It's no secret that Pitt football plans to run the ball significantly more in 2022 than it did in 2021. Pat Narduzzi's talked about it, new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. has all but spelled it out that the Panthers will focus more on running the ball.
As Pitt wrapped up it's penultimate padded practice Tuesday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex before Saturday's 1:00 p.m. Blue-Gold Spring Game at Heinz Field, there was a lot of talk about how that run game will look when it's shown off the public for the first time.
Kenny Pickett heading to the NFL Draft doesn't mean Pitt will give up on throwing the ball, but it's expected the run-pass proportion will take a big shift from last season. The Panthers threw 542 passes last season compared to 366 rushes by each of their three running backs Israel Abanikanda, Vincent Davis and Rodney Hammond II.
Despite the excitement around Kedon Slovis as the new quarterback in the program, there's an excitement about an expanded ground game with a playbook that includes a significant increase in run concepts.
"I think we have twice the offense in than we did a year ago," Narduzzi said on the expanded playbook. "I look around and we have a lot of different stuff in. We have a lot of the same stuff. But we have a ton of offense in right now. We haven't had this volume of offense in years. That's a good thing. So our kids are taking it in and doing a really good job as far as learning the offense and really getting the execution down. I've never seen so much offense. They just keep adding to it. Like, you can't do more. But yes, they're doing more. I haven't seen that kind of volume. So it'll be fun to watch."
Pitt's run game benefits from having all of its major players back from last season. The entire starting offensive line from 2021 returned from Jake Kradel to Marcus Minor, Gabe Houy, Owen Drexel and Carter Warren. Along with the line, all three of Pitt's primary running backs from last season returned in Abanikanda, Davis and Hammond.
"We're actually going to take pride in running the ball," Warren said. "That's what's going to win us games."
All that experience between those eight players has led to confidence from Pitt's coaches in their players to pick up on the new playbook and the challenges it brings with expanded rushing concepts.
"The volume we have is unbelievable," Pitt running backs and special teams coach Andre Powell said of the new playbook. "The guys have done a really good job of learning. They don't know it all and they made mistakes today but they have a pretty good handle on it. We want to take more into a game, but the importance of this spring is to get it on video so we can teach off of it this summer."
Davis is the most experienced of the group as he enters his senior year with Pitt, while Abanikanda enters his junior season and Hammond is about to be a sophomore.
"They're growing up," Powell said of his running backs. "They're getting more mature and they understand more of the details of what we're doing. That's the key, the details. Not as much of what we're doing, but why we're doing it. If they understand the why, they'll understand why their role in a particular play is more important. They've improved in a lot of aspects."
If you ask Davis, one advantage Pitt's running backs have is the competition between them for playing time. Last year, Davis rushed the most times with 142 carries for 594 yards, but Abanikanda was the team's rushing leader with 123 carries for 651 yards and Hammond also averaged higher per carry with 101 carries for 512 yards.
"We're all prepared," Davis said of the running backs. "Whoever prepares better that week is whoever will take the most reps that game. Whoever has the best performance comes from taking the reps. We don't get mad about it, we cheer them on. We're all competitive guys. When Rodney came in, he pushed everyone to the edge. We just bring it out of each other, it's just something that we do."
Powell is in a familiar position adjusting to Cignetti as a new offensive coordinator while he's been an experienced running backs coach for an ACC program. Powell coached as North Carolina's running backs coach between 2001-2006, where Cignetti joined in his final year in 2006 as the Tar Heels' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
"I've worked with Frank before at North Carolina a few years back," Powell said of Cignetti. "I knew we would be based more on the run, so obviously that makes me more excited. We're a little more suited to run the ball this year versus last year. Last year we had a Heisman Trophy candidate (Pickett) and a Biletnikoff winner (Jordan Addison). This year we know we have the Biletnikoff winner, but as the quarterback develops, the better we run the ball means we can take more of the heat off (of the quarterback)."
As a coach, Powell appreciates the expanded playbook and the opportunities it will afford Pitt football in 2022 to have a variety of plays available to adapt to defensive looks that provide different challenges.
"When you have a big toolbox you can then retrofit your game plan based on what you're seeing," Powell said. "That's based on coverages, fronts, who certain guys are and it helps us get out of bad play and procedures. Sometimes you call a play and then it's not a good call based on what you get (from the defense). Now we've got a little better of a blueprint to get out of situations."
