(Photo Credit: Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
WR Bub Means, WR Konata Mumpfield, OT Matt Goncalves, OT Branson Taylor, DE Dayon Hayes, DT Delvin Danielson, DT David Green, LB Soloman DeShields, LB Bangally Kamara, LB Shayne Simon, CB/PR MJ Devonshire, CB Marquis Williams, PK Ben Sauls and PT Caleb Junko.
Key Players Departing:
QB Kedon Slovis, RB Israel Abanikanda, WR Jared Wayne, OC Jake Kradel, OC Owen Drexel, OG Blake Zubovic, DE Habakkuk Baldonado, DE John Morgan, DT Deslin Alexandre, DT Calijah Kancey, LB SirVocea Dennis, LB Tylar Wiltz, CB AJ Woods, FS Erick Hallett, SS Brandon Hill and PT Sam Vander Haar.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: LB Jordan Bass (Hampton, Virginia) and DS Donovan McMillon (Florida transfer).
3 Star Recruits: WR Daejon Reynolds (Florida transfer), RB Derrick David Jr. (LSU transfer), DL Isaiah Neal (Baltimore, Maryland), QB Christian Veilleux (Penn State transfer), DS Cruce Brookins (Homestead, Pennsylvania), OT Jackson Brown (California transfer), QB Phil Jurkovec (Boston College transfer) and ATH Israel Polk (Bellflower, California).
2022 Results:
G01 WEST VIRGINIA W 38-31
G02 #24 Tennessee L 27-34
G03 @ Western Michigan W 34-13
G04 RHODE ISLAND L 24-45
G05 GEORGIA TECH L 21-26
G06 VIRGINIA TECH W 45-29
G07 @ Louisville L 10-24
G08 @ #21 North Carolina L 24-42
G09 #20 SYRACUSE W 19-9
G10 @ Virginia W 37-7
G11 DUKE W 28-26
G12 at Miami (FL) W 42-26
BOWL vs. #16 UCLA W 37-35
Misc. Team Information:
2022 Record: 9-4 (2nd in ACC Coastal)
Home: 5-2
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 1-0
ACC: 5-3
Non-AAC: 4-1
Head Coach: Pat Narduzzi
Pittsburgh: 62-41
Career: 62-41
Bowls: 2-4
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Nate Yarnell (10-14, 195 yards, 71.4%, 13.9 avg., 1 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Rodney Hammond Jr. (109 car., 455 yards, 4.2 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Konata Mumpfield (58 rec., 553 yards, 9.5 avg., 1 TD)
TDs Scored: Rodney Hammond Jr. (5)
Sacks: Soloman DeShields (4)
Tackles: Bangally Kamara (48)
Tackles For Loss: Soloman DeShields (5)
Interceptions: MJ Devonshire (3)
Pass Deflections: MJ Devonshire (9)
Forced Fumbles: None
Kick Returns: Rodney Hammond Jr. (7 ret., 124 yards, 17.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: MJ Devonshire (24 rec., 233 yards, 9.7 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Ben Sauls (20-24 fg/fga., 83%, 47-47 xp/xpa., 107 pts.)
Punting: Sam Vander Haar (30 punts, 1156 yards, 38.5 avg., 11 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 5 Phil Jurkovec (RS SR/TR)
RB: 6 Rodney Hammond Jr. (JR)
WR: 81 Daejon Reynolds (RS SO/TR)
WR: 15 Bub Means (RS SR/TR)
WR: 14 Konata Mumpfield (JR/TR)
TE: 86 Gavin Bartholomew (JR)
LT: 78 Branson Taylor (RS JR)
LG: 61 Ryan Jacoby (RS SR/TR)
OC: 53 Jake Kradel (RS SR)
RG: 68 Blake Zubovic (RS SR)
RT: 76 Matt Goncalves (RS SR)
KR: 24 C’Bo Flemister (RS SR/TR)
PK: 90 Ben Sauls (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 50 Dayon Hayes (SR)
DT: 95 Devin Danielson (RS SR)
DT: 2 David Green (RS SR)
DE: 4 Nahki Johnson (RS SO)
LB: 23 Soloman DeShields (RS JR)
LB: 32 Shayne Simon (RS SR/TR)
LB: 11 Bangally Kamara (SR)
CB: 12 MJ Devonshire (RS SR/TR)
CB: 14 Marquis Williams (RS SR)
FS: 22 Phillip O’Brien Jr. (JR)
SS: 20 Javon McIntyre (RS SO)
PR: 12 MJ Devonshire (RS SR/TR)
PT: 95 Caleb Junko (RS SO)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/02 WOFFORD TERRIERS | First meeting between schools.
09/09 CINCINNATI BEARCATS | Pittsburgh leads the series 8-4. The Panthers lost (10-34) the last meeting between schools in 2012.
09/16 @ West Virginia Mountaineers | Pittsburgh leads the series 62-40-3. Last season’s 38-31 win was the first meeting between schools since 2011 and their last series loss (20-21) was in 2011.
09/23 NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS | Pittsburgh trails the series 5-11. The Panthers are 2-7 since 2013 and their last series win (30-23 OT) was in 2021.
09/30 @ Virginia Tech Hokies | The series is tied 11-11. The Panthers are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (0-28) was in 2019.
10/14 LOUISVILLE CARDINALS | Pittsburgh leads the series 10-9. Last season’s 10-24 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2020.
10/21 @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons | Pittsburgh leads the series 2-0. The Panthers won (45-21) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
10/28 @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Pittsburgh trails the series 21-50-1. The Panthers lost (3-45) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
11/04 FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES | Pittsburgh leads the series 6-4. The Panthers won (41-17) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
11/11 vs. Syracuse Orange | Pittsburgh leads the series 43-32-3. The Panthers are 9-1 since 2013 and their last series loss (24-27) was in 2017.
11/16 BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES | Pittsburgh leads the series 17-15. The Panthers lost (30-31 OT) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
11/25 @ Duke Blue Devils | Pittsburgh leads the series 17-9. The Panthers are 8-1 since 2013 and their last series loss (48-51 OT) was in 2014.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Road: 3-2
Neutral: 1-0
ACC: 5-3
Non-ACC: 3-1
Overall: 8-4 (5th in ACC)
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