Kenny Pickett continues to impress in his fifth year at Pitt
PITTSBURGH, Penn. — The Pittsburgh Panthers (No. 15) have just won their second Conference Division Championship in franchise history. The Panthers defeated Wake Forest 45-21 and will face Michigan at the end of the year in the Peach Bowl.
Pittsburgh ended their season on a four-game win streak to improve to a 10-2 record, acquiring first place in the ACC Coastal Division. The Panthers now have nine victories this season by double digits. Their senior quarterback Kenny Pickett has been outstanding to say the least.
Here are some of Pickett’s statistics for the 2021 college football season:
- 4,066 passing yards (5th)
- 40 touchdowns (3rd) to seven interceptions (57th)
- 241 rushing yards for five touchdowns
- Total quarterback rating: 81.5
- Passer rating: 165.8 (9th)
- Completion percentage: 67.2%
These are the list of accomplishments that Pickett has achieved:
- ACC single season record for touchdown passes (previously held by Deshaun Watson)
- Most touchdown passes at the University of Pittsburgh (previously held by Dan Marino)
- ACC Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year
The Panthers quarterback is one of the four finalists for the Heisman Trophy. His ball placement and knowledge of defenses has led to one of Pitt’s most successful seasons in recent memory.
Many analysts project that Pickett will be a top quarterback prospect within the 2022 NFL Draft. Mark Whipple, the previous offensive coordinator for Pitt, as well as the quarterback coach for the Steelers (when they won Super Bowl XL), has high regards for Kenny Pickett.
“He takes so well to coaching and does things on his own,” Whipple said. “You don’t have to tell him, and the other players see that.”
Pickett has played football at Pitt since 2017. His freshman year was more of a backup role, but he did upset the Hurricanes in a 24-14 win with a three-touchdown performance. He then became the starter in 2018, where the Panthers made their first ACC Coastal Division Championship.
Unfortunately, Pittsburgh lost to Clemson 42-10, where Pickett went 4/16 for eight yards and one interception. The 2019 season was where Pickett won the Quick Lane Bowl, as well as the MVP award for the game. In a 34-30 win against East Michigan, the Pittsburgh quarterback went 27/39 for 361 yards and three touchdowns, including the 25-yard touchdown pass to go up with less than a minute.
The 2020 season showed a dip in production with Pickett’s level of play, as the Pitt quarterback threw for 2,408 yards, 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Instead of immediately enrolling in the 2021 draft, Pickett decided to stay at the University of Pittsburgh for another year to possibly boost his status as a quarterback prospect. That is exactly what happened for the 23-year-old, as he went from a fifth-round draft pick to one of the best quarterback options in the 2021 Draft. He shattered records and gave the Panthers one of the most memorable seasons in their collegiate history.
“Kenny would get so much better with another year, and that’s exactly what he’s done,” Whipple concluded.
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