Peach Bowl matters to Pitt, new starting quarterback Nick Patti

For those who believe bowl games are meaningless TV fodder for those with nothing better to do over the holidays, Pitt center Owen Drexel doesn’t buy it.

The Peach Bowl offers Pitt a chance to win its 12th game of the season, tying a school record set by the 1976 national championship team. Just as important, Pitt will get a glimpse of what life is like after Kenny Pickett.

“We’re going to have a lot to prove,” Drexel said, “especially with that No. 8 guy not being in the building.”

Pitt without Pickett might sound like a frightening reality for its fans, who became accustomed to seeing touchdown passes and big plays from their quarterback several times a game.

But players and coaches are displaying public trust in junior quarterback Nick Patti, who will start against No. 10 Michigan State on Dec. 30 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Even though coach Pat Narduzzi felt the need to sign transfer quarterback Kedon Slovis for the 2022 season and get him enrolled in time for January classes and spring drills, the 21-year-old Patti gets a chance to audition in front of a national TV audience (ESPN) and what could be a sellout crowd of about 71,000 people.

“Right now, Nick is the guy and he deserves to be the guy,” Narduzzi said.

Almost since the ACC championship game, Patti has been preparing for the most important game of his collegiate career. During finals week when Pitt wasn’t practicing as a team, Patti was working out with his receivers in the indoor facility.

“It’s a great opportunity for him,” Narduzzi said. “I don’t want him to stress about that, either. He’s been as locked in as anybody. I have a lot of faith in him.”

Before Pitt, Patti was a three-star prospect at St. Joseph Regional in Hillsdale, N.J. He was rated by Rivals.com as the nation’s No. 20 pro-style quarterback in the class of 2018 that included Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 and Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman at No. 31.

He played as a freshman at Pitt in 2019, starting the 17-14 victory against Delaware when Pickett was injured. The Panthers entered the fourth quarter on the wrong end of a 14-10 score before Patti threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Taysir Mack with 10 minutes, 33 seconds left. Patti’s 271 yards passing were the most by a Pitt player in a starting debut since John Turman threw for 316 against Penn State in 1999.

He threw only six other passes that season and a total of 19 in 2020 and ‘21, but he has only one interception on his resume in 62 throws.

Patti was injured for part of the ‘20 season, and Pitt turned to Joey Yellen to start against Notre Dame and Miami when Pickett was hurt. Patti (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) did earn the role as Pitt’s goal-line quarterback in ‘20 to take some stress off Pickett’s injured ankle, and he ran for two short touchdowns against Florida State.

This season, however, he has been the unquestioned No. 2, completing 12 of 14 passes for 140 yards. Only two of the attempts came in ACC games.

Narduzzi said the offense won’t change with Patti under center and a new play-caller to replace departed offensive coordinator Mark Whipple. The coach said he has a good idea who among his current offensive staff will call plays in the Peach Bowl, but he’s not prepared to reveal his choice.

Patti gets his shot over Yellen, Davis Beville and freshman Nate Yarnell because Pickett opted out of the Peach Bowl to safeguard his body from injury as he prepares for an NFL career.

Narduzzi said he isn’t concerned that Pickett isn’t playing.

“We were going to miss him anyway after the game,” he said. “We’re happy for Kenny.”

When Pickett stopped by Narduzzi’s office after the opt-out announcement, the coach said he saw a different side of his personality.

“Smiles, giggling, which he hasn’t done all year. He’s not a giggly guy,” Narduzzi said. “I hadn’t seen him that relieved. I think it was a hard decision for him. He loves Pittsburgh. He wanted to play in the worst way, but it’s a business decision.”

Pickett will accompany the team to Atlanta and sit in the press box, with a headset, to listen to coaches’ conversations.

“That guy’s a Panther forever. He’s going to be around as long as he wants to be,” Narduzzi said.

Narduzzi said he never thought about what might have happened this season if Pickett decided to enter the 2021 NFL Draft. But he’s eager to see how the 2022 version of his team will develop without its star.

“I never looked and said, ‘What would it have been like if he wasn’t here?’ Because he was here. But you always say, ‘What’s it going to be like when Kenny’s gone.’ ”

He said it’s not unlike losing several important players off the 2020 defense.

“We saw life will move on and we’ll be OK,” he said. “I think we’ve done a great job recruiting to fill those positions.”

Perhaps the most important recruiting job was done on Slovis, who will be expected to win the starting job next season.

“He’s played at a high level, has a great arm, has great pocket presence and I think he’s a leader,” Narduzzi said. “I think we can get even more out of him.”

Narduzzi said he has communicated with the quarterbacks on his roster “to a point” about the need to add a veteran.

“But we have to do what we have to do as far as putting guys in these seats (in the team room) to make this team the best it can be.

“No different than bringing a freshman in. I don’t care if it’s a freshman, senior, junior, there’s competition. Competition brings out the best in you. If there’s nobody to push you, nobody gets better.”

NOTES: Senior tight end Lucas Krull has been designated a captain for the Peach Bowl. … Narduzzi declined to give a status report on injured wide receivers Mack and Jaylon Barden and guard Jake Kradel. “Still hoping (they can play),” the coach said. “Waiting on some X-rays.”