Whiffing on sacks no fun for Pitt's Habakkuk Baldonado, but he still leads team

Charlie Partridge is serious about showing Pitt’s defensive linemen the best way to topple a quarterback.

And it shows: Pitt’s linemen have accounted for 13 of the team’s ACC Coastal-leading 21 sacks.

But he also knows a good-natured joke when he hears one.

Partridge, who is Pitt’s assistant head coach and defensive line coach, noted there have been some frustrating moments for junior defensive end Habakkuk Baldonado, who leads the team in tackles for a loss (seven) and sacks (4½).

Yet Baldonado has left a few of those game-changing splash plays on the field, allowing quarterbacks to wriggle free (sometimes into the arms of a teammate).

“He’s got close to a few sacks in several games, which is frustrating for him,” Partridge said. “We told some of the other guys, jokingly, ‘Follow Haba around. He’ll give you a sack.’ ”

So it’s no surprise Baldonado also leads the team in quarterback hurries (four).

Linebacker John Petrishen likes to kid his Italian friend.

“Haba and I always mess around,” he said. “He says I’m taking his sacks, and I say he’s taking my TFLs.”

Nonetheless, Petrishen has been around the ball — and Baldonado — enough times to record five TFLs (second on the team).

“It’s fun, and we’re all excited to see each other’s success,” Petrishen said.

Baldonado laughs as easily as anyone on the team, but he wasn’t kidding when he said missing sacks is no fun.

“That’s really frustrating,” he said. “Against Georgia Tech, that was one of the worst games in terms of sacks that I missed. I was really close.

“I had to work on my tackling. That was clearly the problem. I worked on my tackling the past few weeks, and I’m ready. It’s not going to happen again.”

He’ll get no argument from Partridge.

“I’m really excited about how he’s grown mentally. Obviously, he’s getting better physically,” he said.

Perhaps the most difficult task this season will surface Saturday at Heinz Field when Baldonado and his linemates try to get Clemson’s big-bodied quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei on the ground.

Uiagalelei stands 6-foot-4 on a 249-pound frame, only an inch shorter and 11 pounds lighter than Baldonado.

“I love it,” he said. “I love playing against bigger quarterbacks. They’re easier to tackle. The little ones try to sneak underneath you.”

That said, Baldonado said he respects Uiagalelei’s “speed and athleticism.”

“In the ACC, most of the quarterbacks are mobile quarterbacks,” he said. “You really have to read your keys and be disciplined.”

Petrishen added that it’s not smart to tackle Uiagalelei high.

“Unless you’re bringing everything you got,” he said. “He’s also extremely shifty. He has good vision and good cuts.”

Baldonado has turned into one of the leaders on Pitt’s defense, and he’ll remind teammates that it’s good to get hyped for this nationally televised (ESPN) game — but within limitations.

“Everybody plays with emotion, so we should never be to the point where emotions take over,” he said. “The technique has to be the first thing. The emotion can push you, but the technique is what really drives you.”

He said Clemson is a bit different without quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne — now in the NFL.

“They’re where they belong,” Baldonado said.

“I don’t think their offense changed that much, but I think you can feel the difference without the other two great players. The speed of the read of the RPOs (run/pass options) might be a little different. He’s younger. He still has to get his speed up.

“There is a little bit of a difference, but I think he’s a great player as well.”

Baldonado said he hopes for a big crowd Saturday at Heinz Field. Upwards of 50,000 might be in the house.

But his house back in Rome will be filled when family and friends gather — as they do for every Pitt game — to watch one of the few Italians who has made a name for himself playing American football.

“I wouldn’t say it’s really popular. Soccer is really popular in Italy,” said Baldonado, who was the only kid in middle school playing American football. “It’s growing. Kids are falling in love with it.”

Baldonado said he is no celebrity back home.

“But I ended up on the news a couple times. That was pretty nice,” he said.

Meanwhile, he is always looking for good Italian food in Pittsburgh. So far, his go-to place is Pizzaiolo Primo in Market Square.

“It reminds me of home a little bit.”

NOTE: Outside linebacker Phil Campbell III, who was ailing and did not play against Virginia Tech, will return Saturday, coach Pat Narduzzi said.