by Bo Marchionte
Pittsburgh – In 2017, Oakhurst, New Jersey native Kenny Pickett became the first true freshman to make a start for the Pitt Panthers in over a decade. Now entering his final year in college football as an All-American candidate and on the watchlists of all the top college awards for quarterbacks (The Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, and Manning Award), Pickett is primed to reach new heights.
“Kenny has worked himself into being one of the best in America and a high round draft pick next year,” said Tony Racioppi a quarterback instructor with Test Football Academy in Martinsville, New Jersey. A two-time All-American at Rowan University and NCAA National Division III Player of the Year Runner-up 2001, Racioppi has the knowledge and foresight to see the progression of Pickett’s football career and where it could lead.
The hard work that goes unseen, is paying big dividends for Pickett who helped lead Pitt to a 51-7 win over UMass.
While the Minutemen were not up to the level of the Panthers, Pickett and company were able to stomp a lesser opponent and that is something Pitt has sometimes failed to do, if you remember some sluggish openers against YSU that included a loss in 2012. The Panthers dominated UMass, and more importantly, Pickett looked very poised in the pocket.
As the field general of the offense, his surveillance of the Minutemen’s defense was one of the more impressive parts of Pickett’s game this afternoon that yielded 272 passing yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He completed passes to 10 different players on the Pitt offense, showcasing the thorough approach Pickett had in the pocket.
“The ball is going to get spread around,” Pickett said after the win. “I felt like that how deep we are at receiver a lot of guys are going to touch the ball. A lot of guys are going to play. You can’t key on one guy”
Pitt had five receivers with catches over 21-yards, which bolds well for a unit headed to a hostile environment of Neyland Stadium the home of the Tennessee Volunteers. The ability to mix-and-match different players in different scenario’s should boost the Panthers offensive chances tremendously to put points on the board against any opponent.
Pickett is fearless with the demeanor of a middle linebacker rather than a protected quarterback under center. His prowess to overcome at all costs resonates with his teammates.
“His toughness, I feel like it embodies our program as a whole and the city as a whole,” Pitt linebacker John Petrishen said of Pickett. He’s a tough quarterback. We love when he tucks and runs it. It gets up fired up. We just don’t want him to get banged up.”
That toughness was never so evident after Pickett took a jarring hit to the helmet which saw UMass dime linebacker Gerrell Johnson ejected for targeting. The barbarous hit put Pickett on his back as training staff attended to him for several minutes.
“I just needed a second just to get my wind back,” Pickett said. “That was really the problem just getting the wind knocked out of me and once I was able to catch my breath, I was good to go.”
Pickett missed one play and returned to lead the Panthers to victory.
“That kid has the heart of a lion,” tight end Lucas Skull who led the team with 58 receiving yards on five catches and the Panthers first touchdown of the season. “I knew he was special from the moment of my first visit. I knew he would be a fantastic quarterback.”
When head coach Pat Narduzzi was asked if he was surprised to see Pickett return so quickly, he jokingly replied.
“No. Are you surprised?”
Call it grit, stubbornness or perseverance, whatever it is it makes Pickett a true competitor.
During his sophomore season (2018) in the home opener against Albany, Pickett flashed what would become one of his trademark tendencies that endears him to his teammates.
Pickett took off out of the pocket after the play broke down, launching his 6-foot-2 and 220-pound frame into the air as a pack of Great Danes licked their chops at their chance to pummel the sophomore quarterback.
“I think the first thing I said to Kenny (Pickett) at the beginning of the second quarter on the sidelines when he was warming up, I said, “Listen, you do not take a hit, so you go down.” So, what’s he do? He goes up (referring to leaping attempt for first down). He must have misunderstood down and up.”
The importance of having a top-flight quarterback has never been at such a premium. Having a player, the caliber of Pickett under center along with the talented sophomore receivers Jordan Addison and Jaylon Barden and senior tight end Krull have all the
“His intangibles are second to none,” Racioppi said of Pickett. “His ability to process information plus lead his teammates are traits that are hard to find.”
Photo Credit – Jason Pohuski