Pitt's Kenny Pickett, fellow co-captains seek respect after snub from ACC media

When he was a freshman quarterback just trying to figure things out, Kenny Pickett mostly watched as a bad Pitt team lost seven games.

A year later, he was on an ACC Coastal Division champion that ended the season on a three-game losing streak.

Then, a year ago, Pitt won eight games, but that’s as high as any Pitt team has been able to climb in five years under Pat Narduzzi.

This year’s Pitt team is unique among the three that preceded it, Pickett said Friday.

“There are no cancers on this team,” he said. “There are no bad apples. Those guys have all kind of (been) weeded out in the four years I’ve been here. I’m just real grateful to be on a team like that.”

Pickett admitted that Pitt “under-performed” on offense last season. He didn’t care to get into specifics, but he could have mentioned that Pitt just didn’t score enough touchdowns, getting only 18 from 38 trips into the red zone (47.4%).

More speed on offense could help, if freshmen wide receivers Jordan Addison and Jaylon Barden and running back Izzy Abanicanda grow up fast. Transfer tight end Lucas Krull’s 6-foot-6 frame may help win some jump balls in the end zone.

Those players may make a difference at some point, but Pickett sees deeper into his team.

“Probably the biggest thing I noticed is the player leadership,” he said, eight days before he officially becomes a three-year starting quarterback when Pitt opens against Austin Peay. “I don’t think the coaches have to say much. A lot of players take the leadership role.

“That will be the biggest difference between this team and all the teams I’ve been on in previous years.”

Pickett was one of four co-captains chosen by the team and announced Friday by Narduzzi, joining center Jimmy Morrissey (a repeat captain from 2019), defensive end Patrick Jones II and free safety Damar Hamlin.

But when they addressed the team after a rehearsal scrimmage Friday, the mantle of leadership was passed to everyone.

“You don’t need a C on your chest to be leader,” he said he told the team. “We need everybody on the team to step up this year.”

That might be easier and more acceptable with 38 juniors and seniors on the roster.

“We’ve had great captains before, but as a whole now this team is going in the right direction,” he said.

Just remember... not EVERYONE picked them 8th. ?‍♂️#️⃣2️⃣ https://t.co/JJWSJitfjz

— ??️♈️? (@ADavidHaleJoint) September 4, 2020

One way for players to unite might be to have a reading at the next team meeting of the ACC preseason media poll. Morrissey, Jones and strong safety Paris Ford were named to the All-ACC team, but Pitt was picked to finish eighth in the 15-team conference.

That may have as much to do with the loss for the entire season of All-American defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman (opt-out) and starting cornerback Damarri Mathis (injury) as anything. Nonetheless, it could become motivation, especially if Pitt gets off to a fast start.

“Just another day for us,” Pickett said. “I feel like we get that disrespect every season.”

Unlike August, 2018, when Pickett promised more than the five victories Pitt procured the year before and Narduzzi vowed to reach the ACC Championship Game – both men delivered, by the way – there have been no such declarations this year.

Asked if he’s back in the prediction business, Pickett smiled and said, “I know you’d love for me to be. No, not this year. Hopefully, a prediction I have is that we’re playing (next) Saturday.”

Hamlin stopped short of a prediction, but he clearly was unhappy that 134 media members got together to label Pitt as an eighth-place team.

“We definitely take it as a disrespect, and they’re going to see about it,” he said.

Jones added, “I definitely think it’s a little chip on our shoulder. But it’s not too big where it’s going to distract us. But it’s just big enough where it’s going to motivate us.

“I definitely feel people sleep on Pitt. That’s our goal this year to go out and get respect from everybody.”

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