A plethora of Pitt seniors will be honored at Acrisure Stadium for Senior Day, but Kedon Slovis will not be one of them. He told Pat Narduzzi that he will not be walking.
“That’s just more so because not all my family can be there,” Slovis said Tuesday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “Doesn’t mean anything for future decisions. If I were gonna do that, I’d want all of my family to be there. Not just a few members.”
Slovis, a transfer from USC in the midst of an erratic senior season at Pitt, has the option to return for another collegiate season.
And while he has discussed the matter with Narduzzi with Senior Day approaching, beginning early talks about the decision-making process and the information needed to make a decision about his future, he said that his focus right now is on Pitt’s final two games.
Pitt will host Duke this weekend before traveling to Miami for the regular season finale, followed by an undetermined bowl game, and it will be imperative for Slovis and the passing attack to string together some consistent performances through the air — a feat that hasn’t been a regular occurrence this season.
Slovis has completed a career-low 59.2% of his pass attempts this season for 1,945 yards with just six touchdowns and six interceptions. He missed the second half of the Tennessee and the Western Michigan games with a concussion, but he said the injury hasn’t impacted him physically or mentally. It’s mainly affected the flow of the offense this season.
The offensive flow has been very inconsistent outside of Israel Abanikanda all season, and the potential for a second year at Pitt — another season to put the pieces together — is a factor Slovis is considering.
Another full offseason to integrate even more completely into Frank Cignetti Jr.’s offense has been an key point Slovis and Narduzzi have discussed. A second key point has been the potential decisions of his offensive teammates — players like Israel Abanikanda, Jared Wayne and Gavin Batholomew.
“Yeah, it’s a big part of it,” Slovis said. “It’s part of the decision-making process, but again, you’re not gonna know what everyone’s doing until after the season, so I kinda told coach, ‘I’m not sure yet.’ He’s not sure yet what people have to say and information, so we’ll hit it when we go and make a decision at the end of the year.”
As of now, there isn’t truly a lock for any of the quarterbacks on Pitt’s roster to return next season. Derek Kyler will have exhausted his eligibility after the season, Slovis and Nick Patti both have the ability to exercise COVID seasons and Nate Yarnell’s future — while likely at Pitt — is uncertain.
Even if Slovis does return next season, Pitt will very likely dip back into the transfer portal to supplement the room.
Cignetti had two Seasons under Wannstedt when Wanny got canned in December 2010. Dion Lewis ran almost 1800 yards that year.
Just don’t call up Morris Watts to replace him.
Good comment. They stuck with Sunseri who was the absolute worst QB in Pitt History. Perhaps it was the cronyism, never the less; it got people fired.
Narduzzi is good, Heather Lyke will be busy searching for NEW MBB Head Coach. Narduzzi is hard headed and give Cignetti Year 2 which gets them both canned (unless Narduzzi has a Jimbo sized parachute).
He’s either coming back or transferring to a better offense. Slovis wouldn’t even get drafted in this QB class (FA might be the best route so he can pick his team and coordinator that best suits his game). I don’t see Yarnell sticking around. Plenty of schools in Texas he could explore.
Well we saw Bevell leave….and he was better than Yarnell, at least on the depth chart.
And how did that work out for Bevell ?
Bevell would be a back up here as well as Oklahoma. At least at Oklahoma he’s learning from Lebby and get’s to run out of the tunnel in front of 90k every week for a football crazy fan base.
Better Offense? What, WKU or GA Southern for Video Game Passing Stats.
Speed Option with offset I-back fits well if the proper Athletes return.
This Coaching staff needs to re-think Run, Run, Play Action. Coach Kline (Henry Winkler) on Waterboy was more creative in the 1st Half of the Bourbon Bowl than what we have seen drawn up. I was at Louisville and it was a half-capacity stadium borefest watching both Defenses maul the Offense. Compound that with our turnovers and you leave with the same emotion as if you paid to watch a PPV prize fight and it stunk.
WKU wouldn’t be a bad option. Many schools with better system and talent/coaching to look at after the season.
Pitt’s gonna be hard pressed next year even with Slovis, given the schedule, with Cincy, WVU & ND in the non-con. Without Slovis and what’s on the roster presently, they are going to be horrendous. Minchey bailed, so no QB coming in.
This is feeling all too reminiscent of the 2017-18 yrs when we went 5-7 and somehow won the Coastal next yr being the saddest division winner in CFB history at 7-7. The only difference is, I feel like the talent was there this yr, so I see the real fall coming next yr. They’re already making it sound like Bartholomew is gone. Why would Dennis come back to Pitt? Honestly, at this point, Slovis staying is our best hope at QB it seems. Can you think of a better QB or someone with more upside wanting to transfer here?
This is muck like the Sunseri problem – It’s a sickness if you ask me.
Just got an email today about renewing my season tickets. This news will ensure I wait to see how this plays out before I make a decision.
Slovis has got to go.
Hit the bricks.
H2P
He’s staying and so is Cignetti. Save your money.
Narduzzi in January 2022 had Internet Searched “retread tires near me”, and Cignetti was the first hit so he hired him.
…
T.Underwood, A.Collins, T. Salem, and C.Partridge likely sticking every finger and toe in the cracking dam so that the 2023 Class stays assembled.
It could get worse on Dec.2 until Dec.21
Hopefully we win Win out and most of our guys return instead of Transfer Portal out. I think we were 16 out with only 7 in last year in Portal.
Well Pitt doesn’t teach history very well and they haven’t learned it very well either.
You would’ve thought someone hearing the name Cignetti would have shot across Narduzzi’s bow.
Icksnay onyay ignetticay! NOPE!
Lights are on but no body is home.
Sounds familiar, looks familiar.
SSDY
But Izzy is running Wild!
Go Izzy , GO!
Close games can suck the life out of a program. Too much Shoulda Coulda Woulda. I rather be the Hammer or the Nail in every contest.
The tough part of my 25 years watching PITT is that they all too often play to the same level of the competition.