CHARLOTTE, NC – Call it a warmup, call it whatever you want, but the Panthers get their season underway in week one against the University of Massachusetts Minutemen before going on the road for an SEC vs. ACC showdown against the Tennessee Volunteers. This will mark the true start of what ESPN has ranked as the 37th toughest schedule in college football.
Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi emphasized his excitement heading into the season, “Going on year seven here at PITT. I really like where our football program is…
“We have 13 “Super Seniors… We have depth everywhere.”
In 2020, the Panthers ranked 3rd in scoring defense in the ACC. A key aspect of that was their rush defense that ranked atop the ACC, with opponents averaging just 93.5 yards on the ground per game.
Their pass defense ranked middle of the road last season, though it was highlighted by a league tying 14 interceptions. That should increase, and the pass defense will improve with the return of redshirt senior cornerback Damarri Mathis. He had to sit out last year after getting injured in the preseason.
ACC play won’t start for the Panthers until October when they travel to Atlanta for a matchup with Georgia Tech. They will follow that up with another week on the road, heading up to Lane Stadium to take on the Hokies before coming home for a showdown with the Clemson Tigers on October 23rd. They are one team out of a slew of teams in the ACC that have a new look under center, something that linebacker Deslin Alexandre was asked about during ACC Kickoff.
“No matter who the quarterback is, you have to prepare the same way. In the ACC you can never take a day off. We’ll be ready,” said Alexandre.
5th-year senior quarterback Kenny Pickett will once again lead the Panthers under center. Last season he passed for an average of 267.6 yards per game. That ranked 3rd in the conference, trailing only North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell and then-Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
With that type of stat line, it again brings in the NIL subject, which is such a hot topic. With Pickett being one of the more prominent names on the PITT roster, he is set to benefit from the new NIL laws. However, coach Narduzzi, as many coaches have pointed out, wants there to be some constraints on the new rules and a way to help all athletes benefit from them.
“It’s an opportunity for our kids to earn some money…” said Narduzzi. “There’s got to be some constraints on this thing because you don’t want it to get out of control. You want it to be equal for everyone.”
