Will there be success after Pickett for Pitt?
Philip G. Pavely
Associated Press
Pitt transfer quarterback Kedon Slovis passed for 58 touchdowns in 27 games at Southern California.
Associated Press
Pitt transfer quarterback Kedon Slovis passed for 58 touchdowns in 27 games at Southern California.
Philip G. Pavely
Associated Press
Pitt redshirt freshman wide receiver Myles Alston catches a pass during the Blue-Gold scrimmage
So what does Pitt do for an encore after winning its first ACC championship last year?
The Panthers finished with an 11-3 record and were ranked No. 13 in the final coaches and AP polls, their best finish since 1982.
Pitt will try to prove its breakout 2021 season was no fluke. They’ll have to do it without quarterback Kenny Pickett, now in the NFL, and wide receiver Jordan Addison, who transferred to USC in May.
Pitt does return 15 starters and 49 lettermen, including preseason All-Americans in defensive end Habakkuk Baldonado, safety Brandon Hill, defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and offensive tackle Carter Warren.
“There’s no target on our back and we are not really defending any (championship) because it’s not going anywhere. It’s there,” head coach Pat Narduzzi said. “That trophy is not going to leave. If the trophy is here, we are champions, 2021 and it’s over. So we are just starting a new one and going after that trophy and going after the championship.”
Pitt will be going after another ACC championship with a new quarterback. Gone is Pickett, who completed 67 percent of his passes, threw for 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns and ran for 241 yards and five scores a year ago, was a Heisman Trophy finalist and was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-round draft pick in April.
Pickett was not the lone departure on offense in the offseason. Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison transferred and coordinator Mark Whipple took the same job at Nebraska.
“I think we’ll be a bit more balanced football team,” Narduzzi said. “We are going to still sling it around like we do, but we have to establish a bit more of a running game.”
The Panthers entered preseason camp with a quarterback battle between USC transfer Kedon Slovis and Nick Patti. Slovis threw 30 touchdown passes as a freshman and 17 more in six games in 2020. Patti was a more-than-capable backup and started the Peach Bowl when Pickett opted to sit out the contest.
“Replacing Kenny is never easy. Kenny Pickett was an outstanding football player. He was the leader of our football team,” Narduzzi said. “Not only will we miss the leadership, but we’ll miss the competitiveness he brought to the game every Saturday.
“We’ve got two young men fighting for that position. They both had great springs. I think we can win a lot of games with both of them.”
Losing the 100 catches and 17 touchdowns of Addison is not good, but Jared Wayne is a big-play wide receiver who caught 47 passes and had six scores. Konata Mumpfield is a transfer who caught 63 passes last year for Akron.
Improving the running game is a must. Last year Pitt averaged 41.4 points a game, third best in Division 1 football. The Panthers’ rushing game (149.2 yards per game) was 77th in FBS. Pitt’s leading rusher, Israel Abanikanda, totaled 651 yards.
Abanikanda, Vincent Davis and sophomore Rodney Hammond all return at running back.
“We do have some guys back there. It will be interesting to watch how they progress but we are looking for the consistent guy,” Narduzzi said.
The offensive line should be outstanding as five starters return. Warren at left tackle is the best of the bunch, but the entire line should be one of the team’s strengths.
Pitt’s pass rush could be dominant again after ranking second in the nation in sacks and fifth in tackles for loss. Baldonado led the team with nine sacks. Kancey had seven sacks.
The linebackers are disruptive, too, as SirVocea Dennis is a playmaker. He will be flanked by new starters and Notre Dame transfer Shayne Simon.
The secondary allowed 264 yards per game last year but intercepted 16 passes. Hill was second on the team with 79 tackles. He’s back at one safety spot along with Erick Hallett, who had 72 tackles and three interceptions. Marquis Williams and AJ Woods are veteran cornerbacks.
Pitt won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year, so it will take the same approach that worked so well last season.
“We are going to be on the offensive. We are not going to be the hunted. We are going hunting,” Narduzzi said. “We are going after them and we are going after them harder than we did a year ago, and we are going to go after them in a different way. It will be a different attack offensively, defensively and there will be a different attack on special teams.”
Pitt opens the season Sept. 1 at home against West Virginia.
“I think there’s a lot of excitement. It’s a little bit different than opening up with somebody like New Hampshire,” Narduzzi said. “There’s excitement. Every time I see a Pitt fan, all they talk about is that opener. It’s going to be electric.
“It’s college football, the Backyard Brawl, whether it’s in September or in November, it doesn’t matter because it’s a big game and we are looking forward to embracing that rivalry.”