Improving special teams, getting more from tight ends on to-do list for new Pitt assistant coach Jacob Bronowski

Inefficient special teams would rank well down the list of reasons Pitt suffered its worst season since 1998 last year.

However, special teams weren’t exactly a strength, which partially led to coach Pat Narduzzi shuffling the deck in January and hiring Jacob Bronowski from Miami (Ohio) to coordinate those units.

Bronowski also will coach Pitt’s tight ends.

He takes over for Andre Powell, who departed the program in January after spending the last nine years (2015-23) coaching Pitt’s special teams in addition to the tailbacks.

Prior to Miami (Ohio), Bronowski coached at Tennessee (2021), Central Florida (2020) and from 2018-19 coached special teams and tight ends at Robert Morris.

Pitt looks to be on solid ground heading into next season with the return of kicker Ben Sauls, who will be a redshirt senior.

Sauls regressed slightly in the field goal department last year, hitting 11 of 16 (69%) as compared to 20 of 24 (83%) in 2022, but has been dependable.

Sauls also averaged a healthy 63.6 yards per kickoff in 2023, with 37 of his 52 kicks (71%) going for touchbacks.

Bronowski already has formed a positive assessment of Sauls about a month into his tenure at Pitt.

“He’s made 31 career field goals, and he’s just under 78% (made) in his career,” Bronowski said. “Last year, all six of his misses were 42 yards or more. Three of those six misses were over 50 yards.

“I say all that because Ben’s really talented. … He’s rock solid up there, as good as I’ve ever been around.”

It is Pitt’s punting and punt coverage units Bronowski will need to reinvigorate.

Few Panthers fans would forget the struggles of Caleb Junko, with several shanked punts throughout the season.

The same could be said of the two punt return touchdowns Pitt allowed last year in losses to North Carolina and Notre Dame.

The Panthers ranked 121st (out of 130) in the FBS in net punting with an average of 35.35 yards. Punt coverage struggled similarly, allowing an average return yardage of 11.71, which ranked 105th.

When returning punts themselves, the Panthers averaged 4.82 yards, 105th nationally.

The good news for Pitt is that Bronowski has built a reputation as an impactful special teams coach.

Most recently at Miami (Ohio), his RedHawks led the country in net punting average (44.09 yards) and were 12th in punt return average (12.46).

ESPN’s 2023 efficiency rankings listed Miami (Ohio) as the nation’s leader on special teams.

By comparison, Pitt came in at No. 113 on that list.

Bronowski has a lot ahead of him as far as getting together a plan for Pitt’s specialists. For now, he’ll dedicate himself to building relationships with his players and especially preaching confidence.

“Junko is talented as can be,” Bronowski said. “His leg speed is tremendously gifted. So as a coach, I’m juiced up about that. If I’m not, then I’m cheating him. But I’m excited and now it’s pouring into him to make him realize, ‘You are one of the best in the world at what you do.’ So let’s go out there and do that every single time on the field.”

Bronowski also will give attention to a significant component of Pitt’s woes last fall, when the Panthers couldn’t get the ball to tight ends regularly.

Perhaps most puzzling was the individual case of then-junior Gavin Bartholomew, seemingly one of the most likely candidates to enjoy a breakout campaign who was limited to 18 catches for 326 yards and a touchdown.

In 2022, he had 21 catches for 283 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 57-yard highlight-reel score against Tennessee in Week 2 that featured him hurdle a defender en route to the end zone.

Unfortunately for the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Bartholomew, he never recorded more than three catches in a game last year and went without a reception twice.

“He’s been through the ups, he’s been through the downs, so now for him the challenge is, can you be that consistent pillar in everything that you’re doing and let that be contagious? He’s got a lot of hats to wear,” Bronowski said.

“But I think that ultimately is going to benefit him because now he’s going to be able to take that next jump and get back to where he was even more.”

Bronowski was also complimentary of returning junior Jake Renda, who saw action in three games last year.

“Jake Renda — unbelievably athletic,” Bronowski said. “His intent to get better is unlike anybody I’ve ever been around.”

In addition, the Panthers bolstered their tight ends room in the offseason with Oregon State transfer Jake Overman, who has 37 games and 10 starts under his belt, as well as freshman Malachi Thomas, who is set to join the program in the summer.