But if you talk to Warren, an offensive tackle in his sixth year with the program after using the NCAA COVID-19 eligibility waiver to return for another season, the expanded playbook does have its handful of challenges.
"It's been tough," Warren said about adapting to Cignetti's larger playbook. "But I've got my guys in my room and we help each other out. We put in extra work in the film room."
Warren's in a unique position compared to his other fellow offensive linemen who returned last season. Between the five starters, he was the only one who was listed as a Senior Bowl preseason player to watch and projected to have a good chance to be selected in the NFL Draft.
The thought of what his life could be like this spring if he was preparing for the NFL Draft and getting set to move on with his career, has been something that's lingered.
"To be honest, winter workouts were really hard," Warren said when asked about going through a sixth offseason with Pitt. "When we would be doing up-downs because someone messes up for a little mistake, it was tough for a while. But once we got to spring ball and we were back to hitting and developing my game, everything was smooth."
But over the years, Warren has picked up on practices from other players who have made it to the NFL, like 2020 draftees Patrick Jones and Rashad Weaver. After practices, you can see him work with younger offensive linemen on technique drills.
"That's been all me," Warren said about working with younger linemen. "When I saw Pat (Jones) was around, I got that from him. Every time after practice he would take 10-15 minutes to work on his craft and his strike to get to where he wanted to be."
In addition to working with younger offensive linemen, Warren boosts his own play by going against Pitt's defensive front that led the charge for the Panthers finishing sixth in run defense and have the second-most sacks in all of college football last season.
"It's been really fun going up against Deslin (Alexandre) and Haba (Habakkuk Baldonado)," Warren said. "Every day we come out and we're competing. We give each other extra work and give each other more tools to work with. They've come a long way and it's been cool to see them to develop into good players."
Although Warren boasts the most experience of the offensive line, he's not shy to say that he's not the only vocal leader for the unit.
"It's more of a communal thing," Warren said of vocal leadership on offense. "We're all coming along to bring the team together. I'd say myself, Marcus Minor and Nick Patti have been trying to lead the group. On the line, Owen Drexel was the most vocal, but now we're all communicating and being more vocal."
"It's been pretty cool to see him grow up," Warren continued on Patti. "He's a year younger than me. But once Kenny left he knew he had to step up as a leader and he's been doing a really good job."
Patti is in an interesting situation as the backup quarterback who started in place for Pickett in the Peach Bowl last season, but broke his collarbone mid-game and now has to compete with the highly-touted and strong-armed Slovis. No specifics are being provided on the race, but it's being made clear that Patti's leadership has helped him keep up with Slovis' talent in the spring competition.
"I don't know, maybe," Narduzzi said of a quarterback being named starter by the end of spring camp. "I don't know. We haven't even talked about it. We're just coaching each day. You could (pick a quarterback to start now). But then it's still a battle in the fall ... I think it comes down to that."
Whoever starts at quarterback will have a running back group who's been focused by Powell to be proficient in pass protection. That's been an emphasis by Powell over the years and a requirement for players to become staples in the ground game.
"That's the second-most important job they have," Powell said of pass blocking. "The most important job they have is to protect the football. The second-most, is protecting the quarterback, that's always a premium in our room. They're getting better at it (because) they understand more. They know different angles, different pass rush moves, and the nuances when it comes to pass protection. There's a technique for each rushing style, so it's important to understand all those things."
Beyond pass protection, Davis and the running backs know the importance in their group to impose their will on teams as a factor in opening the passing game up more for Slovis and/or Patti.
"We know that in order to get (our receivers) open, we have to run the ball," Davis said. "We have to be good and dominant running the ball. We have to do that to help those guys get their awards and get recognized."
Pitt will still need to wait to see what play calling will be like in 2022 under Cignetti, as Narduzzi indicated that even during the Panthers' Saturday scrimmages at Heinz Field, the play calls aren't focused on winning yet, just execution.
"It's a little skewed mainly because there were three turnovers in the scrimmage," Narduzzi said of the offensive play calling. "That's how you get beat. ... But I will say that coach Cignetti is just getting the offense installed. When I say that, he's not trying to win the scrimmage. In fall camp, I'll tell him, 'You have to win the scrimmage.' But he just wants to call plays. He wants to get to work. You can understand as an offensive or a defensive guy, you want to get your plays in. So he's done that in both scrimmages. He doesn't really care (about winning) which is fine. That doesn't really bother me."
