User:Rvezio/sandbox



Michael Anthony Caprara (MAC) is an American Collegiate Football player in the NCAA. He plays as a linebacker and wears number 30 for the Pittsburgh Panthers, who are currently in the ACC division. Michael plays and coached under Head Coach Pat Narduzzi, the former Defensive Line Coach for the Michigan State Spartans.

__NOINDEX__ __NEWSECTIONLINK__

Personal Life
Michael Anthony Caprara was born in Turtle Creek Pennsylvania on September 21st 1993. He is the son of Michael Caprara and Melissa Davis. He has three sisters. Erica, Angela and Maddy. He also has five great uncles who played American Collegiate Football, of which two were Penn State Nittany Lions. One played for The Georgia Bulldogs, another that played for Notre Dame and another played for the Michigan State Spartans. His family call him Mac because of his initials Michael Anthony Caprara.

High School Career
Michael Caprara attended Woodland Hills High school located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. While attending Woodland Hills he played on Woodland Hills Football team Woodland Hills Wolverines. As a Wolverine he played as a Middle linebacker under head coach George Novak. During his career as Wolverine he was Woodland Hills all time tackling leader. he set a record with more than 350 stops. He earned a starting position midway through freshman year. He started every single game his final three years playing middle linebacker. He spearheaded a defense that held opponents to 14.2 points per game his senior year. During his senior year he was given the opportunity to starting fullback/H back on offense and scored two touchdowns. He had a high career of 122 tackles as a junior. He was named first team All State Class AAAA by the Pennsylvania Sports Writers. Pennsylvania Football News All Class AAAA and made Pittsburgh Post Gazette Fabulous 22. . He led the Wolverines to a four year record of 31-16 with four WPIAL playoff berths. He brought the Wolverines to the 2009 WPIAL championship at Heinz Field and PIAA playoffs as a sophomore. Michael Caprara was WPIAL favorite. He and his Wolverines became AAAA WPIAL Champions. Michael Caprara was also selected to play in the Big 33 Football Classic. He is also a 2 year letterman in wrestling. In addition to football and his 2 year letterman in Wrestling, He is a High Honors graduate of Woodland Hills and a member of National Honor Society.

College Career
Michael Caprara enrolled into the University of Pittsburgh of Oakland. He is studying communications at the university. In addition to his studies with communications he plays Middle Linebacker at the University of Pittsburgh for the Pittsburgh Panthers .Caprara was overlooked on the recruiting trail. Caprara was overlooked after he arrived at Pitt for three long frustrating seasons. Panthers new Head coach Pat Narduzzi former defensive Line Coach from Michigan State came on board late December.Now Caprara isn't being overlooked no more .Caprara has been a key player in the defensive line that the Panthers have had. Caprara been playing all three linebacker positions while making several crucial plays and big wins. Caprara has 21 tackles, two sacks, an interception and a safety against Syracuse. He went into 2015 with five career tackles in two seasons. Coach Narduzzi has quoted "When he first got here, everybody kind of wrote him off like, he can't play, that's what we've done for years where I've been. I love coaching the guy that they say can’t play.” Caprara was starting to wonder whether he would ever play. When he was a senior he was Woodland Hills all time Tackling leader. Scholarship offers for Mac were slow mostly because of his size. Caprara stayed patient, believing an offer would come. He turned and shut down smaller schools, waiting and hoping that he would earn that Scholarship . Finally, Pitt offered a scholarship a month before his signing day and he committed. Once he arrived, he didn’t quite fit in with the complex schemes the Panthers were running. Caprara played on special teams but he only played four games on defense last year under Paul Chryst . For a player like Caprara, who relies much more on instinct than his size, playing in a simple scheme gave him an opportunity to play free and loose. Big plays such as a sack in the end zone for a safety against Virginia followed by five tackles against the Cavaliers. Caprara had a game ending interception and 9-yard sack against Virginia Tech prior to his victory against the Cavaliers .Caprara has become Pitt’s jack of all trades at linebacker. Caprara primarily played on special teams for Pitt over the past two years.