College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Pitt Panthers season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Pitt Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 8-5 overall, 4-4 in ACC
Head Coach: Pat Narduzzi, 6th year, 36-29
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 34
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 49
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 56
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Pitt Panthers Offense 3 Things To Know
– Thank you, defense. Pitt scored the fewest points per game since the 1996 team that went 4-7, and yet it tied for the most games won in a season since 2009.
Under offensive coordinator Mark Whipple – the former UMass head coach – the offense didn’t have the same rushing spark of previous seasons, the passing game stalled a bit too often, and scoring was like pulling teeth at times – the team failed to score more than 35 in any game and scored more than 20 just three times.
But the change to more of a passing game did work – the air attack was better.
The blocking wasn’t a total disaster, but it wasn’t all that great. That might change this year with a veteran unit that could be sneaky good with all five starters expected back around all-star center Jimmy Morrissey and guard Bryce Hargrove.
CFN in 60 Video: Pitt Panthers Preview
– Kenny Pickett only seems like he has been around since the Johnny Majors – sky point – era. The senior quarterback has been fine, and he threw for a lot of yards – close to 3,100 – but he only threw 13 touchdown passes with nine picks, while not doing all that much for the running game. However, he can get hot, throwing for over 300 yards five times including in three of the last four games.
He’s still the guy, but sophomore Nick Patti is a decent backup who could push for work, and Arizona State transfer Joey Yellen is coming in – even though he’s most likely in the mix for the 2021 starting job.
Leading receiver Maurice Ffrench is done, but senior Taysir Mack is a solid veteran who can be the new No. 1 guy, and there’s enough talent coming back to be okay. The addition of Florida transfer tight end Lucas Krull could be a huge help to fill the hole.
– The running game went from ripping off 3,191 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2018 to 1,544 yards and 11 scores last year. V’Lique Carter transferred out, but the top three running backs return, starting with senior AJ Davis coming off a 530-yard, four score season. He’s the 215-pound pounder, while 5-8, 175-pound sophomore Vincent Davis provides a little more splash after leading the team with five rushing scores.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Pitt Panthers Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: Pitt Panthers Defense 3 Things To Know
– If Pitt doesn’t have the most productive pass rushing defensive line in college football, some other team is going to be crushing it up front. This is an NFL-sized line with all of the parts back but senior Amir Watts at tackle.
Not only does the No. 1 sacking team in college football get back killer defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman – who led the team with 10.5 sacks – but it also gets back senior Patrick Jones on one end and junior Deslin Alexandre on the other side – they combine for 14 sacks.
Oh yeah, and Rashad Weaver is back from his knee injury after coming up with 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in 2018.
– The linebacking corps needs a little reworking, but it doesn’t have quite as many responsibilities as most groups – the D line does most of the heavy lifting behind the line. However, senior Phil Campbell and junior Cam Bright are playmakers who can get behind the line. The corps needs a thumper on the inside, and that’s where 6-2, 250-pound senior Chase Pine should fit in.
– The pass defense should’ve been a wee bit better considering it had the luxury of the best pass rush in the country helping the cause. Paris Ford is an all-star caliber safety who led the team with 97 tackles, but Dane Jackson will be missed at one corner and second-leading tackler Damar Hamlin is done at one safety job. There have to be more interceptions, and it starts with senior Damarri Mathis at corner – he was second on the team behind Ford with two picks.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top Pitt Panthers Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top Pitt Panthers Players
Best Pitt Panthers Offensive Player
C Jimmy Morrissey, Sr.
It might not be all that exciting when your best players might be offensive linemen, but infrastructure is sexy. The offensive line was okay last season, but it could stand to be a whole lot more consistent. With four starters returning, it should be better, and it starts with the All-ACC center to anchor it all.
Going into his fourth year as the start for the line, the 6-3, 305-pounder will be in the mix for all the national honors reasonably possible for a center. At the very least, he and the line will give the glamour guys a whole lot of time to work.
2. OG Bryce Hargrove, Sr.
3. WR Taysir Mack, Sr.
4. QB Kenny Pickett, Sr.
5. RB AJ Davis, Sr.
Best Pitt Panthers Defensive Player
DT Jaylen Twyman, Jr.
You’re asking a whole lot out of a guy to be a defensive tackle at a place that Aaron Donald went to school. Let’s not put Mr. Twyman in that category quite yet, but the 6-2, 290-pound junior is growing into a special all-around inside presence with good size, toughness against the run, and the quickness to come up with 10.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in an all-star season.
