Pitt Looks to Get Kenny Johnson More Touches

The Pitt Panthers want to keep unlocking new levels for the speedy freshman receiver.
Pitt Looks to Get Kenny Johnson More Touches
Pitt Looks to Get Kenny Johnson More Touches /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers are riding a three-game losing streak and looking to correct that by getting  their offense kickstarted against a struggling 

With big plays few and far between these days, Pitt is hoping to capture lightning in a bottle with speedy freshman wide receiver Kenny Johnson, who demonstrated electric playmaking ability with a 100-yard kickoff return against North Carolina last weekend.

“We’re going to keep getting him the ball," head coach Pat Narduzzi said. "I think he feels more comfortable. It's hard as a true freshman and I think he’s given everyone a little bit more confidence when you see him return that kickoff. We just got to find more ways to get it to him.”

The Panthers have done that progressively through the first four weeks of the regular season. He was just a reserve wide receiver on opening day, but was inserted into kickoff return duties against West Virginia and, against North Carolina, began taking handoffs on jet sweeps in addition to running routes. 

Narduzzi wants to get his electric young playmaker the ball, but emphasized that it has to come within the flow of the offense. He doesn't want his quarterbacks forcing the ball into Johnson or any of the other Pitt playmakers that have struggled to unlock their full potential to this point just for the sake of targetting them. 

"It ends up being about who are they covering," Narduzzi said. "It’s a bad decision if a quarterback ends up throwing the ball to a guy because he likes him or because he thinks he’s going to be open. He’s either open or he’s not and you got to go through your progressions as a quarterback.”

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

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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: