Pitt ended the 2021 season with three AP All-Americans, but just Calijah Kancey returns to this season’s squad.
Kancey was honored as a third-team All-American last season, and he’s expected to be even better this season. Kancey was named as a preseason AP All-American second-team member — Pitt’s only representative on the list.
It’s the next in a long, long line of preseason honors for Kancey and Pitt football as a whole. The preseason AP Top 25 ranking features Pitt at No. 17 and the preseason USA Today coaches poll features Pitt at No. 16.
Kancey has already been named to the Walter Camp, Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski, Outland, Lombardi and Lott Impact preseason watchlists and been named to preseason All-ACC and All-American teams.
As a sophomore in 2021, earning first-team All-ACC and third-team All-American honors, Kancey racked up 35 tackles (25 solo), 13 tackles for loss, seven sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defense as the anchor of Pitt’s stellar defensive line.
In just two seasons, he’s compiled 62 tackles (37 solo), 20 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, three passes defended and a forced fumble. And that’s all come as a defensive tackle — an anchor inside.
While Kancey has raked in preseason honors so far this summer, he isn’t at all worried about individual honors, and he credits defensive line coach Charlie Partridge in helping keep himself — and Pitt as a whole — grounded.
Louisville’s Caleb Chandler, Clemson’s Bryan Breese, Syracuse’s Sean Tucker, North Carolina’s Josh Downs, Wake Forest’s A.T. Perry, Clemson’s Myles Murphy and Florida State’s Jammie Robinson join Kancey on the All-American teams.
