Pitt bringing in WPIAL talent is nothing new.
Last December, football coach Pat Narduzzi didn’t hesitate to advertise Pitt’s bonafides when it comes to recruiting and developing homegrown talent.
“I don’t think anybody takes more players and develops more players from the WPIAL than the University of Pittsburgh,” Narduzzi said as the Panthers announced their 2026 recruiting class.
That class featured four WPIAL alums: defensive linemen Lincoln Hoke (North Allegheny) and Reston Lehman (Peters Township), defensive back Da’Ron Barksdale (Steel Valley) and offensive lineman John Curran (Pine-Richland).
New position mates Hoke and Lehman, both early enrollees at Pitt, are excited to begin working toward becoming a WPIAL wrecking crew in the trenches for the Panthers.
“It’s being like a true Pittsburgh guy, I love it,” Hoke said of choosing Pitt. “Pittsburgh, it’s a hard-nosed town, tough — that’s what it’s all about. Staying close to home and getting to play in front of Pittsburgh and all the fans; I’m super excited about that. I love Pittsburgh and I’m excited to be here.”
Added Lehman: “It means a lot for me, just playing for the city I grew up in and a lot of my friends and family can come to the games. Besides the fact that I’m so close to home, Pitt is such a great program in general. It was kind of an easy decision for me. Growing up, I used to come to games all the time. I have little pictures of wearing Pitt jerseys to games with my little sister. I’m grateful to be here.”
Hoke, a 6-foot-2, 260-pound tackle, adds having had his father, 11-year Steelers offensive lineman and two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Hoke, as a resource growing up, on top of gaining extra experience by enrolling early at Pitt.
Unsurprisingly, Lincoln Hoke credits his dad with teaching him all he knows from the age of 6, when he began playing football.
But now, work is underway with position coach Tim Daoust to transform Hoke from a WPIAL standout to a contributor in the ACC.
On and off the field, Hoke is striving to meet those challenges, with spring ball just around the corner for Pitt.
“I think strengths, my biggest thing is my technique — my hands coming out of the ground (and) my quickness,” Hoke said. “That’s what I love about this Pitt defense. I think I fit in with moving around. I love to move around and having that twitchiness.
“Some things I’d like to work on — everything, honestly, but just the little stuff. I start with my stance, my hand placement, the way my hands are torqued and I want to know the whole defense in and out. That’s what I’m doing right now. I’m studying as much as I can. Every aspect of the game, I want to get better at.”
The 6-4, 230-pound Lehman will begin his collegiate career at end for Pitt.
Before any pads are put on, Lehman has noted that he’s seeing how different things will be from Peters Township, where he routinely played well to the edge of opposing offensive tackles and took position standing up, as opposed to being in a three-point stance.
Lehman also was utilized in pass coverage. Despite some noticeable differences, Lehman is excited to more deeply get to work within Pitt’s defense.
“Being a defensive lineman, it’s a dream to come to the University of Pittsburgh, especially in Pat Narduzzi’s (defense),” he said. “It’s an honor to be here and play as a really aggressive d-lineman. I’m excited to get in here and start working. They let you play who you are, be a football player and not think to much.”
Hoke and Lehman were able to forge a bond well before they stepped foot on campus at Pitt.
All of Pitt’s 2026 commits and eventual signees communicated in a large group chat, while the class’ WPIAL alums were able to connect on an even deeper level.
That friendship, on top of now meeting more local talent on Pitt’s roster, such as linebackers Cam Lindsey (Aliquippa) and Braylan Lovelance (Leechburg), safety Cruce Brookins (Steel Valley), offensive lineman Shep Turk (Thomas Jefferson), defensive lineman Ty Yuhas (Central Catholic) and others, has made getting settled all the more easier.
“Lincoln Hoke, who I came here with, we’ve been talking for months and months,” Lehman said. “I know some other guys on the team from the WPIAL and coaches from the WPIAL who have coached here. It’s a cool experience to be here with so many connections.”