Aug 22, 2018 4 min read

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After three years of watching his team struggle to get stops, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi sees the potential for improvement coming with the return of plenty of defensive starters.

“I walked out there this June, I’m going, ‘Whoa, there’s a lot of guys there who can play for us,'” Narduzzi said, “which they couldn’t play for us a year ago.”

It’s a feeling that is common throughout the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division, where defense could be ready to take a step forward by leaning on returning experience.

For the second straight year, five of the seven division teams have at least seven returning defensive starters, including reigning division champion Miami. That formula led to gains in the division last year, most notably for teams that lean on developing in-house talent.

Now more teams are hoping to do the same, including Narduzzi’s Panthers, who have a division-high nine returning defensive starters.

Narduzzi said he thinks the Panthers “upgraded” with the hire of defensive coordinator Randy Bates.

Bates replaces Josh Conklin, who took the head coaching job at Wofford.

Narduzzi said the Panthers “probably got as far as we could go with our coordinator there at that time.”

Bates, who has nearly four decades of college coaching experience, brings energy to a defense that should be much improved.

Linebacker Oluwaseun Idowu said the Panthers are more confident this year following an upset win over 13th-ranked Miami in the team’s regular-season finale. He expects that momentum will carry over to this season, saying Pitt is capable of “great things.”

Kenny Pickett became the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Pitt in 10 years when he took the opening snap against No. 2 Miami. Pickett did not disappoint in his starting debut, accounting for 253 yards and all three Pitt touchdowns in a 24-14 upset of the Hurricanes.

Pickett also showed his legs can be a weapon – he ran for two scores in the Miami win – providing the Panthers with an intriguing dual threat at quarterback.

“I think the expectations are way up, but he’s still a true sophomore and has not played that much,” Narduzzi cautioned. “But he’s a leader. We trust in that guy. I think he could explode through the roof and be really good. We can talk big things in the next couple years.”

The return of Pickett and running backs Darrin Hall and Qadree Ollison should give an explosive offense. Hall and Ollison combined for 1,026 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.

Hall is coming off the most productive campaign of his career, pacing Pitt’s rushing attack with 628 yards and nine TDs. He finished with a team-high 10 touchdowns. Ollison netted 398 yards and five TDs. He is the only player on the Panthers’ roster with a 1,000-yard rushing season. In 2015, he compiled 1,121 yards and was named the ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year.

The Panthers must reshape their receiving corps around five returning lettermen, including last season’s top pass catcher, Rafael Araujo-Lopes, who had 43 receptions. Maurice Ffrench and Aaron Mathews also return. Tre Tipton, who missed all of last season because of injury, also could be a target for Pickett.

Will Gragg, a transfer from Arkansas, arrives with two seasons of eligibility and could be an impact player at tight end.

The Panthers will need to retool the offensive line with the departure of three starters but senior Alex Bookser is one of the top linemen in the ACC.

Youthful and untested a year ago, Pitt’s defensive line figures to be one of the team’s strengths. The Panthers return all four starters up front.

Nose tackle Shane Roy anchors the interior. At tackle, Keyshon Camp and Amir Watts will compete for the starting nod. The Panthers return both experience and production at defensive end. Senior Dewayne Hendrix, healthy last season for the first time in his Pitt career, led the team in quarterback hurries and James Folston Jr. seized a starting role the final month of the season.

The defense will be bolstered by a seasoned stable of linebackers as three starters return. Idowu enters his third season as a starter and earned All-ACC after leading the Panthers in tackles and sacks. Senior Elijah Zeise, junior Saleem Brightwell and senior Quintin Wirginis, who is coming off a redshirt season, also return.

Gone in the secondary are All-ACC defensive backs Avonte Maddox and Jordan Whitehead, but seven players with starting experience, led by Dane Jackson at cornerback, are back. o