Pitt assistant Jacob Bronowski builds 'special' relationship with his players

Jacob Bronowski began his college football journey as a freshman quarterback at New Mexico in 2013. He was not part of the Lobos’ 49-27 loss to Pitt that year, but it didn’t matter. Coaching was in his future.

No later than 2016, he was a 22-year-old graduate assistant for his alma mater, and so began his career.

In the subsequent eight seasons, he has worked for the Lobos, Robert Morris, Central Florida, Tennessee and Miami (Ohio) before Pat Narduzzi hired him this year to coach Pitt’s special teams and tight ends. He’s part of Narduzzi’s overhaul of the Pitt offensive coaching staff that helped the Panthers build a 7-0 record.

With Bronowski calling the shots, the Colonials blocked three punts in 2019 and led the Northeast Conference in punt return defense and kickoff return defense in NEC play. At Miami, he helped Graham Nicholson win the 2023 Lou Groza Award. Nicholson converted 27 of 28 field goal attempts.

Now at Pitt, he inherited two position groups manned by veteran players who gravitated toward the 30-year-old Bronowski’s guidance.

At tight end, senior Gavin Bartholomew had 20 receptions in his first seven games, two more catches than he collected in 10 games last year.

Is there a connection?

“We preach relationships. You better have that,” Bronowski said. “Whether it’s phone calls on the way home at night, just checking in and just being authentic. Be open with him.

“With Gavin, (building a relationship) has never been an issue. We have great communication. He’s been open to me, which I appreciate. He’s been here a long time (since 2021). He didn’t have to listen to me.”

The key to Bronowski’s coaching style, he said, is focusing on what motivates players. That’s the approach he took with fourth-year junior punter Caleb Junko.

Has it worked?

Narduzzi suggested that Junko might be the most improved player on the team after increasing his average from 42.3 yards per punt last season to 44.9 (fifth in the ACC).

“I just focused on him as a person,” Bronowski said. “They’re athletes, but they’re people, too. I can tell he was kind of a beaten dog a little bit (after last season).

“He was hard on himself. As a specialist, you’re in your own world by yourself. You’re your biggest critic. We have to get you to change how you think mentally. It has to start with you. He’s attacked every single day, lived day by day, moment by moment, and we’re all seeing what he’s capable of.”

Said Narduzzi: “It’s called progress. It’s called development. Coach Bronowski has done an outstanding job with him.”

Meanwhile, senior kicker Ben Sauls did not miss any of his first 12 field goal attempts. Before the weekend games, he was the only ACC kicker who was perfect in double-digit tries.

“That’s what he and I talked about from the moment I took this job, about how good he can be,” Bronowski said. “He knows that, and now you’re seeing that true belief in him going out there. You just have to approach it as if it’s one kick at a time. He’s living in the moment. He’s dominating.”

Bronowski coaches beyond the X’s and O’s, but he also gives his players stories to tell when they go home. In the spring, he picked up a trash can and crashed it against his head. Last week, he gave each of his players crowbars as a symbolic device to pry open the opposing defense.

When the idea hit him, he immediately phoned his wife, Stacey, and asked her to go to Harbor Freight and purchase as many crowbars as the store carried.

“They’re neat because they say Pittsburgh on them. Pittsburgh brand. Maybe an NIL deal for somebody,” he said. “As a coach, you’re trying to give guys visions and exciting learning environments.”

How did Stacey carry five crowbars to the car?

“She and my two boys (Brody and Baker) looked kind of funny with a 5-year-old and 2-year-old carrying a crowbar and her carrying three,” Bronowski said. “She’s used to that stuff. She’s married to me.”