2017 season: 5-7, 3-5 in the ACC (T-4th in the Coastal Division)
Head coach: Pat Narduzzi (4th season)
At the end of last season, it was hard to believe that the 4-7 Panthers could take down undefeated powerhouse Miami. Yet the team that needed overtime to beat Youngstown State and lost to an anemic North Carolina squad stunned the Hurricanes 24-14.
Going into this season, it is unclear which side of Pittsburgh is going to show up.
The Panthers will look to sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett to spearhead an offense that was nearly invisible for the 2017 season. Although Pickett saw action in just four games last season, the Oakhurst, N.J., native was immaculate, helping Pittsburgh nearly upset Virginia Tech on the road and closing the season with a win against Miami. Pickett has just one touchdown pass to his name, but he added two more in the run game.
Although the Panthers have a largely unproven receiving corps, their ground game should be more than enough to keep opponents worried. Current senior Darrin Hall exploded for 486 yards on 72 carries over a three-game stretch. With redshirt senior Qadree Ollison and sophomore A.J. Davis behind Hall, the rushing game will likely be the focal point of the offense.
Where Pittsburgh truly shines is in its linebacker corps. With leading tackler Oluwaseun Idowu backed up by Saleem Brightwell and a healthy Quintin Wirginis, the Panthers are loaded with both talent and experience. But their main Achilles' heel last season was in their pass defense. Although Pittsburgh improved to limiting opponents to a 51 percent pass completion rate and 11.8 yards per catch in its last four games, those numbers are still not very promising.
With a tough schedule featuring road games at Miami and Notre Dame as well as a rematch against Penn State, Narduzzi will need Pickett to show the same talent and leadership that steered the Panthers away from a truly disastrous season.
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