a number but he also discussed why he intends to improve on his maximum. 

“It was 475 last year,” Brewu said. 

“After doing an upper body workout, I think (I bench pressed 225 pounds) 30-something times. But that was after I finished a pretty hard workout,” Brewu added. “So, I can do a decent amount on that and this was a while ago.”

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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.

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