Pitt's four elected team captains should not come as a surprise to anybody.
All four embody exactly what you want in a team captain. Somebody trustworthy, somebody loyal, and somebody who can lead by example, among many, many other qualities.
Deslin Alexandre, Kedon Slovis, Carter Warren, and SirVocea Dennis were singled out among their teammates for these qualities, as these four have been named Pitt's captains for the 2022 season.
The players simply got this one right. Alexandre doesn't get the pomp and circumstance that some of his teammates do, but he leaves his impression on just about everyone with whom he interacts.
Warren called him the "hardest worker in the building" while making an introduction among the 17 seniors present at The Westin for Pitt's season kickoff luncheon on Friday.
Warren hit the nail on the head.
"It's something really special to be able to be voted by your teammates," Alexandre said. "That's something I don't take lightly, and I'll continue to work hard at it every day."
His story is one of the most admirable ones among Panthers players. He moved to the United States from Cap-Haitien, Haiti when he was 3 years old and didn't play football until he was a junior in high school in Deerfield Beach, Fla. Over the summer, Alexandre established his 5th Down campaign, which has raised $6,965 to date to support kids in his hometown.
As kind-hearted of a human as it gets. And, now, Alexandre is a two-time captain of the Panthers, after being elected last season. He is the third two-time Panthers captain since the start of 2020, joining Jim Morrissey (2019-'20) and Kenny Pickett (2020-'21).
"It means a lot more, just because it's the guys you're around every day," Alexandre said. "The little things that you do every day really shows those guys and gives those guys confidence in you, so I really appreciate that, to be voted by my teammates."
For the third year in a row, a quarterback will represent as a team captain.
Slovis arrived in January as a transfer from Southern California, and not only did he do enough to win the starting job, he also did enough to earn the trust from the Pitt locker room to be elected as a team captain.
"It's one of the greatest honors you could have," Slovis said. "I think as a player, all the awards and accolades, they get voted on by people outside the building and members of the media who just watch the games. They don't know what goes on behind the scenes. A captain, to me, is the highest honor you possibly could have, and I'm truly honored to represent the team as a captain."
Slovis, while technically a newcomer to Pitt, said he doesn't feel that way. So, when did he get that feeling?
"After spring, really," Slovis said. "I said in a speech (in the summer), it feels like I've been here a lot longer than I have. It's weird looking back, thinking I was somewhere else last fall. Didn't take too long to feel that way."
Warren is the leader of the Panthers' senior-laden offensive line.
He is an NFL prospect who could have bolted over the summer to turn pro, but he has larger aspirations in mind for the short-term.
"We're the heart and soul of the team, and we really take pride in that," Warren said. "I was really shocked (to be named a captain). I was really surprised, and I'm highly blessed. ... The guys really believe in me that I can lead them to a National Championship."
Narduzzi reflected on Dennis as "probably one of the smartest football players I've been around. And I've been around some smart guys. This guy maybe takes the cake as far as understanding everything."
Dennis is the vocal leader of the Panthers' defense. He will now assume his proper and rightful role as a captain.
"SirVocea is really great," Alexandre said. "Just being in that linebacker room with a lot of younger guys, he really takes that role of showing guys how to do things every day. He's going to be really good for us, and he's going to be a really good leader for us."
KICKER DECIDED
Narduzzi named his primary place-kicker on Friday.
Ben Sauls has officially won the kicking competition over Sam Scarton, after the two batled for the role in summer camp. The redshirt sophomore will handle field goal responsibilities as well as kickoff duties.
"We have two really good kickers," Narduzzi said. "I trust both of them to kick. I told both of them that. But at this point we're going to go with Ben Sauls, whose had the most consistent (camp). I think he's hit 82% of his field goals this summer, and 82's pretty high. I think that's probably (Alex) Kessman style there, as far as the percentage he's hit. He's won that war, and he's been consistent from the left hash all the way to the right hash."
But, Narduzzi noted that "things change, and there's a lot of pressure in that position, and I've got faith and trust in both of those guys."
Scarton made 17 of 21 field goals and 69 of 72 extra points last season. His season long was from 47 yards. He was 5-for-7 on kicks from 40 to 49 yards. Sauls did not attempt a field goal last season, but he made 2 of 4 extra point attempts.
SHADY RETURNS
LeSean McCoy made his return to the Steel City as the guest speaker at the season kickoff luncheon on Friday. Pitt's eighth all-time leading rusher met with members of the press before giving his speech to the attendees. You can watch his entire press briefing at the YouTube link below:
