Four Pitt Players With Most to Gain in Sun Bowl

These four Pitt Panthers can put the right foot forward toward 2023 with a strong Sun Bowl.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have been decimated by opt-outs and transfers, leaving their roster for the Sun Bowl against No. 18 UCLA a shell of its full-strength self. 

But there are two sides to the opt-out coin - as established players depart, new faces will get a chance to show what they're made of in a mid-winter exhibition. 

Nick Patti

Patti, a fifth-year senior who has stuck with this program and performed as a faithful and capable backup for his entire career, has survived injury and upheaval in the quarterback room to become the bowl game starter for a second straight year. His future does not lie at Pitt but against a top-tier opponent, he has the chance to audition for the surely many other schools looking for a plug-and-play graduate transfer.

Only Patti knows what his future holds - head coach Pat Narduzzi has said he will leave the program after the Sun Bowl, but whether he'll continue his football career is unclear. But a good game against the Bruins will help keep his options open. It's a tall order, given UCLA expects to be at nearly full strength for this game, but lighting up a top-25 team will do wonders for his transfer stock. 

C'Borius Flemister

With Israel Abanikanada already declared to the NFL Draft and Vincent Davis having exhausted his eligibility this year, there are some holes to fill at running back behind the presumed 2023 starter Rodney Hammond, a powerful and versatile rising junior. Pitt added two freshman backs through the high school ranks and has explored their options in the transfer portal, but their best backup might come from in-house. 

C'Bo Flemister arrived at Pitt late, committing as a transfer from Notre Dame last June. He fell behind the eight ball and had to learn a new playbook then wait from  He has a Covid year to burn before he calls it a college career and his play late in the season makes him a leading candidate to move up the depth chart. He played his best ball over the final four games, averaging 6.1 yards per carry and scoring two touchdowns during that stretch and will have a chance to stay hot in the bowl game. 

Solomon DeShields

Until Shayne Simon announces he's moving on from Pitt, it's safe to assume the graduate transfer from Notre Dame who earned a starting job out of summer training camp will return and occupy one of the three linebacker spots. Bangally Kamara is set to return in a similar capacity after playing well in his first season as a starter. That leaves one more position left open by the departure of NFL-bound SirVocea Dennis. 

Before he left, Dennis profusely praised the growth of Solomon DeShields, a reserve backer who gradually earned more and more playing time as the season wore on. With Dennis having opted out of the Sun Bowl, a golden opportunity for an early audition has materialized in front of DeShields. 

Absent a definitive depth chart from the team, he and Brandon George will be in tight competition for snaps but George's injury issues this fall have made his path to the starting lineup a little harder. DeShields has played in every game this season, so has the leg up on starting in the bowl game and emerging as a first-stringer by the time spring ball rolls around. 

Javon McIntyre

Do the Panthers have both starters for the revamped 2023 safety unit already in the program? Javon McIntyre certainly hopes so. He was on the field for the final, decisive drive of the Backyard Brawl and hosted a coming-out party during the season finale down in Miami. Now he's expected to man the void left by the draft-declared Brandon Hill against UCLA. 

If the 2023 season started tomorrow, you could bet your bottom dollar that McIntyre would be back taking the first snaps at safety. Rashad Battle is set to return from his season-ending injury, some talented freshmen are coming in and the transfer portal is always bursting with options, but McIntyre can put any speculation to rest by showing out against the Bruins. 

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