A month ago, Pitt redshirt sophomore Chase Pine wrote on Twitter that he would like to start going by his given first name, Cheyton. While the name change hasn’t really stuck, maybe a position change will.
Pine, a 6-foot-2, 250-pound native of Williamsburg, Va., has been moved from middle linebacker to defensive end, as of a week ago. Coach Pat Narduzzi talked it over with him Aug. 12, leaving open the option to move back to linebacker eventually. For now, Pine will try to have his say in Pitt’s crowded competition on the defensive line.
“We just thought he’s big, he’s strong, he’s physical,” Narduzzi said. “We need to get him on the field. … He’ll still be a linebacker on some of our third-down, nickel [defense] stuff, but we’re gonna see what he’s got.”
Waged in a two-man position battle with Elias Reynolds to back up redshirt senior Quintin Wirginis at Pitt’s “Mike” linebacker spot, Pine had fallen behind his classmate. Rather than wait to see if Pine could close the gap in that race, Narduzzi and his staff decided to get a fresh look at Pine, who had 11 tackles in 2017, six of which came at Virginia Tech.
If he could choose, Pine would play the outside linebacker position that he was recruited for, but insists he hasn’t minded moving around the defense since arriving at Pitt three years ago. Perhaps a slightly different role as a pass-rusher will be the one that sticks, as he appears to have the requisite size for the transition.
“That’s what a lot of people say, but I feel like I can play both,” Pine said. “I feel like defensive end, I can come off the ball faster and get under big offensive linemen.”
On paper, Pitt already had plenty of depth at defensive end. There are returning starters Rashad Weaver and Dewayne Hendrix, not to mention part-time starter James Folston. Pine’s pal Patrick Jones, another redshirt sophomore from the Hampton Roads area, also lettered last season and could be in line for more work. Then there’s freshman John Morgan, a camp darling so far, and even defensive tackles Deslin Alexandre and Keyshon Camp have been discussed as potential ends. So, will that mean Pine just gets caught in yet another numbers game?
“I don’t think so,” Narduzzi said. “He’s big, he’s athletic, and we’ve got some different styles of defensive ends that we like. He fits into the mold. I don’t know if it’ll take a while. He’s pretty smart, and we’ll see.”
Linebackers coach Rob Harley doesn’t so much see this as a position change as just a technique change for Pine. Sure, he might get more direct instruction now from defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, but when the time comes for him to line up at his new spot, not much will be different.
“I just think you’re trying to find the best 11,” Harley said. “I think he’s a big dude that can move. Seeing spread offenses, those D-ends to the [wider side of the field] are really like linebackers, anyway, on the snap. They’re not getting blocked, they’re getting read a lot. … He’s gonna stand up, be square on the snap and basically play stand-up linebacker. Again, he’s got great pass-rush knack, so we love that versus the pass, to just send him and go. So I think we saw his athleticism, saw that he’s a smart kid and can handle two positions, and coach wanted to make the move.”
The domino effect is that a freshman moves up the pecking order at middle linebacker, and it’s Richmond, Va., product Wendell Davis. That’s not to say Davis actually will have to help out this season, just that if he needed to, he’s looking like a newcomer who could.
“Wendell Davis, that kid’s got some instincts,” Wirginis said. “He’s gonna be a great football player one day. I’d love to see him on the field this year, but we’ve got some depth.”
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NOTES — According to Harley, redshirt junior Anthony McKee — who won the most improved defensive player award in the spring — has continued to “earn the right” to back up Oluwaseun Idowu at the “Star” outside linebacker spot. He also said Elijah Zeise and Saleem Brightwell are “still pretty even” at the other outside position. … Pitt had its final scrimmage of training camp Saturday, and Monday will be the final day off for the players before camp breaks Thursday. Pitt’s annual football kickoff luncheon is Friday at Heinz Field, with former safety and now ESPN analyst Louis Riddick serving as keynote speaker.
Brian Batko: bbatko@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrianBatko.
First Published: August 19, 2018, 5:32 p.m.