2. DE Rashad Weaver, Sr.
3. S Paris Ford, Jr.
4. DE Patrick Jones, Sr.
5. LB Cam Bright, Jr.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Pitt Panthers Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: Pitt Panthers Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Pitt Panthers Offense
The downfield passing game has to work. The offense didn’t totally abandon the run, but offensive coordinator Mark Whipple changed things up to more of a passing attack.
The result? The running game suffered, but the Panthers went from throwing for fewer than 2,000 yards in 2018 to bombing away for over 3,400 yards last season.
However, after seven straight seasons of averaging more than seven yards per attempt – and over eight in two campaigns – the Panthers averaged 6.3 yards per throw two years ago and just 6.6 last year.
When the passing game worked, the results were great – Pitt was 8-1 when throwing a touchdown pass, and 0-4 when it didn’t. Over the last two seasons, the program is 7-0 when it averages 7.9 yards per throw – not that big a bar to get over.
Biggest Key To The Pitt Panthers Defense
A few more takeaways would be nice. The Panther defenses have never been big on forcing takeaways in the Pat Narduzzi era, but again, it would be nice. The D should own the nation’s deadliest pass rush again – or close to it – but at some point it has to lead to mistakes by the offenses.
Pitt only came up with 14 takeaways last season, and six of them were in the win over Duke and ten in all came in three games – all wins.
Under Narduzzi, Pitt is 17-7 when forcing two takeaways or more, and 7-1 when coming up with three or more. Last season, there were just five recovered fumbles by the D, and three of them came against Duke.
Key Pitt Panthers Player To A Successful Season
WR Taysir Mack, Sr.
He’s got the 6-2, 205-pound size, and he’s got the ability to get deep. Now he has to take on the role of a No. 1 receiver for an offense that’s going to keep pushing the passing game again.
Maurice Ffrench caught 96 passes, but he only averaged 8.85 yards per grab. Mack caught 63 passes for 736 yards and three touchdowns, and he averaged close to 12 yards per play. He’ll need to be both a volume-catcher and a home run hitter as the leader of a young and promising group of receivers.
Key Game To The Pitt Panthers Season
at Miami, Oct. 3
Pitt is good enough to start out 4-0 in a winnable September, and then it’s on. After starting out the ACC season at home against Duke, there’s a trip to Miami in a big step battle for the Coastal title.
There are still trips to North Carolina and Virginia, so lose to the Hurricanes, and there’s going to be a problem getting in the mix for the division title. Win – after losing four of the last five in the series – and all of a sudden the what-likely-would-be 5-0 Panthers get a week off for a much-hyped battle against Notre Dame.
– Pitt Panthers Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Pitt Fun Stats
– Pitt 2nd Quarter Scoring: 137 – Pitt 2nd Half Scoring: 87
– Sacks: Pitt 51 for 338 yards – Opponents 29 for 212 yards
– Penalties: Pitt 102 for 888 yards – Opponents 63 for 644 yards
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Pitt Panthers Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: Pitt Panthers Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
CFN in 60 Video: Pitt Panthers Preview
It’s been an interesting run for Pitt football.
It has gone to a bowl game in every season but one since 2007, it played for the ACC Championship two years ago, and under head coach Pat Narduzzi it’s been able to improve and reinvent itself in several ways over the last five years.
And this year’s Panther team is going to be the most interesting yet.
It’s got a ridiculous amount of pass rushing talent on the defensive front, it has a four-year starting quarterback in Kenny Pickett, a talented line with a few all-star talents, and best of all, a more than manageable schedule.
Set The Pitt Panthers Regular Season Win Total At … 8
Bet at BetMGM Win Total Line: 6.5
Pitt hasn’t won more than eight games since 2009, and that was when the program was in the Big East. This year’s team might just be able to break the string.
There’s no Clemson to face from the Atlantic, and there’s a shot at a huge start before November. Including the home date against Notre Dame, there isn’t a game on the slate that it can’t win.
Miami University, at Marshall, Richmond, Duke. If this is going to be a good team, and if this going to be a great season, Pitt has to start out 4-0.
It has to at least win two of the three home games against Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and Syracuse, and it needs to win at least one of the two of the four road games against Miami, Florida State, North Carolina and Virginia to get close.
It took five years under Narduzzi to get to this point. This is when the breakthrough should come.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
