Pitt's Kenny Pickett climbs among the nation's passing leaders

Kenny Pickett doesn’t need NIL deals that offer free meals and the use of a shiny, new truck as much as he needs an accountant to log all of his stats.

Riding in power and style this season! I want to thank Bowser Automotive for partnering with me! Awesome ride, awesome people. Fantastic service! Best dealership in Pittsburgh led by a proud alum! #powerofbowser pic.twitter.com/c6QYo7uMa7

— Kenny Pickett (@kennypickett10) August 4, 2021

Aside from standing second in Pitt history in total offense (10,015), passing yards (9,326) and completions (809), the senior quarterback has risen among the top eight quarterbacks in the nation in five categories:

• Touchdown passes (15, second — a personal season high after only four games).

• Passing yards (1,342, sixth).

• Passing yards per game (335.5, sixth).

• Completion percentage (74.2%, fifth).

• Yards per attempt (10.2, eighth).

He also is averaging 8.5 yards every time he drops back to pass and 13.7 per completion (third in the ACC).

In the victory against New Hampshire, he became the first ACC quarterback in 25 years to throw for 400 yards (403) and five touchdowns and complete 85% of his passes. He was out of the game after the first series of the second half.

- 400 passing yards
- 5 passing touchdowns
- 85% completion percentage

The only @ACCFootball player to put up these stats in a game in the last 25 years: @Pitt_FB's @kennypickett10 ???? pic.twitter.com/dLKBkyOhaG

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) September 29, 2021

Meanwhile, sophomore wide receiver Jordan Addison is 12th in the nation in receiving yards (407) and 14th in yards per game (101.8).

Pickett’s reaction to all those numbers: “We’re talking about making more,” he said.

“Talking about it (Wednesday), what we saw on film and what we saw in practice Tuesday. Trying to perfect it and have one more day (of practice Thursday).”

While coach Pat Narduzzi has problems to iron out elsewhere in his lineup, Pickett has been the chief reason Pitt will be seeking its first 4-1 start since 2015 when the Panthers visit Georgia Tech on Saturday.

The game is the first of eight in a row against ACC teams. In its ninth season in the conference, Pitt has a legitimate chance to win the ACC Coastal. Preseason favorite North Carolina already has lost twice.

“Every game is like a championship game because of how crazy it is in the conference,” Pickett said. “We feel like it’s wide open for anybody. Every week, it has to be a championship mindset.”

Georgia Tech recorded eight sacks of North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell last Saturday in a 45-22 victory. Pickett has been sacked only seven times in four games, but it can’t be overlooked that Pitt has played half its games against UMass and New Hampshire.

More than fearing the Georgia Tech pass rush, Pickett respects it.

“You don’t tighten up. You take note of it and see why (Howell) got sacked,” he said. “You try to figure out and learn from his mistakes and try to better yourself. We’re going over those plays and those looks they gave.”

Pickett believes the Georgia Tech defense will present Pitt with its toughest test to date, partially because of the way it gets after the quarterback from an unusual three-man defensive front. Pickett said preparations began weeks ago.

“It changes your scheme up a little bit,” he said. “You try to prepare for it in the spring and summer so it’s not completely new when you get into the season.”

It was an interesting offseason for Pickett for another reason after he picked up several name, image and likeness deals under relaxed NCAA restrictions. He said most of the time-consuming activities connected to those deals ended when the season started.

“That was kind of the whole point was to get a lot of it done before the season,” he said. “If it’s anything now, it’s all social media-based where it’s copy/paste and posting, and I’m really not paying too much attention to it.”

Meanwhile, in a conference that was said to be populated by several good quarterbacks at the outset of the season, Pickett leads the ACC in passing efficiency (195.6), completion percentage (74.2%) and touchdown passes (15). He’s second to Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong in aerial yards (1,342).

Howell, a projected first-round NFL Draft choice next year, has thrown four interceptions to Pickett’s one, and Clemson’s D.J. Uiagalelei is last in efficiency (103.7).

Pickett said he has not begun to gauge his chances at the next level — “I haven’t played an ACC game yet.” – but he stays in touch with two other quarterbacks who have known success in the NFL.

He’s been a regular at the Manning Passing Academy, and he said he’s a big fan of Peyton’s and Eli’s “Monday Night Football” telecasts.

Has he thought about being on a future guest list that already has included LeBron James, Brett Favre and Nick Saban?

The question triggered a laugh from Pickett.

“I don’t know if I reached the caliber of those guests yet,” he said. “Maybe one day.”

Note: Punter Kirk Christodoulou has been named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy annually awarded to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete. Christodoulou, a senior, has maintained a 3.91 GPA in Finance while averaging 41.9 yards per punt this season.