Football: DeCicco showing his versatility on defense

Dom DeCicco is willing to do it all for the Pitt defense.

The standout senior defender has… Dom DeCicco is willing to do it all for the Pitt defense.

The standout senior defender has been everywhere for the Panthers football team this season — whether it be making a diving interception downfield to keep Pitt in its game against Miami or helping stuff the vaunted Louisville rushing attack at the line of scrimmage, DeCicco has shown he’s a versatile player.

The third-year starter, who is one of the team’s two true seniors (the other being defensive end Jabaal Sheard), hails from local football powerhouse Thomas Jefferson High School and has been a staple in the secondary ever since he won the starting job at strong safety at the beginning of his sophomore year.

“Since I’ve been here, he has some of the best ball skills I’ve seen,” junior linebacker Max Gruder said. “Having him and Jarred [Holley] back there makes you feel a lot more confident when the ball goes up in the air.”

Two seasons, seven interceptions and a boatload of tackles later, DeCicco entered his final season as a captain and the “quarterback” of a stacked defense at safety on one of the most highly anticipated Pitt football teams in recent memory.

But after a disappointing 1-2 start, change was needed on both sides of the ball. Defensively, it was DeCicco’s athleticism, versatility and experience that allowed defensive coordinator Phil Bennett to unleash the veteran on opposing offenses in several different ways.

After playing the first three games at his usual safety position, a combination of injuries and altered game-planning to prepare for spread offenses resulted in DeCicco seeing action at outside linebacker and nickel cornerback.

DeCicco says the “change in physicality” was the biggest part of the switch.

“At linebacker, you have to deal with linemen and react a little bit quicker,” he said.

At 6 feet 4 inches and 230 pounds, he’s shown he has the size and quickness to help him make a play in almost any situation.

The stats confirm DeCicco’s ability to adapt. Three interceptions this season have brought his career tally to 10, while he managed to record a season-high 11 tackles against Notre Dame and Louisville. In both games, he was primarily used at linebacker or nickel corner, positions he had never played at Pitt prior to this season.

Most importantly, the Panthers have recovered in the most important stat column: wins, as they are 4-1 since DeCicco began his transition.

“He’s skilled in so many areas,” Gruder said. “He can play linebacker one week and safety the next. It shows you how athletic he is, how great of a football player he is.”

Playing several positions isn’t exactly new to DeCicco, whose brother Brock is a redshirt-freshman tight end.

Dom spent time at quarterback, wide receiver and safety during his impressive high school years, leading his school to two WPIAL titles and a PIAA state championship.

Looking toward the rest of this season, DeCicco isn’t ruling out another tactical move when the Panthers’ defense faces a spread-offense style team, such as rival West Virginia.

“I think we’ll keep doing what we’ve been doing when we see a spread team,” he said. “I might move back to the nickel spot the way Jason [Hendricks] and the guys are playing.”

Despite the fact that this is his last season with the Panthers and his athleticism could help him find a spot on an NFL roster, DeCicco remains firmly focused on the current campaign.

“I certainly hope my versatility helps in the future, but right now I’m just looking to win this Big East and worried about Pitt,” he said, “We realize every game from here on out is the biggest game of the season.”