Monday, February 17, 2025, 3:45PM |  24°
MENU
Advertisement
Utah State defensive end Blaine Spires (52) celebrates a tackle during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023 in Logan, Utah.
1
MORE

Pitt football gives first look at defensive end overhaul, new additions

Tyler Tate/Associated Press

Pitt football gives first look at defensive end overhaul, new additions

Transfers Blaine Spires, Joey Zelinsky and Jaeden Moore will look to step into a bigger role for Pat Narduzzi

Pitt’s defensive line has undergone several changes in recent years. After the 2023 season, the unit lost Charlie Partridge, its highly regarded position coach of six years who took an NFL job with the Colts, and replaced him with Tim Daoust.

This year, Pitt brought in several new faces to fill out its defensive end depth chart in an effort to seek better production from that unit in 2025, and five of those players spoke to Pittsburgh media Wednesday morning at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.

Among those players were true freshmen Denim Cook and Julian Anderson, as well as transfers sophomore Jaeden Moore, senior Joey Zelinsky and sixth-year senior Blaine Spires.

Advertisement

Zelinsky, who transferred from Eastern Michigan at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, noted Pitt’s style of play was what drew him to the Panthers in the transfer portal.

Notre Dame offensive lineman Rocco Spindler (50) wears the Notre Dame Leprechaun's hat as he wears his helmet as players sing the Alma Mater after winning an NCAA college football game against Florida State Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in South Bend, Ind.
Stephen Thompson
Recruitment report: Pitt in contention for Rocco Spindler, a former Notre Dame lineman with family connection

“When you watch them on film, the D-line is just flying around and trying to make plays,” Zelinsky said. “That’s what I really like. Especially when you watch the film from last year, the boys are getting after the quarterback. It’s a good defense. Coach [Pat] Narduzzi’s got that since he was at Michigan State. I remember watching some of those games back then in the Rose Bowl.”

Each of the defensive ends who spoke Wednesday noted Pitt’s style of defense was a major draw in their decision to sign with the Panthers, as they liked the idea of being playmakers. That applied, as well, for both Cook and Anderson, who only partially played defensive end during their high school years.

Cook, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound three-star recruit from Columbus, Ohio, played linebacker for most of his high school career until his senior season, when he switched to defensive end. He had a good sense of Pitt’s program and the culture of the defense, as his cousin, junior linebacker Rasheem Biles, was a big part of the Panthers defense, with 82 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and six sacks last season.

Advertisement

Biles was an “inspiration” to Cook as he saw the cousin he played against growing up thrive on a national stage at Pitt last season. Cook noted Biles was always “bigger, faster and stronger” and didn’t let Cook win when they competed against each other. After playing his senior year in high school at defensive end, he grew to like the position.

“I like playing D-end,” Cook said. “Putting my hand in the dirt, it was hard for me to come to an understanding at first, but now I feel like I’ll be better with that.”

Anderson, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound three-star recruit from Blairstown, N.J., played on both sides of the ball in high school as both a defensive end and a wide receiver. But with Pitt, Anderson looks forward to focusing on the position that lets him be more physical.

“I like to hit people rather than get hit,” Anderson said when asked if he’d miss playing receiver. “I like the contact. I want to go hit somebody. That was always me as a little kid because I found it fun. I still like to catch the ball, but I can do that on defense, too.”

Pitt’s Damian Dunn gets the upper hand on North Carolina’s RJ Davis on Tuesday night at Petersen Events Center.
Christopher Carter
Analysis: Pitt basketball gets back to its 'roots' with key adjustments, stronger conviction to finish

While both Cook and Anderson represent potential future developmental pieces for the Panthers, Zelinsky, Spires and Moore will be the primary candidates to grow into roles that take the majority of snaps next to Jimmy Scott next season.

The Panthers also had to replenish their depth chart at defensive end after 2023, as the top producers in sacks left the team for the transfer portal in the form of Dayon Hayes and Samuel Okunlola.

