Pitt football is legitimate threat to win ACC Coastal division in 2021

Pitt football has had a solid program since Pat Narduzzi took over in 2015 and the Panthers usually have one of the best defenses in the ACC. One of the issues that has plagued Pitt is the fact that they have never been able to get their offense and their defense clicking in the same season to make themselves serious threats in the ACC.

Through the first few games of 2020, it looked like Pitt might have figured things out and looked like one of the teams that had a chance to win the Coastal. Then quarterback Kenny Pickett got hurt and the offense struggled in games against Miami and Notre Dame and by the time he returned, the season had slipped away from the Panthers.

Now in 2021, Pickett is taking advantage of the extra season that is being given and is hoping that he can stay healthy for the whole season and help take this offense to the next level.

There are really talented skill players for this to be a dangerous offense, but the questions for this Pitt team might be on the defensive side of the ball. The Panthers are missing some outstanding defensive ends and they are three members of their secondary. Narduzzi has turned this program into one of the best at developing defensive players and that’s going to be put to the test.

One of the big reasons that Pitt might challenge for the ACC Coastal crown is its schedule. The Panthers’ non-conference slate consists of UMass, Tennessee, Western Michigan, and New Hampshire. There is a good chance that they are 4-0 in that stretch.

The top three teams in the ACC (Clemson, North Carolina, and Miami) all come to Pittsburgh, and even if they lose to Clemson, getting those other two teams at home is a huge boost to Pitt’s Coastal chances.

This is a dangerous team heading into 2021.