Pitt football program parts with entire strength staff

Dave Andrews left his position as Pitt’s head strength and conditioning coach last week to become Iowa State’s director of strength and conditioning, and on Thursday, Alan Saunders of Pittsburgh Sports Now reported that the rest of the Pitt strength and conditioning staff had parted ways with the program.

Along with Andrews, whose departure was announced last Friday, Pitt strength assistants Austin Addington-Strapp, Trever Ryen and Freddie Walker have also left their positions on Narduzzi’s staff. Walker reportedly left Pitt to join Andrews’ staff at Iowa State, but details regarding Addington-Strapp and Ryen's reasons for leaving were not provided.

Addington-Strapp and Walker both came to Pitt in 2015 after three-year stints as members of the Illinois strength staff. Both started their tenures in Champaign in 2012, which was the same year Andrews was hired as the Fighting Illini’s associate head strength coach.

Addington-Strapp was a linebacker at Ohio Dominican until 2008, and after graduating, he was hired by his alma mater to establish a strength and conditioning program. Walker was a defensive back at Bowling Green and later joined Michigan State’s strength staff during Narduzzi’s time as the Spartans defensive coordinator.

Ryen was a recent addition to the Pitt strength staff, as he was hired in 2019. Before coming to Pittsburgh, Ryen was a member of the Birmingham Iron’s strength staff in the short-lived Alliance of American Football. Ryen was a wide receiver at Iowa State from 2013 to 2017.

Update: Jan. 17, 9:59 a.m. ET

Iowa State confirmed on Friday morning that Freddie Walker accepted a position on Dave Andrews’ staff along with ex-Pitt assistant and Iowa State alum Trever Ryen.