Daoust benefited from inheriting Scott, whose six sacks in 2024 were the most from a Pitt defensive lineman since Calijah Kancey recorded 7½ sacks in 2022 before he was selected in the first round of the NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But Daoust also got to add transfers Nate Matlack out of Kansas State and Chief Borders out of Nebraska and true freshman Sincere Edwards. The three combined for 50 tackles, 14½ tackles for loss, 8½ sacks and 1,291 snaps between them in 2024. But with Matlack running out of eligibility and both Borders and Edwards departing through the transfer portal, Pitt had to reload with talent at defensive end in quick order.

Zelinsky brings the most playing experience of the veteran defensive ends, with 1,062 snaps played in his three years at Eastern Michigan, where he tallied 77 tackles and 3½ sacks. Like Matlack, he’ll be expected to be a veteran presence that boosts the defensive line in 2025.

“When your time comes, then you can be that vocal leader,” Zelinsky said. “But everything’s earned in football. Nobody likes the guy who comes in the first day and everything for them is rah-rah. I’m just looking forward to elevating the standards of the room.”

Spires, at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, has had the longest college experience of the group, having played three years for Bowling Green and then the past two years at Utah State. An injury cut short his 2024 season, but he’s still tallied 1,762 snaps, 101 tackles and 8½ sacks during those five years.

“I like the chaotic look the defense has,” Spires said. “I feel like it creates a lot of problems for offenses, and that tends to my skill set very much.”

Moore, at 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, comes to Pitt after playing his first two seasons at Oregon, where he totaled 117 snaps, eight tackles and a half-sack. His unique position as a player with Big Ten playing experience while also being younger than either Zelinsky or Spires gives him a chance to find a longer-term role in Pitt’s defense. While at Oregon, he saw players who were part of the top-ranking teams in the College Football Playoff.

“I’ve seen what it takes to get to the next level,” Moore said. “I’ve seen guys who’ve grown from staying for extra meetings, doing extra lifts and everything it takes to get to the next level.”

If Pitt’s defense wants to take it to the next level after ranking 12th in points allowed in the ACC and tallying just the fourth-most sacks in the conference, it could use Narduzzi and Daoust finding more productive partners from this group to pair with Scott next season.

First Published: January 29, 2025, 7:29 p.m.
Updated: January 29, 2025, 11:57 p.m.

RELATED
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) talks with head coach Pete Carroll before an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in Seattle.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Paul Zeise Live: Should Steelers fear losing Russell Wilson to Pete Carroll, Raiders?
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
The Pirates' Spencer Horwitz will miss extended time this spring due to a right wrist injury.
1
sports
A closer look at how the Pirates handled Spencer Horwitz’s wrist injury
On Tuesday, state lawmakers begin hearings on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget. Shown is Mr. Shapiro giving his budget address inside the state House on Feb. 4.
2
news
As Pa. budget hearings kick off, talk of a $6 billion deficit, Ozempic, and Trump
Actor Noah Wyle of the Pittsburgh-based medical show “The Pitt” listens to Dr. Bobby Kapur, System Chair for AHN Emergency Medicine Institute, talk about the show and how it compares to real-life emergency care units during an interview with the Post-Gazette at Allegheny General Hospital on the North Side Monday, Feb. 10, 2025.
3
a&e
‘To see what they can’t say’: ‘The Pitt’ star Noah Wyle talks learning from Pittsburgh medical professionals
Novo Asian Food Hall on Thursday May 23, 2024, Strip District.  (John Colombo/For the Post-Gazette)
4
news
Legal battle stirs the pot at Novo Asian Food Hall
5
news
Medicaid on the chopping block: Proposed cuts threaten coverage of vulnerable Pennsylvanians
Utah State defensive end Blaine Spires (52) celebrates a tackle during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023 in Logan, Utah.  (Tyler Tate/Associated Press)
Tyler Tate/Associated Press
Advertisement
LATEST sports
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story