The ACC Network was at the Beano Cook Fields to film for their "ACC Football Road Trip" show, and analysts gave their thoughts on the Panthers' program in a separate aside with media members following practice and their filming session.
Former Florida State quarterback and first-round NFL draft pick EJ Manuel offered his take on the battle between Kedon Slovis and Nick Patti for the Panthers' starting quarterback spot:
"Both were super accurate," Manuel said. "The competition I think is good for both quarterbacks because it brings forth the best option. But from what I saw today, Kedon looked great, especially in situations. Two-minute, pretty much two plays, a big throw. And then a red zone seam (route) that he banged. I thought Nick did really well. Whoever they do decide it's going to be, it's going to be a fair decision."
Manuel alluded to one quarterback not necessarily having a leg up on the other, due to the arrival of a new offensive coordinator in Frank Cignetti Jr. He said the incumbent starter should be willing to show the locker room they're "the guy" as Narduzzi talked about during the team's initial media day to open fall camp.
"You want to be a guy that shows up early, leaves late, some of the cliche things that you have to do as a quarterback, but also relationship-wise," Manuel said. "Can you hang out with the guys off the field? Can the guys trust you? Can the guys talk freely around you? Do they think you're what they would call in the locker room a 'fed' -- going back to a coach and tattling and all that kind of stuff.
"You've got to be one of the guys. I think that's probably been a big key for Kedon because he's new, and that's why I was saying Nick somewhat has a leg up because he does have familiarity with the team. He got recruited with these guys, played with them last year and years before."
Former NFL wide receiver Eddie Royal said Pitt shouldn't have to worry too much about losing Jordan Addison to the transfer portal because of the depth and numerous weapons Pitt's offense still has.
"(Konata) Mumpfield, he caught a deep one out there (on Thursday)," Royal said. "It was a competitive ball, too. It wasn't an easy catch, and he went up and caught it and showed his competitiveness, his athletic ability. And then you've got Jared Wayne, as well, the consistent guy, the leader of that room, and then you throw in (Gavin) Bartholomew at tight end.
"You're set at passing the ball. You don't need that one guy. They're going to run the ball a lot. They've got three running backs. They're going to be fine."
Royal said he was impressed with Pitt's practice on Thursday.
"I was saying it, like, man, this looks like an NFL team," Royal said. "This is what big-time Power Five college football should look like. From top to bottom it's run the right way. Practice is clean. Guys are out there competing and working hard together. They're doing it the right way here."
The "ACC Football Road Trip" show is set to air at 7 p.m. Thursday with reruns to follow on the ACC Network.
COMMUNICATION KEYS
The system by which Pitt will relay plays down to the field is set to change, and the team is getting used to the new method with two weeks until Sept. 1 and the season opener against West Virginia.
Pat Narduzzi spoke about the Panthers' communication procedures before Thursday's practice, and he detailed the days of the quarterback running over to the sideline and gathering plays by mouth from the offensive coordinator are no more, and the Panthers are going with a new system of delivering offensive play calls from Cignetti.
"I liked what we did," Narduzzi said, "and I know that nobody else out there did. ... There's some great tips that I'm listening to that's going on, so that's why I like (the headsets). We like to over-communicate in this game of football. It's all about communication. It's good stuff, but we'll do it a different way, but no one's talking to the quarterback out there."
Narduzzi wouldn't specify his and Cignetti's new system, but headsets surely will be involved in some capacity.
"It's great for the offense, and everything's about the offense," Narduzzi said. "Some of the changes (the ACC has) made are about the offense. ... I would love to have it, but it's one guy. It's the quarterback."
He said the method of having the quarterback going over to the sideline to receive plays was beneficial in the sense that it eliminates the potential for signs to be compromised.
"The quarterback can get everybody the call. The quarterback could get the call and we could huddle up here and ready, break, and we're good to go. The no-tempo quarterback gets it. I like it because nobody could steal our signals. That's what I liked about our quarterback going to the sideline last year ... There's something to that because there's a lot of thieves out there as we know. But it doesn't help the defense any."
BETTER DAY
After what Narduzzi deemed as a "disappointing" day in camp on Tuesday, he mentioned Wednesday's tone was much improved.
"Much better, much better," he said. "As I look back and try to compare to our kids today, it was just the focus. It comes down to focus and trying to get these teenagers -- these 18, 19, 22, whatever-they-are years old, just trying to get them to focus daily. It's a struggle. Sometimes you get that great, focused day on a Saturday for a game, and all of the sudden Tuesday's not such a great focus day."
