Pitt's Jaylen Twyman, Patrick Jones prepare virtually, hoping for the real thing

By strict definition from the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word virtual means “very close to being something without actually being it.”

Tell that to Pitt junior defensive lineman Jaylen Twyman, who confronted a dose of reality during a recent virtual workout on the bench press by recording 33 reps of 225 pounds.

Quarantine Work #H2P #MM pic.twitter.com/CQH8vHypIl

— JT (@JaylenTwyman) May 14, 2020

Try telling Pitt defensive coordinator Randy Bates, a cancer survivor who will turn 60 this summer, those 50 pushups he does during virtual team meetings don’t matter.

These days, college athletes prepare using whatever motivation is necessary.

It’s not exactly business as usual in college football, but it is closer now than at any time during the two-month nationwide quarantine. ESPN reported Wednesday the NCAA Division I Council voted to permit football and men’s and women’s basketball players to participate in voluntary athletic activities on campus, starting next Monday.

Does that mean the football season opening on time is inevitable? Not exactly. Many hurdles need to be cleared, especially regarding the costly issue of testing for coronavirus.

But Pitt senior defensive end Patrick Jones II has a good feeling.

During a Zoom conference call with reporters Wednesday, Jones was asked if he has thought about the possibility of the NCAA canceling the season.

“I keep that thought out of my head,” he said. “I just keep saying there’s going to be a season because I believe in speaking stuff into existence. I believe words are powerful.”

Jones, 21, is more familiar with covid-19 than he prefers to be: His older sister, Mya, tested positive and was quarantined in her home in Atlanta.

Jones said his sister’s symptoms were “pretty severe,” but she is recovering.

“She was blessed,” he said. “God was watching over her, and she pulled through it.”

Twyman and Jones are aware of the contagious nature of the virus, but both said they are “100%” comfortable with returning to practice with their teammates.

“I’m ready to get back with my brothers,” Twyman said. “I feel safe around them for sure. I always check up on them. I know they have been in good hands during this pandemic.”

Added Jones: “You have to trust that your brothers are doing the right thing, and I trust all my brothers.”

Both men have returned to Pittsburgh within the past three weeks — Jones from Chesapeake, Va., and Twyman from Washington D.C. — to continue their workouts.

Twyman’s bench-press feat (225 pounds 33 times) was better than what all 25 defensive linemen did at the NFL Combine this year. He said when he stretched out on the bench, he didn’t limit himself to any number.

“I don’t really set goals. I just go out and get it,” he said. “For example, if you’re a bank robber, you’re not going to run in and try to get a set amount of money. You’re going to try and take it all.”

He said the key is to focus on breathing: “Take a breath, push as hard as you can. Take a breath, push as hard as you can.”

Both men said preparing for the season won’t be hindered by the truncated spring drills — Pitt canceled 12 of 15 practices — or the uncertainty of summer training camp.

“Me, personally, I feel like I’m ready to go now,” Jones said. “We had no spring ball, so my body’s not beat up from spring ball. Whenever we get called back, we’ll be ready.”

Said Twyman: “If we had a game tomorrow, we’d be straight. Couple weeks to bang against each other and put in some new plays.”

Twyman added when games are played, he hopes to see a moment of silence for covid-19 victims.

Quarantine hasn’t been easy, they said, but Twyman liked being home for an extended period — a rare treat for a college athlete.

“It’s given us a chance to really get close with our families,” he said.

Jones used his free time to, simply, think.

“When you spend a lot of time by yourself in quarantine, you have a lot of time to think about who you are and what you’re about,” he said. “When you do that, you sometimes find a better person inside you.”

Pitt appears to be on the brink of a successful season. A total of 15 players who started in the bowl game return, along with the entire coaching staff. But Jones knows nothing is guaranteed, especially if there is another covid-19 outbreak.

“Every time I step on the field — I know you’re supposed to do it, regardless — but I’m really playing every game like it’s my last,” he said, “in case, God forbid, something did happen and the season got cut short.

“Every workout I do right now, I do it like it’s my last workout. You never know.”

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