Pitt Football Ranked Worst ACC Team

The Pitt Panthers were ranked the worst ACC Team by one national critic.

Nov 16, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi on the sidelines against the Boston College Eagles at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers had a poor season overall in 2023, seeing them play some of their worst football in the 21st century.

The Panthers finished 3-9 overall last season, their worst record in 25 years, when they went 2-9 overall in 1998. They also finished 2-6 in the ACC, their worst conference record since they joined back in 2013.

Stewart Mandel of The Athletic ranked the ACC teams and predicted their season outcome for 2024. He placed Pitt in the bottom of the standings, 3-9 overall like last season and 1-7 in the ACC, tied with Duke for the worst record, although he predicted them to finish 4-8 overall.

Mandel didn't write a small blurb or give any reasoning for his ranking of the teams at the bottom. The only thing he wrote was that Pitt was one of the teams that had a coach trending downwards, referencing head coach Pat Narduzzi.

Pitt was the worst team in the ACC last season in a number of categories, including 20.2 points per game (20.2), 317.9 yards per game and 101.9 rushing yards per game. They also had the least time of possession, 27.37 minutes per game, least first downs at 16.3 per game, worst third down convesrion at 31.3% second most penalties per game at 64.4 yards and third worst with 119.8 offensive efficiency.

The Panthers lost a few starters to the transfer portal in defensive linemen Dayon Hayes and Samuel Okunlola, plus defensive tackle Deandre Jules and linebackers Bangally Kamara and Solomon DeShields. All three cornerbacks, M.J. Devonshire, A.J. Woods and Marquis Williams also graduated as well.

On offense, Pitt lost offensive tackle Matt Goncalves and wide receiver Bub Means to the NFL Draft, and offensive linemen Blake Zubovic and Jake Kradel to graduation as well

Narduzzi made a number of changes this offseason, firing offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr., along with offensive line coach Dave Borbely, tight ends coach Tim Salem and running backs and special teams coach Andre Powell.

Wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator Tiquan Underwood left for the NFL, taking an assistant wide receivers coaching position with the New England Patriots.

Narduzzi replaced Cignetti with offensive coordinator Kade Bell from Western Carolina of the FCS. Bell brought with him Jeremy Darveau for offensive line and JJ Laster for wide receivers. Jacob Bronowski left Miami (Ohio) to take over tight ends and special teams responsibilities and Lindsey Lamar departed Howard to coach the running backs.

Bell will look to implement a high-tempo offense that will come as a big change from the much slower Cignetti-led offense the past two seasons.

Pitt also has one of the easier schedules in the ACC. They face both rival West Virginia and Clemson at home, open against one of the worst FBS teams in Kent State, take on one of the worst Power 4 teams on the road in Cincinnati and also travel the fourth least of any ACC team.

If the new offense meshes with an improved defense, Pitt should make it back to at least six wins and a bowl game next season.

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