Great defenses need elite players at their core, and Pitt has that in spades.
As the Panthers are set to open training camp Friday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, they know what will carry this team is a dominant defense led by three high-profile stars: Defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman, edge rusher Patrick Jones II and safety Paris Ford. Each player is on at least three different preseason watch lists for NCAA awards:
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Their collective effort led a talented defense in 2019 that allowed an average of 22.2 points per game — third in the ACC. They also ranked first against the run, allowing 105.8 yards per game, and recorded the most sacks in the ACC with 55 — third in the nation.
The pass rush is led by defensive tackle Twyman, a projected first-round draft pick. His 10.5 sacks was third-best in the ACC and featured a wide range of pass rush techniques to exploit opponents.
Twyman can overpower linemen, swim over their heads and rip under their initial punches. But it's his ability to use a full arsenal of pass rush moves that makes him lethal.
Watch Twyman (#97) push and pull to set up Ohio's guard last season. His rush starts by looking like he's going to simply attack the outside shoulder, but he uses his inside hand to get inside the lineman's frame and pulls him forward just enough to lose his footing. Once the pull is complete, he swims over his man with the same left hand and the rest is easy:
He's the biggest and the baddest on the team and will certainly be a top target for NFL teams next Spring. But he's not alone in Pitt's dominating front. Jones was right behind Twyman with 8.5 sacks in 2019, good for fifth best in the ACC.
He combines a very impressive first step with good bend through his rush that minimizes a striking frame for offensive tackles. His best move is firing off the ball quickly, using a shoulder dip at the right moment to get under the hands of his opponent and ride that leverage to the quarterback.
Watch this rush that leads to a sack and fumble against Duke. You can see how quickly he accelerates into his rush, forcing the tackle to commit to a punch that can stop his momentum. But just as the tackle's hands come up, Jones dips his shoulder under them and he uses his clear path to attack the ball and force the turnover:
Jones projects closer to a third-round edge rusher in the upcoming NFL Draft, but he could easily improve his value with another strong season. Jones and Twyman are joined by two talented players returning from injury in defensive tackle Keyshon Camp and edge rusher Rashad Weaver.
Both were missed in 2019 and look to be very good complements to the top stars.
Pitt's secondary has one alpha dog in Ford, who projects as one of the top three safeties in the NCAA for 2020. He flies around the field with exceptional athleticism that boasts great range with an instinct to find the ball, make plays and set the tone of the game.
He was ejected twice for targeting calls in 2019, but those don't outshine his nose for the football. Ford can line up as the deep centerfielder, in the slot, and help in the box, seamlessly rotating between responsibilities and feeling comfortable at each level.
Among his best individual showings last season were against Virginia Tech and Duke. Each performance featured more than ten tackles and demonstrated his knack for finding the ball in the air.
Watch this breakup against Virginia Tech where you can see him (#12) start in the box, account for quarterback Hendon Hooker as a running threat, then drop back to defend the pass. He starts the play lined up next to the official and diagnoses the pass.
Once he gets back into his zone he finds the deep crossing pattern and puts his helmet right on the football to break up the pass:
Ford naturally flows to ball carriers to deliver huge hits and recovers to find the ball when it's thrown his way. Those raw skills are exciting to watch, but his next step in development will come as he sharpens his approach to roaming as a true ranging safety.
With his decision to return for a third season, Pat Narduzzi should see another rise in his play with considerable improvement. Ford's aggressiveness is balanced by an experienced secondary that has three seniors around him. Jason Pinnock and Damarri Mathis at cornerback, and Damar Hamlin as the other safety.
Between the three seniors, they filled out the secondary with a collective 28 passes defended and four interceptions to go along with Ford's nine passes defended and three interceptions.
As Twyman and Jones lead a highly talented pass rush that could lead the ACC in sacks for a second consecutive season, that could open the door for Ford's aggressiveness to feast on more turnover opportunities.
Pitt's defense could be the driving force for the program to make its best push in the ACC during Narduzzi's tenure. And beyond that, the combined star power could lead to a boost in the prospect value of each of their top three stars so that Twyman, Jones and Ford all see their draft stock rise for NFL teams in 2021.
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