Brandon George loving every facet of his Pittsburgh football experience

(First of two parts)

Football is not fun.

That’s the message Brandon George shared with players at Berks Catholic last week.

What’s that?

Not fun?

Brandon George wore a permanent smile during his years at Berks Catholic, whether he running someone over on his way to the end zone, plowing them under from his spot at linebacker, playing basketball or winning gold medals throwing the shot put and discus.

What the heck did they do to him at the University of Pittsburgh?

“Football isn’t fun,” George explained a few days before heading back to the Steel City for the start of training camp. “Football is rewarding. There’s a difference. You’re not gonna have fun running till you feel like you’re gonna pass out, or lifting till you feel like your arms and legs are gonna fall off, or going through the nicks and bruises of the offseason.

“Where the reward comes is on a Friday night, or a Saturday, when you go out and manhandle somebody. You go out and kick somebody in the teeth. When you go out there with your brothers to the left and right of you. That’s when it’s fun. But more times than not football is not fun. That’s what people have to understand.”

That’s one of the things George has learned over his first two seasons playing linebacker and special teams with the Panthers.

College ball, at the level Pitt plays, is a major step up from high school. More physical. More mental. More demanding.

When he wore a Saints uniform the imposing George threw guys around like 10-pound dumbells. He was a two-time All-State pick. Linebacker of the Year in Section 2 of the Berks Football League. A Big 33 pick.

He was a central figure on one of the greatest teams in league history, one that went 48-8 over his four seasons, played for a district championship every year, won three of them, reached the PIAA semifinals twice and set a Berks record by averaging 45.3 points.

He has spent his first two years at Pittsburgh working his way into position to do those kind of things again. Mostly, his contributions have come on special teams — he played on all the kickoff and punt units as a freshman and sophomore.

The 6-3, 240-pound junior entered preseason camp Thursday listed at No. 3 on the depth chart at middle linebacker, behind a pair of experienced players, fifth-year senior John Petrishen and fourth-year junior Wendell Davis, each of whom started games last season.

George had a great offseason, turned some heads during the spring game and expects to compete for that front-line job. He has understood from the beginning that he needed to be patient and work his way onto the field.

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” he said. “That’s to be expected. At a Power 5 school, you shouldn’t expect to go in (and start right away). You should work for that.

“You have to understand that you’re the low man on the totem pole. You were the big dog (in high school), but now everyone’s as good or better than you. You need to find your edge, whether that’s in the film room, the weight room, you need to find something.

“I was blessed my freshman year to be able to play four phases of special teams; not many freshman are trusted to do that. Special teams can win or lose you a game. You miss a block on a kickoff, you miss a tackle on a kickoff, miss your assignment on a punt, those are crucial plays in a game that can flip the tide.

“That’s where I earned some trust in the ‘backer room to be able to get on the field and play in crucial times.”

One of his highlights last season came on special teams when he blocked a punt against Austin Peay and nearly took it back to the house before being stopped at the 2.

His former assistant coach at Berks Catholic, Bill Hess, a huge Pitt fan, chided him for not reaching the end zone.

“I was exhausted,” George said, defending himself. “I tried to run for the pylon, but my legs said no mas.”

Even bigger for George was his performance in the annual Blue-Gold game in the spring, when he started at the Mike linebacker for the winning team and scored a sack.

“That was probably one of his best performances,” said first-year Pittsburgh linebackers coach Ryan Manalac. “He really ended on a high note. One play really stands out: He blitzed up the middle, ran through the running back and ended up with a deep sack, maybe 13 yards deep, which is a really disruptive blitz and a great play to show his athleticism and balance and strength, and just to see how far he’s come. It’s promising.”

Manalac likes every facet of George’s game, especially his enthusiasm and attitude. Despite not starting, George brings it every day, every practice.

The Panthers are deep at linebacker, and with the NCAA granting student-athletes an extra year of eligibility due to COVID, that means seniors who might have graduated have instead returned. Great for Pitt’s defense; tougher for George and other underclassmen anxious to get on the field.

“I’m excited where he’s at, with his development,” Manalac said of George. “He’s put himself in a position where, as coaches, we have a tough to decision to make (about playing time). We have good options at that position.

“Brandon had a great spring; he certainly put himself in the mix. Obviously, there’s two guys that have starting experience at that position, but his growth has been great. He’s right there.”

George remains upbeat and confident. And, despite what he might have said, he is having fun playing football. He loves every bit of it as much as he ever did.

“I always understood it was rewarding on a Friday night, but I didn’t understand that the reward is what made it fun,” he said, “not necessarily the grind and the blood and the sweat and the tears that went into it. You have to love that grind.”