Pitt notebook: Pat Narduzzi likes the 'juice' safety P.J. O'Brien brings to the defense

Pitt free safety P.J. O’Brien stood behind the podium, talking in staccato bursts, repeatedly clapping his hands for emphasis.

If he plays football with the same enthusiasm, Pitt’s tradition of strong safety play — from Jordan Whitehead to Damar Hamlin to Erick Hallett to Brandon Hill — will continue.

Pitt’s Blue-Gold game Saturday at Acrisure Stadium was O’Brien’s first time standing out in a crowd that didn’t include only his teammates. He returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown, and afterwards he was clearly enjoying the moment.

“Everybody to the ball,” he said, talking about what he sees as Pitt’s defensive mentality. “All 11 (players). No loafing. We don’t even talk about loafing. If you’re loafing, there’s no business for you to be out there.”

Coach Pat Narduzzi wasn’t in the room for O’Brien’s meet-the-press moment, but he knows what the junior from Pompano Beach, Fla., can bring to the team.

“He’s got some juice to him. He has a lot of passion to him,” the coach said. “I told him, ‘If you make a play. I’ll let you talk to the media.’ ”

And so he did, but Narduzzi reminded him that situation for the interception was in his favor.

“He picked off a freshman quarterback (Ty Dieffenbach). I’ll bust him about that,” the coach said. “You didn’t pick off Phil (Jurkovec) or Christian (Veilleux).”

Nonetheless, O’Brien was happy to discuss the play.

While on the sideline, O’Brien was talking to Whitehead, one of several former Pitt players who attended the game and even called a few defensive alignments, defensive coordinator Randy Bates said.

“On the sideline, (Whitehead) said, ‘Just read (the play). Just read it. Stay patient,’ ” O’Brien said. “I saw the tight end run a drag route. It was either a big hit or a pick 6.”

Always a good team guy, O’Brien chose the latter.

“I wasn’t trying to hit my teammate. We need everybody. We’re all as one. So I just went for the ball. I just read my keys and followed what Jordan told me.”

Whitehead isn’t only former Pitt player who has helped O’Brien in his development. He used to room with Hallett.

“I was aggravating him,” O’Brien said of his constant questions last season. “I need to get all the information I can get for when my time comes. I need to know everything about this position. Field safety, that’s probably the hardest position in college football.”

Which is fine with O’Brien.

“I’m always trying to challenge myself,” he said.

‘Don’t blame me’

Bates said Hamlin and some of his former teammates called a couple series in the second half, and some of the calls didn’t quite work out as planned.

“They were the defensive coordinators, so don’t blame me,” Bates said.

Turning serious, Bates said Pitt has been very blessed to have outstanding players at free safety.”

“Damar, Hallett and now PJ. We’re very excited about where (O’Brien) is going.”

He’s my brother

Bates said there were some missed tackles early in the game.

“Sometimes, you get in that mode that it’s a scrimmage,” he said. “You have to come out and realize it’s live and you’re hitting your own teammates. Sometimes, guys don’t want to put somebody down to a point where it might be an injury.”

Freshmen finds

Narduzzi was asked which of the freshmen who enrolled in January have made the strongest impression.

His choice on offense is wide receiver Izzy Polk. “Really smart. Playing two positions. That’s impressive.”

The defensive rookie is linebacker Braylan Lovelace (Leechburg).

“Not a question at all,” Narduzzi said. “He looks like a man right now (6-foot-2, 210 pounds). He looks like a guy who can play for us right now. I’ve been really, really impressed with his maturity as a linebacker, his physicality and his intelligence.”

Roster work ahead?

Narduzzi said he has three available scholarships if he wants to supplement the roster before the start of the season.

“You’re always going to look,” he said. “I’m happy with the guys we have on the roster.”

So, he said he’ll be selective.

“We’re not going to just take three to take three. We’re going to take the right three.”

Then, he referenced a quote from New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

“It’s not about the best 53. It’s about the right 53,” he said.

College teams, of course, can carry more than 53 players, but Narduzzi’s point was made.