Pitt freshman running back Izzy Abanikanda puts on pads, makes an impact

When the hole opened in the middle of Pitt’s defense, Izzy Abanikanda zigged and zagged through traffic.

All of sudden, the freshman running back, only three months removed from high school, was in the open. That’s when he turned on his speed and outran sophomore A.J. Woods, one of the fastest players in the secondary, all the way to the end zone.

“I’m like, ‘Wow. I’m running at a college level right now. I can’t believe it,’ ” he said.

That was one of the highlights Friday on the third day of Pitt’s spring drills when players strapped on the pads and real football returned to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex for the first time in 2020.

Pitt is seeking an improved running game after the Panthers finished 119th among 130 Division I schools last season, averaging 118.8 yards.

Maybe Abanikanda’s speed can help.

Coach Pat Narduzzi was impressed by how Abanikanda sidestepped defenders before kicking into another gear. But one look at the calendar brings everyone back to reality. The first game is six months away.

“There’s a mental part of it,” Narduzzi said. “You can be really fast, but if you don’t do the right thing, it doesn’t help us. He’s shown to be pretty sound so far.

“But this is just install No. 3. Once it all loads up on him, can he block, protect the quarterback? If you just put him in to run the ball, the defense kind of knows that.”

Abanikanda (5-foot-11, 200 pounds) believes he’s ready for the rigors of college football after his brother, Michael, who played at Temple and Buffalo, also graduated from high school early to start his career.

“He gave me tips about college, (about being) mentally and physically prepared,” he said.

Abanikanda has been on campus since January, one of six Pitt freshmen who graduated early from high school. Sometimes, he enters the indoor facility by himself and works out among the names on the walls of past Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt greats.

“It gives me motivation to work harder every day.”

He said he’s already heard from running backs coach Andre Powell when he slips up on some of the details.

“He’s going to yell at you, but it’s all for love,” Abanikanda said. “Not finishing hard enough, not holding the ball tight to my body. I can improve in (blocking).”

It’s all part of achieving goals set by the freshman class.

“We just want be great,” Abanikanda said. “We talk about that every time we go back to the dorm. We want to be legends.”

Who’s faster?

Abanikanda is one of the fastest players on the team, but he’ll get competition in that area from fellow freshman Jordan Addison.

Asked who’s faster, Abanikanda said, “Of course, I’m going to say me, but Jordan’s got wheels.”

Addison already is lining up to replace Maurice Ffrench at slot receiver and competing with Jason Pinnock and John Vardzel (North Allegheny) for the punt return job.

Narduzzi said he wants to identify a No. 1 punt returner by the end of spring drills next month.

Slingin’ it

Another highlight was junior wide receiver Shocky Jacques-Louis catching a long touchdown pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Davis Beville.

“He can sling it,” said Jacques-Louis, who averaged 15.1 yards per reception last season. “I like Davis.”

Jacques-Louis said there is plenty of competition developing at wide receiver.

“We like it competitive because competition makes us all better,” Jacques-Louis said. “I told those boys, ‘Try to separate from the group.’ We’re all brothers, but we all have to eat.”

Narduzzi said the pass was partially the result of broken coverage. “Which you can’t have,” he said.

He said he told the defense, “You had six great plays, but you had two big plays (by the offense). I don’t care how good you think you are. It doesn’t matter.”

Get the latest news about Pitt football and all things Panthers athletics.