At the conclusion of Friday’s practice, Pitt football is now one week through spring ball, having completed three of 15 sessions that will lead into the annual Blue-Gold Spring Game on April 11.

Friday marked the first time the Panthers were in shoulder pads this spring, allowing coach Pat Narduzzi and his assistants to get a look at their first-, second- and third-team units on offense and defense.

“The main thing is that we take care of each other and try to make sure guys aren’t getting hurt,” Narduzzi said. “I think we accomplished that today. I talked about toughness and discipline at the same time. We’ve got to be tough, but being a tough man doesn’t mean you throw guys to the ground, but being smart and disciplined.”

All four quarterbacks — Mason Heintschel, transfer Holden Geriner plus freshmen Angelo Renda and Corey Dailey — got to lead 11-man units against a full defensive squad.

Heintschel, quarterbacking the first-team offense, “looked sharp,” per Narduzzi, while Geriner, a Texas State transfer, threw an interception but completed 92% of his passes Thursday, also according to Narduzzi.

Tailback Ja’Kyrian Turner, a sophomore after bursting onto the collegiate scene with Heintschel in 2025, had a long touchdown run.

“He’s just an explosive player,” safety Cruce Brookins said. “He showed it with everything he did last year. This year, he’s going to step into a bigger role, and y’all are going to see a lot out of him.”

As for Pitt’s two freshmen Texan signal callers, there have been some growing pains, as can be expected, but, on the whole, both are acclimating.

“They both look good for freshmen,” Narduzzi said. “They work at it. Renda’s really, really, good, just with knowledge of the game, and Corey’s got a gun out there. He slings it and sometimes throws it too hard. … He could throw it through the wall.”

Injury updates

Narduzzi hasn’t had any new injuries to share, but several players are still nursing ailments from last season, limiting their availability this spring.

Prominent among the group is defensive end Zach Crothers, who looked to be on the verge of a breakout campaign before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 4 vs. Louisville.

Offensive lineman Keith Gouveia, who was also lost for the year vs. Louisville, is similarly not back to full health and, like Crothers, won’t practice this spring.

Some others Narduzzi ruled out of spring participation included linebacker Jayden Bonsu and defensive back Nigel Maynard.

Thompson returning punts

At this early stage in spring, Pitt already appears to be exploring ways to ensure transfer cornerback Kanye Thompson’s elite speed is properly utilized.

Thompson, a McKeesport native who spent 2022-25 at Slippery Rock, starred on the gridiron and was also a track standout.

Returning punts and kicks won’t be unfamiliar to Thompson — he did both at Slippery Rock — and a few days into spring ball, he was taking punts with a group that also included receivers Blue Hicks, Cam Sapp and Tyreek Robinson.

Thompson’s eventual place on the cornerback depth chart can’t be inferred at this point, but special teams appear to be an area where he could make an impact.

“He runs a 10-(second) 100-meter (dash),” Narduzzi said. “And I’ll tell you another thing: We haven’t really had a blocked field goal in three years, but he got his hand on at least three balls. He’s fast, so kickoff return, punt return, we think he can really help us in the return game.”

Notably in that group? Slippery Rock transfer CB and speedster Kanye Thompson (No. 23): pic.twitter.com/gyYxrXALzS

— Justin Guerriero (@GuerrieroTrib) March 6, 2026

Lindsey reprimanded

It’s an inescapable reality that Pitt’s football players, like their Division I peers across the country, are being paid to play.

Yet Narduzzi, despite the arrival and continued evolution of the revenue-sharing/NIL landscape, has remained adamant in his desire to ensure players earn their degrees at Pitt.

So when word reached his ear that linebacker Cam Lindsey had missed a handful of classes, a reprimand was issued in the form of Lindsey being stripped of his first-team reps, replaced by Purdue transfer Alex Sanford Jr.

Lindsey

“Probably the only reason Alex Sanford was in there is because Cam Lindsey was missing a couple classes,” Narduzzi explained. “Cam Lindsey should be in there but had a couple missed classes. What you do on the field is what you do off the field, and vice-versa.

“You know how many classes he’s missed since? Zero. We just have to straighten him up a little bit, and he’s taken the punishment to heart. It’s good for him. Cam’s done a nice job. We just want him to get a degree, too, not just play football.”

Behind fellow WPIAL alum Braylan Lovelace, Lindsey is Pitt’s second-most experienced returning linebacker.

Copyright ©2026— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)