Coach | New Notre Dame DL Francis Brewu Leads On & Off Field
Notre Dame addressed a critical need along its defensive front on Tuesday with the addition of former Pittsburgh defensive lineman Francis Brewu out of the transfer portal, and those who know him best believe the Irish are getting far more than just a rotational interior presence.
Brewu committed to Notre Dame after two seasons at Pitt, a decision that drew immediate praise from Mike Picetti, his former coach at Thomas Worthington High School.
“Francis is the type of kid you’d want dating your daughter,” Picetti told Irish Sports Daily. “He’s just an outstanding young man. Yes sir, no sir. Extremely hardworking. He has a very strong sense of right and wrong and he’s incredibly dedicated to his family.”
That foundation has always mattered as much as production to those around him.
“At some point, everyone hangs up the helmet,” Picetti said. “Our job is to make sure kids are prepared to be good people when football ends. Francis understands that. He has the qualities that make him employable, that make him a good human being. That’s always been who he is.”
The 6-foot-2, 285-pounder was known for that approach long before arriving at Pitt.
Picetti described Brewu as one of the leaders of his program, both by example and work ethic.
“He was one of our captains in high school,” Picetti said. “First guy in, last guy out. People see him in the weight room and say he’s a freak, but they don’t know the whole story. We’d lift before school and he’d be there. Then he’d go work out again at night.”
That second workout came after long days.
“His dad worked at Worthington Steel,” Picetti said. “They had a gym at the mill and Francis would go there in the evenings to get another lift in. That’s just how committed he was. He knew he wanted to play Division I football and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure it happened.”
On the field, Picetti says Brewu’s traits translate cleanly to the next level.
“He’s a great student of film,” Picetti said. “He wants to understand his opponent, find weaknesses and attack them.
“His first step is elite. When you turn on the film, it’s fast. And he’s violent with his hands. Those are the two things all great defensive linemen have in common.”
The Columbus, Ohio native developed into a reliable interior presence at Pitt, emerging as a stalwart along the defensive front and drawing interest from several Power Four programs once he entered the portal.
Picetti sees the fit at Notre Dame as a natural one, especially given the staff in place.
“First off, Notre Dame just hired a phenomenal defensive line coach,” Picetti said. “Chris Partridge is one of the best in College Football. He’s coached NFL guys, he’s been to The League and back and he knows how to develop players. He’s the same coach who recruited Francis to Pitt. That matters.”
For Notre Dame, Brewu represents both immediate depth and a developmental piece at a position where the Irish needed to add bodies. For Picetti, the belief is that the impact will extend beyond the stat sheet.
“He’s going to do things the right way. On the field and off. That’s just who he is.”
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