Michael Pittman Jr. was on USC’s radio show, Trojans Live, yesterday. TrojanSports.com transcribed the interview. Here’s what the future star receiver had to say on replacing some future NFL receivers, Sam Darnold and the other pass catchers around him.
On helping to replace JuJu Smith-Schuster and Darreus Rogers
Michael Pittman Jr.: “It’s really hard to fill their responsibilities because they were both three years guys and just the amount of experience they had is just tremendous. So just playing behind those guys was great and I got to learn a lot from them. And I feel like as a receiver group, we are all ready to fill in their shoes and pick up where they left off.”
On his work ethic
Pittman Jr.: “The drive comes from it being like a family thing. I just think my dad did it, my brother is going to do it because I have every bit of belief that he will make it and I just don’t want to be the only one out. So I’m just working hard to hopefully get my chance and I feel like I’m at the right school.”
On playing on special teams as a freshman
Pittman Jr.: “Coach Baxter just gave me a great role. He just saw something in me and he just decided to put me on special teams and I was happy to fill that role. Because playing time is playing time and we don’t really look at it as special teams. We look at it more as a chance to get better and we apply what you do on special teams, apply it let’s say to receiver because I play receiver. And it just all applies and I got great development out there and it’s going to help me this year, learning to play violent and fast football.”
On his relationship with his quarterback Sam Darnold
Pittman Jr.: “I feel like me and Sam are good friends but I don’t treat him different just because the other guys are out and it’s supposed to be the young guys time up. But I just treat him the same, how I’ve been treating him and we’re good friends and he’s a good leader and he gives great directions. And I feel like we have a good and strong relationship.”
On the other receivers from his class
Pittman Jr.: “Those guys are straight monsters. It’s like shocking because people haven’t been able to see what they can do because they haven’t been able to come out to practice. It’s full on competition every day, meeting room, field, workouts, we’re just always going at it because we have a group of great guys and I don’t know how we’re going to be stopped.”
More on Sam Darnold
Pittman Jr.: “We all know Sam is probably the best player in the country right now. They were talking about him at the draft and he wasn’t even there. So that says something about him.”
On helping to replace JuJu Smith-Schuster and Darreus Rogers
Michael Pittman Jr.: “It’s really hard to fill their responsibilities because they were both three years guys and just the amount of experience they had is just tremendous. So just playing behind those guys was great and I got to learn a lot from them. And I feel like as a receiver group, we are all ready to fill in their shoes and pick up where they left off.”
On his work ethic
Pittman Jr.: “The drive comes from it being like a family thing. I just think my dad did it, my brother is going to do it because I have every bit of belief that he will make it and I just don’t want to be the only one out. So I’m just working hard to hopefully get my chance and I feel like I’m at the right school.”
On playing on special teams as a freshman
Pittman Jr.: “Coach Baxter just gave me a great role. He just saw something in me and he just decided to put me on special teams and I was happy to fill that role. Because playing time is playing time and we don’t really look at it as special teams. We look at it more as a chance to get better and we apply what you do on special teams, apply it let’s say to receiver because I play receiver. And it just all applies and I got great development out there and it’s going to help me this year, learning to play violent and fast football.”
On his relationship with his quarterback Sam Darnold
Pittman Jr.: “I feel like me and Sam are good friends but I don’t treat him different just because the other guys are out and it’s supposed to be the young guys time up. But I just treat him the same, how I’ve been treating him and we’re good friends and he’s a good leader and he gives great directions. And I feel like we have a good and strong relationship.”
On the other receivers from his class
Pittman Jr.: “Those guys are straight monsters. It’s like shocking because people haven’t been able to see what they can do because they haven’t been able to come out to practice. It’s full on competition every day, meeting room, field, workouts, we’re just always going at it because we have a group of great guys and I don’t know how we’re going to be stopped.”
More on Sam Darnold
Pittman Jr.: “We all know Sam is probably the best player in the country right now. They were talking about him at the draft and he wasn’t even there. So that says something about him.”
