Angelo Renda Will Fit Pitt's Offensive Blueprint Perfectly

Renda completed 71.4 percent of his passes (257 of 360) for 3,901 yards and 40 touchdowns (11 interceptions) under Coach Barnhill last year. He also rushed for 667 yards and nine touchdowns.

Is he a dual-threat quarterback? The answer seems to be yes and no. 

“I think Angelo, he's an extremely athletic kid without a doubt,” Barnhill said. “When things break down, his ability to find space, and then he's really slippery. So, it's hard for defenses…to catch him at the second and third level and square him up." 

“He's extremely elusive and slippery, and I think he's a lot faster than what people perceive on the field. He's got a lot of game speed.”

While his completion percentage (71.4) and his rushing stats prove both his passing and rushing skills, what’s between his ears is fueling all of his success, according to Coach Barnhill. 

“He understands the game better than most quarterbacks that I've ever been around, and he knows when it's time to tuck the ball when there's an opportunity for him to use his feet and extend the drive,” Barnhill said.

“He's looking to score every time he pulls down the ball. He's a tough kid, and he's a competitor, and sometimes we had to talk to him about finding a spot to get out of bounds. But he does not take very many hits. He knows how to elude those hits.”

With the way Coach Bell’s offense operates, you might be hard-pressed to find many varsity offenses that match up with the Pitt offense than the scheme Renda comes from. 

Obviously, that crossover should help expedite Renda’s apprenticeship which begins in January. 

“I think the scheme at Pitt fits his game so well,” Barnhill said. “Just his ability...he's not a dual-threat guy, but he can be when he has to be. Being able to spit the ball quickly, create matchups, find the space. 

“Like I said, his football IQ is so high that he can find space pre-snap and identify matchups. We say ‘KYP’ all the time. Know your personnel. And I think a lot of explosive offenses, they have a guy behind center that understands that."

“I think that Angelo will fit that blueprint perfectly for Pitt."