Julian Dugger, Penn Hills teammates shine at Pitt passing camp

By: Josh Rizzo
Sunday, July 2, 2023 | 12:21 PM

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This offseason has left many people around the Penn Hills football program itching for the 2023 season to start. The Indians will get that opportunity when they host Seneca Valley in Week Zero action Aug. 25 at home.

After missing the playoffs last season, second-year coach Charles Morris was excited to see his team get some work in over the summer. Quarterback Julian Dugger, who has offers from a number of Division I schools, had a standout day at the Pitt passing camp. Dugger has offers from Pitt, Massachusetts and Toledo, among a number of smaller Division I programs as well.

Julian’s older brother, Jade, plays defensive back at Georgetown.

“Julian is an awesome kid and an awesome talent,” Morris said. “When it comes to development, he’s been cleaning up his footwork and working on throwing the ball on time.”

Dugger finished last season by passing for 1,137 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. Dugger also ran for 476 yards on 67 carries.

He had made a gradual progression since his freshman season when he passed for 895 yards. Dugger threw for more than 1,300 as a sophomore when Penn Hills won the Northeast Conference title and reached the WPIAL semifinals.

Being able to compete at Pitt put Dugger back on the radar for some larger schools.

“I think competing at the Pitt camp was good for Julian to get additional reps,” Morris said. “It helps with conditioning and timing.”

At the Pitt passing camp, Dugger stood out by not throwing interceptions and impressed among the tough competition at the event.

“He did play exceptionally well and he is a top-tier quarterback in our state,” Morris said.

Morris was happy to be there with a number of players on the roster. Last season, Penn Hills went 5-5 overall and 3-2 in the Northeast Conference.

The Indians missed out on the playoffs due to losing tiebreakers with Woodland Hills and North Hills, which tied with Penn Hills for second place.

Morris is hoping his players being involved with these types of camps along with 7-on-7 competitions will help build the program’s consistency. Penn Hills has seen a number of players on the roster draw interest from Division I schools this offseason.

Running back Amir Key recently announced that he had an offer from St. Francis (Pa.).

“I enjoy the team camaraderie and bonding,” Morris said. “We want them to get the timing and spacing down. We want to see guys compete in live action and how they are going to do. I like the energy and competitiveness.”

Tags: Penn Hills