Inside The Panthers

Pitt Star LB Will Return for 2025 Season

A Pitt Panthers star linebacker will return next season.

Dominic Campbell

Oct 12, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Kyle Louis (9) reacts after a defensive stop against the California Golden Bears during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh won 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Kyle Louis (9) reacts after a defensive stop against the California Golden Bears during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh won 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers will one of their best players back in 2025, bolstering the defense for next season.

Panthers redshirt sophomore linebacker Kyle Louis announced on Twitter that he will return to the team next season. He will have two more years of eligibility. Alliance 412, the NIL Collective that represents Pitt student-athletes, had their symbol at the bottom of the announcement, likely playing a role in that return.

Louis earned numerous accolades for his play this season, including First Team All-American honors from The Sporting News. making him the 100th Panther to earn the honor. He is also the first Pitt sophomore defensive player since Hugh Green in 1978 to earn First Team All-American honors from an NCAA recognized-selector.

He has also earned Second Team All-American honors from CBS Sports, The Athletic and the Associated Press.

Louis earned All-ACC First Team honors, as he had an excellent season at Star or outside linebacker, making 12 starts. The AP also named him as an All-ACC First Team linebacker.

He made 101 tackles (45 solo), 15.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, four interceptions, three pass breakups and forced a fumble in 13 games this season. He also earned ACC Linebacker of the Week honors twice in the win vs. West Virginia and North Carolina.

Louis had a season-high 13 tackles (five solo), 0.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup and the game-sealing interception of Mountaineers redshirt senior quarterback Garrett Greene. 

He would make nine tackles (five solo), 2.5 tackles for loss and the game-winning sack on the final Tar Heels drive, giving the Panthers their first ever win in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Louis would also make a 59-yard interception return for a touchdown in the 41-13 blowout win over rival Syracuse on Oct. 24. He was one of five players to make an interception and one of three to return one for a touchdown in the victory.

He also blocked a PAT and ran it back 85 yards against Toledo in the 48-46 loss in the GameAbove Sports Bowl in Detroit. This was the first time Pitt blocked a PAT and took it all the way for two points since Sept. 20, 1990, a 20-20 tie at the Carrier Dome.

He is one of 11 players to announce their return to Pitt next season, including one of five defensive players, along with rising sixth year defensive back Rashad Battle and defensive linemen in rising redshirt juniors Sean FitzSimmons, Nick James and Jimmy Scott.

The other players on offense who announced their return include rising redshirt sophomore quarterback Eli Holstein, rising senior running back Desmond Reid, rising redshirt freshman wide receiver Tyreek Robinson and offensive linemen in rising redshirt senior Lyndon Cooper, rising redshirt junior Ryan Baer and rising junior BJ Williams.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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