It’s a new season, and Pitt has some new captains — except for Deslin Alexandre.
Kenny Pickett, Cal Adomitis and Cam Bright have moved on, but Kedon Slovis, Carter Warren, Deslin Alexandre and SirVocea Dennis will serve as Pitt’s captains in 2022.
Kedon Slovis –Sr.
Fresh off winning the quarterback competition, Kedon Slovis has been named as one of Pitt’s captains. The former All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year at USC will now embark upon a senior season in which he revitalizes his NFL Draft stock and leads Pitt to back-to-back ACC championships.
Slovis threw for 7,576 yards and 58 touchdowns during three abbreviated seasons at USC, earning All-Conference honors and leading the Trojans to a Pac-12 championship game in the process, but it was his accuracy and touch that stood out all the while.
In a breakout true freshman season, he completed just under 72% of his passing attempts (for 3,502 yards and 30 touchdowns), and his 68.4 completion percentage is the highest in USC history. Narduzzi is confident in Slovis’s ability to stretch the field with his arm talent, and that’s been apparent even through camp this summer. But it’s the complete package.
Carter Warren — R-Sr.
Carter Warren served as Pickett’s left tackle, and now he will do the same for Slovis. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound New Jersey native has made 35 career starts at Pitt, and his leadership in the trenches is invaluable.
After Warren decided to turn down NFL Draft interest following the 2021 season, his return — along with the entire starting unit from 2021 — served as the platform for another championship run.
Deslin Alexandre — R-Sr.
Alexandre, the lone captain returning from last season’s squad, announced that he would be returning for his last ride shortly after the season. His veteran presence on the defense is pivotal in the defensive line’s quest to lead the NCAA in sacks and tackles for loss.
Alexandre started Pitt’s final 11 games this season, excluding the Peach Bowl which he missed due to injury, at defensive end alongside Habakkuk Baldonado. Alexandre racked up 41 tackles (16 solo), five tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, defended a pass and recorded an interception this season.
In four seasons, Alexandre has recorded 102 tackles (46 solo), 23 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, an interception, five pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. All after not beginning to play football until his junior year at Deerfield Beach in Florida.
SirVocea Dennis — Sr.
Perhaps the smartest player on Pitt’s roster, Dennis is the crucial Mike linebacker in Pitt’s defense, and he’s helped to guide the transition of the linebacking corps.
Dennis occupies the Mike linebacker position at Pitt, right in the heart of a high-powered, high-energy unit, and broke out as a sophomore in 2020. In the last two seasons, he’s racked up 137 tackles (74 solo), 24 tackles for loss, eight sacks, an interception returned for a touchdown and a fumble recovery. He led Pitt in tackles (82) and tackles for loss (10) in 2021.
How were the Captains picked? Did the players vote? Did the coaches pick the captains? Did the the players have any input t all?
I guess Patti not that important after all