Bub Means isn’t afraid of change. At the start of his collegiate career in 2019, Means was a defensive back at the University of Tennessee who went by his first name, Jerrod. After appearing in just four games for the Volunteers, he decided to make a move over to Louisiana Tech, where he changed his name and his position.
Fast forward to the summer of 2022, and Means was on the move once again, this time to Pittsburgh. While neither his position nor his name have changed since his arrival to the Steel City, in his final season with the Panthers, Means has once again hit the reset button.
Coming off a 2022 campaign in which many, including Means himself, will admit he underperformed, the Panthers’ redshirt senior pass catcher felt it was time to make one final shakeup. With a new number and hairstyle, plus some added muscle, Means believes he’s ready to reach his full potential.
“I just felt like I needed something new,” Means told the Post-Gazette at the start of Pitt’s fall training camp. “I cut my hair, I got a new number, I feel like new things could happen. I’m striving for something better.”
Means traded in No. 15 for No. 0, but the goal is for him to be Pitt’s No. 1 option when it looks to move the football through the air. Last fall, Means had moments when his potential was on display, hauling in 27 receptions for 401 yards and a pair of touchdowns. But he, along with many others in the Pitt football program, expect a major up-tick in production in 2023.
“He’s totally different,” Pat Narduzzi said. “Last year, he was just trying to learn the offense. He came in the summer, I believe. He has learned the offense. He’s a much different player.”
“It all started in the spring, really the bowl game,” offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. added. “He had a great bowl game, great bowl prep, great spring and a great summer. I’m very pleased with where he is.”
Means’ understanding of Pitt’s offense is not only helping himself, but others around him. During individual position drills, it has become normal to see him hovering around the Panthers’ group of freshman receivers, grilling them on the small details.
“He’s positive,” Cignetti said. “He brings great energy. Out there on the field, we saw it right away in the spring, he was coaching the perimeter. So what’s that mean? Not only does he have leadership, he has knowledge. He understands the system, not only what to do but how to do it.”
Means has been happy to help the Panthers offense, and sometimes that has come at the expense of his teammates on the opposite side of the football. On the first day of padded practice, reporters were granted access to a few plays of Pitt’s 11-on-11 competition. Means gave all in attendance a show on the very first snap, as he boxed out All-ACC cornerback M.J. Devonshire to haul in an impressive catch down the field — a display of athleticism that was missing from Pitt’s passing attack in 2022.
Following the reception, Means the secondary know that they were in for a long day. When asked about the play a week later, he informed reporters that instances like those show how well he and his teammates can bring the best out of each other.
“When we’re on the field, we’re competing,” Means said. “... If I get the best of him, I’m going to let him know. If he gets the best of me, he’s going to let me know. But we’re going to compete. I like going against all of them boys. They make me better every day.”
At 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, Means has the size to make plays like the one against Devonshire a regular occurrence. Each fall, national writer Bruce Feldman puts together his list of ‘college football freaks,’ which highlights the most physically gifted players in the country. Means was the highest-ranking Panther on the list, coming in at No. 36 in the nation.
“I’m always trying to be the fastest and strongest person on the field,” Means said. “Regardless of who I’m playing, who my opponent is, I want to be the best.”
While his big-time catches in practice or the 4.36 40-yard dash time he was clocked running this offseason are impressive, Means knows that what truly matters is what he can do on Saturdays. As Week 1 approaches, Means says the struggles from last year have exited his mind. With a new number and a new look, Bub Means says he is ready to help his team reach new heights.
“I don’t really worry too much about what happened last year,because we can’t control the past,” Means said. “All that we can control is the work that we put in over the offseason, in the weight room and on the practice field. I don’t dwell on the numbers from last year. I just look forward to the season we’re fixing to have.”
Noah Hiles: nhiles@post-gazette.com and Twitter @_NoahHiles
First Published: August 20, 2023, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: August 20, 2023, 3:28 p.m.
