Young defense prepares for Delaware in season opener

As Saturday’s home opener against Delaware approaches for the Pitt football squad, a slight sense of urgency has sparked around its South Side locker room — and rightfully so.

Since midsummer, Pitt’s relatively inexperienced defense has become younger and more inexperienced.

Defensive end Bryan Murphy left the team in the spring, and another defensive end option, Ejuan Price, will spend the 2014 season sidelined because of an injury. To make matters worse, Pitt is without three cornerbacks with in-game experience in 2014: Jahmahl Pardner and Trenton Coles, who both transferred, and Titus Howard, who was suspended earlier this month for disciplinary reasons.

All moves are relevant this week, since Pitt now has only one cornerback with game experience — junior Lafayette Pitts — and Delaware is a pass-first team with senior leadership at the quarterback and receiver positions.

Pitt head coach Paul Chryst called the game a “good starting point,” and said Delaware’s offense can be dangerous in several areas. Chryst cited Delaware’s senior receiver Michael Johnson, who caught 60 passes for 1,035 yards in 2013.

“I think defensively, they present some problems,” Chryst said. “I think there’s a lot of respect when you watch the film.” Johnson also amassed an additional 800 yards in kick returns and handoffs last year. In high school, he snagged passes from senior quarterback and Greensburg Central Catholic grad Trent Hurley, who holds a 1-0 lifetime record at Heinz Field. His Centurions won the WPIAL Championship 2009.

At 6-foot-2, Johnson will likely be followed by Pitts. On the other side of the field, redshirt sophomore Reggie Mitchell assumes the role of cornerback. Mitchell sat out last year under NCAA guidelines, which state transfer players have to abstain for a year before they’re allowed to play for a new team, after transferring from Wisconsin.

“We really appreciate what [Mitchell has] done,” Chryst said.

Chryst said that Mitchell is familiar with three positions in the defensive backfield. His primary focus right now is at cornerback, but he knows the nickelback position and was No. 1 on the Badgers’ depth chart at free safety at the time of his transfer.

“You can count on Reggie to be where he needs to be and, ultimately, that’s the most important thing rather than size, speed, any of that. It’s being in the right place at the right time when you’re asked,” senior safety Ray Vinopal said.

Ryan Lewis will likely back up Mitchell. Avonte Maddox, a freshman out of Detroit, is behind Pitts on the depth chart. Vinopal said Maddox is more than capable.

“He may not be the biggest guy but he’s tough and he’s got good ball skills and I think he can really help us in coverage,” Vinopal said.

Vinopal was a sophomore during Chryst’s first year at the helm in 2012. He began the season as the Panthers’ starting safety but lost his role after Pitt dropped its home opener 31-17 to Youngstown State, who scored three touchdowns in the air past Vinopal and others.

Chryst said the approach is greater than simply saying, “Hey guys, two years ago, we got beat by Youngstown State,” but the thought of the game still rests in Vinopal’s mind.

“I’ve heard a few comments in the locker room here and there,” Vinopal said. “I’m just making sure that everyone knows that this team is very capable of beating us and we need to prepare like it’s any other game in the ACC.”

New this year to the defensive squad is sophomore James Conner.

Chryst announced last week that the running back will play third down situations at the defensive end position as a pass rusher, in addition to getting carries on the other side of the ball.

On Monday, Chryst told reporters that both Isaac Bennett and Chris James will also receive carries. The added backfield flexibility could provide Conner with fewer offensive reps so he can spend more time causing chaos on the defensive line.

“Right now, all our thoughts with him are him playing primarily on offense,” Chryst said.

Kickoff is at noon at Heinz Field.