Turnover in a college football program can raise questions and bring uncertainty but it can also create an excitement for the unknown.
The Panthers are, without a doubt, filled with unknowns, but when looking at the roster and how the coaching staff has taken shape, the potential of this team is intriguing.
Now, by no means should this team be considered an ACC contender and that should come as no surprise after a 3-9 season in which they went 2-6 in conference play and ranked last in the ACC in points scored, points per game, rushing yards and total yards on offense. But, there are plenty of reasons to think that the Panthers will improve this year and that starts on offense.
OFFENSE
Under Frank Cignetti Jr., the offense was stale last season and couldn't muster consistency. The Panthers found ways to put points on the board but lost by double-digits in seven of their nine losses. Now, that could be looked at as a defensive problem as Pitt allowed the fifth-most points per game in the ACC and seventh-most yards per game. But, it could also be a sign of the times as high-scoring, fast-paced offenses are becoming more prevalent in college football.
With the hiring of Kade Bell, Pitt is joining that trend and the former Western Carolina offensive coordinator is ready to unleash his fast-paced offense which led the Football Championship Subdivision in yards per game (504.1), was third in passing offense (321.1 yards per game) and was fourth in scoring (37.5 points per game).
That's where the excitement comes from. Bell's system has produced 500 or more yards in 31 of the 52 career games as an offensive coordinator and Censure "CJ" Lee, who transferred from Western Carolina after catching 46 passes for 792 yards and eight touchdowns last season, said the offense looks to snap the ball in seven to 10 seconds.
There's the question of whether Bell's system will translate to the Power Five level, but he's had success at both the Division II level (Valdosta State and Tusculum) and in the FCS, so he's shown the ability to adapt to what his opponents show.
Bell should also have the athletes to get the job done. Along with Lee, Desmond Reid, who rushed for 897 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, also transferred to Pitt from Western Carolina, so he brings an understanding of Bell's system.
Rodney Hammond Jr., who led the Panthers with 547 rushing yards and four touchdowns last season, returns to the backfield. Konata Mumpfield (44 receptions, 576 yards, five touchdowns), Gavin Bartholomew (18 receptions, 326 yards, one touchdown), Kenny Johnson (15 receptions, 122 yards, one touchdown) are all back. New additions Daejon Reynolds, a transfer from Florida, Derrick Davis Jr., a running back transfer from LSU who played his high school ball at Gateway in Pittsburgh, and Raphael "Poppi" Williams Jr. will surely play roles as well.
Williams may be the most intriguing of the bunch as, while he didn't play last year at San Diego State, he played under Bell at Western Carolina for two seasons and tallied 120 receptions for 1,617 yards and 15 touchdowns. He had eight games over 100 yards and four games with at least 10 catches.
Three different quarterbacks all took snaps for the Panthers last year and Nate Yarnell, who was named the guy heading into spring ball, is the only one left and finished off last season under center. He completed 45 of his 66 pass attempts for 651 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in three starts. He'll be competing against Eli Holstein, a transfer from Alabama who redshirted last year, Julian Dugger, Ty Dieffenbach, David Lynch and Jake Frantl. Yarnell and Holstein started in the Blue-Gold game in the spring and Narduzzi committed to Yarnell as the starting quarterback in the fall after the game.
When the phrase "fast-paced offense" is used, immediate thought goes to passing and spreading the ball around the field. However, Bell has said that he wants to have the most balanced offense possible as running the ball opens up the passing game. For that, it all starts in the trenches and Bell emphasized that by bringing offensive line coach Jeremy Darveau with him to Pitt.
While there are still questions surrounding the offense and how it will develop, there's intrigue involved with Bell's hiring and the fast-paced system. If it works well it can bring excitement to Acrisure Stadium and if it doesn't, there may be some more questions to answer.
DEFENSE
Outside of defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, who has had four defensive linemen drafted to the NFL since 2020, the defensive staff remains intact heading into 2024, but after a down season in terms of Pitt's defensive standards, some uncertainty remains.
Partridge has been replaced by former Eastern Carolina defensive line coach Tim Daoust who will bring a lot of experience to the room and developed Chandler Jones during his time at Syracuse.
As a team, Pitt only tallied 31 sacks last season, the lowest mark since 2017 which ranked 7th in the ACC. Davon Hayes, Shayne Simon and Samuel Okunlola combined for 14 of those 31 sacks and Hayes led the team with 10.5 TFLs. All three are now gone.
But players have moved around along the front and Narduzzi has brought in a few transfers as well. Nahki Johnson has moved to defensive tackle, Nate Matlack is a transfer from Kansas State and tallied 9.5 sacks over 39 games and seven starts and Sean FitzSimmons is in a position to take a step forward this year. Elliot Donald, Isaiah Neal, Bam Brima and Jimmy Scott could all work into the mix across the front as well.
Brandon George will lead the way at the second level, but beyond that, the linebacking room is loaded with young talent. Jordan Bass, Rasheem Biles and Braylan Lovelace all got time last year and are looking to make an impact again. Keye Thompson transferred in from Ohio after tallying 252 tackles, 23 TFLs and three interceptions in 45 games. He was injured throughout the spring so it's unknown where he stands in the room at the moment but brings experience.
Pitt has always been capable of developing defensive backs into NFL-caliber players as nine former Pitt defensive backs have been drafted in the last seven NFL Drafts and there is plenty of talent in this secondary. It may be the steadiest group on the team.
Safeties Donovan McMillion and Javon McIntyre led the team in total tackles last year with 105 and 85, respectively, and Phillip O'Brien Jr. will work into that mix as well this season.
It looks as though Rashad Battle and Tamon Lynum, who is a transfer from Nebraska, will hold down the outside but others will surely contribute as camp carries on and players are developed.
So, after a down season with a lot of turnover on the offensive staff and the loss of a valued coach and defensive talent on the other side, there is uncertainty about what the Panthers can bring to the table this season. But, there is also intrigue about what this team is capable of.
That makes this team worth keeping an eye on early on.
