College Football Team Previews: Pittsburgh Panthers
Pittsburgh Panthers
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Coach: Pat Narduzzi (21-17) 4th Season at Pittsburgh
Stadium: Heinz Field (Capacity 68,400)
CSJ Projections:
11th: ACC (5th Coastal Division)
2nd: Pennsylvania
44th: FBS
46th: Division I
2017 In a Sentence: Pitt played a tough out of conference schedule and struggled through the beginning of the year. The Panthers finished stronger, winning 3 of their last 5 including a defeat of #2 Miami on the last weekend of the year.
Biggest Shoes to Fill: WR Jester Weah let the Panthers in receiving last year with 41 catches for 698 yards and four touchdowns. Pitt used three quarterbacks last year which may have muted Weah’s numbers overall. Pitt will need to settle the quarterback position and hope that another receiver steps up to meet or exceed Weah’s numbers.
Key Player: LB Oluwaseun Idowu in total tackles, tackles for loss and sacks in 2017. Idowu will need to be even better in his senior season for a defense that gave up nearly 400 yards and 27 points per game in 2017. If he does, the NFL scouts will be looking hard at him for the 2019 draft.
Fearless Prediction: Pitt seems to have settled on true Sophomore Kenny Pickett at the quarterback position this year. If the Panthers can get consistent, mistake-free performances from Pickett, there is no reason to think that Pitt cant rise into the middle of the ACC pack and secure an invitation to a bowl game.
Jamie is a proud 2002 graduate of James Madison University. He’s witnessed the growth of the program from no one in the stands in 1998, to the hiring of Mickey Matthews, to the 2004 National Championship, to the 2008 team, to the struggles in the early 2010s, and finally the rebuild under Mike Houston. He also allegedly really enjoys Washington, DC-based Stanley Cup winners.
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