Football: Taglianetti surprises by competing for starting spot

Pitt sophomore Andrew Taglianetti is currently in a battle with Elijah Fields for the starting… Pitt sophomore Andrew Taglianetti is currently in a battle with Elijah Fields for the starting free safety job, but he’s used to intense competition.

“[My brother Jon] and I were always encouraged to play sports,” Taglianetti said, adding that his parents used athletics as both a recreational activity and to instill a degree of competitiveness.

It’s hard not to listen to the Taglianettis when it comes to sports, since both parents have a past of competing at high levels. Taglianetti’s mother, Alison, was a swimmer while in college at Vermont, and his father, Peter, was a professional hockey player who played on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ ’91 and ’92 Stanley Cup championship-winning teams. His brother, Jon, is a freshman linebacker for the Panthers.

So far, his parents’ encouragement has paid off for Taglianetti, who surprised even himself by playing in all 13 games as a freshman and competing for a starting job this year.

“When I committed to Pitt, I thought I’d get redshirted,” Taglianetti said. “I was fortunate enough to have a good first preseason camp and did well enough to crack the field for special teams, but things have gone beyond my expectations, given the chance to start on defense now.”

Despite the thrill of development and chance to play an everyday role for Pitt, Taglianetti’s position on the team is especially unfamiliar to him.

In high school, Taglianetti played running back, receiver and defensive back and was productive at each position. At the collegiate level, especially with a talented team like Pitt, it’s more difficult to turn heads.

“It’s a tough adjustment to go from being a star in high school to having to work extra hard to earn a role now,” Taglianetti said. “But you just have to go out there and earn the respect and do what you have to do to separate yourself.”

He’s brought that versatility with him to Pitt. Although he’s a defensive back, he was also a standout on special teams last year, blocking three punts and recovering a fumble.

“He’s a throwback kind of player,” Pitt assistant coach Greg Gattuso said.

That throwback nature transformed him from long-shot, on-the-field contributor to the player battling for a starting job on a team picked to win the Big East. Just a few years ago, Taglianetti wasn’t even sure he wanted to attend Pitt.

Even though he attended Pittsburgh’s Central Catholic High School and grew up in the area, Taglianetti first looked at attending Louisville and Toldeo. But while visiting Pitt, Taglianetti thought Oakland and the various Pitt football facilities were “just awesome.”

Since arriving at Pitt, Taglianetti has used practice to gain the attention of the coaching staff.

“No one outworks him or outthinks him. He’s got all the tools,” Gattuso said. “He’s got great instincts, and he hits like a truck. I don’t even think of him as an overachiever anymore because he’s running 4.5 [seconds in the 40-yard dash].”

Taglianetti realizes the importance of practice to help develop his craft and ultimately contribute to Pitt’s success.

“The hardest part is topping what I did last year,” Taglianetti said. “I have to keep stepping up my game and do as good as I can each year and just keep adding on.”

His first chance will come Saturday at Heinz Field against Youngstown State, as coach Dave Wannstedt expects to use his skill-set at different points throughout the game.

So long as Taglianetti keeps showing his versatility, the coaching staff will keep finding a way to get him on the field.

Taglianetti maintains certain personal goals, but his primary goal is to help Pitt win the Big East title.

While that remains a work-in-progress, Taglianetti deals with the responsibilities that come with being a student-athlete. Taglianetti is focused on earning a degree from a top-tier academic institution. He hopes to get into Pitt’s business school and pursue a business management degree.

“A degree from Pitt is huge,” he said. “Academics are one of my primary focuses. Obviously the dream is the NFL, but you need something to fall back on.”