Pitt OC Kade Bell: I’m Excited About Gavin Bartholomew

There weren’t many players mentioned by name during new Pitt offensive coordinator Kade Bell’s introductory press conference last week. In the 20 minutes he spent at the podium, he answered questions about his new offense, what kind of person he is, his relationship with Pat Narduzzi and a lot more.

Gavin Bartholomew was brought up by name. And it’s not hard to see why. Bartholomew — who decided to return to Pittsburgh for his final season of eligibility in 2024 — has been almost criminally misused over the last two seasons.

Bartholomew is one of the biggest mismatches on the Pitt offense. He’s big, fast and athletic. He made the most of his opportunities in 2023, but those opportunities were few and far between.

Frank Cignetti would say he needed to find ways to get Bartholomew more touches, but it wouldn’t happen. Tim Salem said his wife would ask him why Bartholomew wasn’t getting more touches, but it never changed. Pat Narduzzi only said he would like to see Bartholomew get more touches, but he would never see it.

If there was one player who needed more touches last season, it was Bartholomew.

Pittsburgh Panthers tight end Gavin Bartholomew (86) Sept 10, 2022 David Hague/PSN

Bartholomew recorded 18 receptions for 326 yards (18.1 yards per catch) with a touchdown in 2023 on the way to All-ACC honorable mention honors. He hauled in the highest percentage of his targets among Pitt pass catchers, converted all but one of his contested catch targets and dropped just one ball. Bartholomew was one of a very slim number of playmakers to flash a legitimate game-breaking ability. Yet he received fewer than three targets per game. It cannot happen again.

When it comes to the Pitt tight ends currently slated to enter the 2024 season on the roster, Bartholomew accounts for 87% of career catches, 92% of career receiving yards and 100% of career touchdowns.

Bartholomew is a difference-maker. He’s a weapon that Bell has been thinking about.

“Oh, man, I’m excited about him,” Bell said. “I think he’s gonna have a great year this year, and the reason I say this is we’re going to be able to move him all around the field. He’s gonna be lined up in all positions. He’s not just gonna be in the backfield or on the line of scrimmage; he’s gonna be everywhere.

“What that’s gonna do is create matchups for us, seeing how they play him and who they put on him. Just using him as a guy who is a weapon. He runs good enough down the field, he’s athletic — we’ve seen the catch and run stuff that he’s had. Get him the ball in space. Sometimes you’re throwing him the ball out there and even though you’ve got the little guys blocking, it doesn’t matter. He’s a big dude who can run.”

It’s interesting when it comes to how Bartholomew has been utilized in the passing game. He was used more so in the slot than ever before last season (35% of passing snaps), but it didn’t result in additional opportunities.

The most successful season of Bartholomew’s college career came as a freshman in a pass-heavy offense. He was moved all over, utilized in the backfield, in the slot and even out wide.

And that’s how Bell envisions using Bartholomew next season. Bartholomew is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, a weapon to create mismatches across the defense and even a major red zone threat.

Pittsburgh Panthers tight end Gavin Bartholomew (86) September 9, 2023 David Hague/PSN

This isn’t to say Bartholomew will actually be utilized, considering Cignetti lauded him upon arriving two years ago, but it does appear that he is a legitimate factor moving forward. Bartholomew wouldn’t have returned if he hadn’t received such assurances — and backing from Alliance 412.

But, as Narduzzi also pointed out, perhaps the system in place over the last couple of seasons wasn’t best suited to get the football to its playmakers. I mean, it’s not as if that’s any sort of ground-breaking assessment.

“Well, I think it’s a lot with what we do and how we do it, whether it’s (Bartholomew) or Jake Overman or Jake Renda,” Narduzzi said. “You want to get your players the ball more, and sometimes you can have so much offense in that you’re thinking more about how many plays you have in and how many personnel movements you have in, as opposed to how can we get a guy involved.

“So, we gotta find more ways and we will find more ways to get Gavin involved and the tight ends involved. But spread it out. I mean, we can’t be tight end heavy and not get those guys involved. We want to spread the wealth around and throw it to the open guy like we always do. Regardless of what offense you’re running, the quarterback’s job is to distribute the ball to where it’s supposed to go.”

It does appear as though the quarterback, who is currently slated to be Nate Yarnell, is the keystone to any sort of offensive success. It’s a new offensive scheme that will rely upon quick, decisive decisions, but it does appear that Bartholomew will be more of a focus.

Bartholomew was at his best when he was able to move across the Pitt offense as a freshman in 2021. It appears as though he will be able to do the same as a senior in 2024.