Inside The Panthers

Pitt Owns ACC's Best Special Teams Unit

The Pitt Panthers have the best special teams in the ACC according to ESPN's David Hale.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt Owns ACC's Best Special Teams Unit
Pitt Owns ACC's Best Special Teams Unit /
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PITTSBURGH -- At times, the Pitt Panthers' special teams were disastrously bad, costing them points and even sometimes wins before making late season improvements. 

But according to ESPN's David Hale, Panthers fans can expect special teams will be a strength, not a liability, for Pitt in 2023. In ranking the ACC's special teams units, Hale has Pitt in his No. 1 spot, with placekicker Ben Sauls and punt returner M.J. Devonshire as projected first-team All-ACC players. 

"By [expected points added], no ACC team was better on kickoffs than Pitt [in 2022]," Hale said. He added that Devonshire's five punt returns of 20 yards or more were the second most in the country. 

Sauls and the punters struggled to start the year. Panther opponents blocked a punt in each of the first two games of the year and Sauls' missed three of seven attempts against Tennessee and Western Michigan. His two misses against the Volunteers could have been the difference in a game that Pitt eventually lost in overtime. Pitt rotated through three punters throughout the season as they sought a reliable option but never found one. 

Both the kicking and and punting units made strides as the season progressed. Sauls missed just one of 16 field goal attempts over the final 10 games of the 2022 season and was the hero of the Sun Bowl win over then-No. 18 UCLA, nailing all five of his kicks, including the game-winner from 47 yards out. 

Meanwhile, Caleb Junko booted a record-setting 85-yard punt in the bowl game against the Bruins and has separated himself as the top punter on the roster in spring ball. He averaged 49.5 yards per punt and unleashed a 59-yard kick that was downed at the one yard line in the spring game. 

The Panthers finished 2022 seventh in the ACC in Pro Football Focus' special teams grades and in special teams efficiency but appear poised to improve drastically upon that mark. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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