Linebacker Tylar Wiltz brings energy, and Pitt will need it against North Carolina
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Linebacker Tylar Wiltz is only one man among many diverse personalities in the Pitt locker room.
He’s not a captain or a starter, but defensive coordinator Randy Bates – whose demanding nature settles for nothing short of perfection – calls Wiltz “one of our top-producing players.”
Bates was talking about Wiltz’s on-field contributions that include the fourth-most tackles on the team (26, 11 solo), two pass breakups, a quarterback hurry, forced fumble and shared tackle for loss.
Off the field, he brings the enthusiasm and energy the Panthers will need while trying to climb back into the ACC Coastal Division race, a difficult task after losing two of their past three games.
But Wiltz , a graduate transfer from Independence (Kansas) Community College through Missouri State, will be in there pitching. Perhaps an infectious energy will bring his teammates with him.
“Circumstances we are under, you can’t waste a day,” he said. “From Day 1, you can’t waste a day. Now, it’s even more pressing, the situation. We know we have to win. I’m even going to be more energetic, more enthusiastic.”
Next up for the Panthers will be an ACC game that might be their toughest of the season. They will travel to Chapel Hill, N.C. — prime time, Saturday night – to confront No. 21 North Carolina (6-1, 3-0) and quarterback Drake Maye, who is averaging 326.1 yards through the air (second among all Power 5 teams).
A Tar Heels victory probably would end all legitimate hope of Pitt (4-3, 1-2) repeating as ACC champion.
Yet Wiltz can’t stop smiling. While social media predicts doom, Wiltz ignores the noise and believes his teammates are doing the same.
He recently was joking with quarterback Kedon Slovis, trying to lighten the mood for a teammate who’s been experiencing tough times after throwing a total of three interceptions in losses to Georgia Tech and Louisville.
“I was actually just clowning with Kedon,” Wiltz said. “I told him he has the face of America. He has a face like an All-American man.”
Slovis’ response was what Wiltz called an “All-American smile from ear to ear.”
“You should have seen it,” he said.
His message: “Keep your head up. We got you. We’re going to take care of you. Like coach Duzz says, `Trust those guys.’ If we don’t trust them, then we’re not a whole team. To win we have to be together. We win together, we lose together.
“He’s trusting the process. As players, as coaches, that’s all we can do because we’re not going to make the perfect play. They’re not going to make the perfect call. But if we all meet in the middle, it’s going to happen.”
With an offense that struggles to do anything but hand the football to Izzy Abanikanda, who leads the ACC in rushing, the next two games against the Tar Heels and No. 16 Syracuse will be a test of will, character and talent.
Pitt has allowed the opposing offense only two touchdowns in each of the past two defeats, a solid performance. But it’s no consolation to Bates.
“Solid’s not what we shoot for,” he said. “We had too many big plays. We have to cut that down.”
Louisville crafted six plays of 20 yards or more, including a 25-yard touchdown reception and three other plays of 26, 33 and 28 yards that were part of scoring drives.
“Game like that, you have to keep those down to a minimum,” Bates said.
Even cornerback A.J. Woods’ 27-yard interception return could have changed the course of the game if he was able to score.
“When we get our interceptions, we have to go score,” Bates said. “Couple more blocks, I think we score there.
“At the end of the day, we have to take that in ourselves. We have before (twice). We just have to continue to do that. More than anything, we have to get more turnovers.”
He’s right about that. The defense has recorded 10 turnovers in seven games; only four ACC teams have fewer than 10.
Wiltz stopped just short of guaranteeing Pitt’s fortunes will change in Chapel Hill.
“We’re athletic, just like them. We work hard, just like them,” he said. “We’re going to hit (Maye) hard just like we hit Malik (Louisville’s Cunningham) and, if he doesn’t get up, that’s not our problem. We’re going to do what we do as a defense.
“We’re going full speed. It will click. Hear me out. Watch.”