Inspired by memory of his grandfather, Pitt's Taysir Mack aiming for bounce-back season

Apr. 16—Taysir Mack's life as a Pitt wide receiver revolves around watching video.

Sometimes, he is checking out an opposing cornerback's susceptibility to a receiver's unique body twitch.

Perhaps Mack is especially proud of a block he leveled on a linebacker that opened a lane for his running back.

Or maybe, it's the last video of his paternal grandfather, Derick Keith Mack, in the hospital before he recently passed away.

"My grandfather passed away during spring ball," Mack said Thursday after practice. "It hurt a lot. I couldn't be there for the funeral."

But he did get to see a video of his grandfather as he was being told Taysir is still playing college football. This will be his sixth season, fourth at Pitt.

In the video, Taysir's grandfather asks his aunt why she didn't name her son after him.

"Taysir is named after you, your first grandson," his aunt replied. Taysir Keith Mack shares a middle name with his grandfather.

"He's still playing football?"

"Yes."

"He's still good?"

"Yes."

"Me, being able to do what my grandfather wanted me to do," Mack said, "I just want to sit here and give that all for my last year to him.

"I watch that video of him all the time. I try to hold onto that memory. This last year is just for him. I'm playing for the team, but I'm also playing for something that's bigger than myself."

Mack said watching that video helps him relax amidst the pressures of playing college football. So far, the journey has been exciting, often fruitful, but with periods of stress.

Last year, for example, Mack needed hernia and ankle surgeries to eliminate nagging discomfort he had been dealing with for several seasons.

"On top of having the whole pandemic, not having fans, having two surgeries, it was hard," he said. "I still tried to do my best and perform for the team."

He made only four starts, had a key drop of a conversion pass in the N.C. State game but persevered, missing only three games. Nonetheless, his reception total fell from 63 to 23, his yardage from 736 to 305.

"Obviously, I didn't perform the way I wanted to and where my talents showed the previous year," he said. "I'm a tough person. If I can play physically, I'll go out there and play for my team, one leg, one hand, one eye. You'll see me out there doing whatever I can."

Mack said he is fully recovered from the injuries and surgeries, and coach Pat Narduzzi has been pleased with his 100% attendance record during the first 11 of Pitt's spring practice days. He hasn't missed a snap, the coach said.

It started in the offseason when he drove from his home in Brooklyn, N.Y., to New Jersey to work out with quarterback Kenny Pickett.

"I've been doing everything I needed to do to make my body better," Mack said. "I've been eating better, (taking) better vitamins, working meal preps, doing everything I could, body, mind, soul, just so I can be able to go out there and perform for the team and give everything I got.

"Injuries have been something I've been having to deal with. They may derail (me), but they don't stop the things I can achieve.

"I let those things pull me down, feeling sorry for myself. Mentally, they're making me stronger, and it's been showing on the field."

On paper, Pitt appears to be building a deep group of wide receivers that includes six or seven players who could contribute this season (not counting tight ends).

Sophomore Jordan Addison leads the group after catching 60 balls for 666 yards and four touchdowns last season.

Mack also points to sophomore Jaylen Barden — "That boy is fast," he said — Tre Tipton, Jared Wayne and Shocky Jacques-Louis.

"I learn certain things, new things from every receiver," Mack said. "Tipton is technically sound. Shocky, one of the most technical receivers we have. Wayne, real physical. He's strong.

"Hopefully, we can have an offense like LSU (in its championship season) where they had a lot of receivers coming in and rotating.

"We set high goals for ourselves. I feel like we have the guys to do it.

"At the end of the day, it's not enough for me to sit here and speak on it. We just have to go out there and show it."

Jerry DiPaola is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jerry by email at jdipaola@triblive.com or via Twitter .