Inside The Panthers

Pitt Opponent Makes Starting QB Decision

The Pitt Panthers have an opponent who made their starting quarterback decision for 2024.

Dominic Campbell

Oct 3, 2015; Kent, OH, USA; A Kent State Golden Flashes helmet on from the sidelines during the game of the Miami (Oh) Redhawks against the Kent State Golden Flashes at Dix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2015; Kent, OH, USA; A Kent State Golden Flashes helmet on from the sidelines during the game of the Miami (Oh) Redhawks against the Kent State Golden Flashes at Dix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports / Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers take on Kent State in the season opener at Acrisure Stadium on Aug. 31, with kickoff set for 12 p.m., where they'll look to start 2024 off with a victroy.

The Golden Flashes reportedly named their starting quarterback for the season opener in junior Devin Kargman, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.

Kargman played in just three games in 2023 and started the season finale, where he completed 16-of-28 passes, 57.1%, for 245 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-27 loss to Northern Illinois at home. He would also play the week prior, completing just 5-of-12 passes, 47.1%, in the 34-3 loss to Ball State on the road.

He made one start as a true freshman in 2022, completing 14-of-25 passes, 56.0%, for 213 yards and two touchdowns in the 33-27 win at home over rival Akron, receiving the Wagon Wheel.

Kargman has two All-MAC wide receievers at his disposal, in redshirt sophomore Chrishon McCray and graduate student Luke Floreia. McCray finished with 41 catches for 610 yards and four touchdowns in 2023, with two 100-yard performances, while Floreia made 39 catches for 405 yards and four touchdowns himself last season.

Kent State comes into 2024 as one of the worst teams in the FBS, as they finished 1-11 in Kenni Burns' first season as head coach. They ranked No. 119 with 164.5 passing yards per game, No. 115 with 105.9 rushing yards per game and ranked No. 130, dead last scoring just 14.7 points per game. Their sole win came at home against an FCS opponent in Central Connecticut State.

Pitt also had a terrible offense last season, leading to a 3-9 record, their worst in 25 years, when they finished 2-9 in 1998.

The Panthers were the worst team in the ACC last season with just 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.

Fans of both teams will at least hope for better offensive showings from their teams, and that their quarterbacks play much better than their predecessors.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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