I was listening to the Pitt vs. Wake Forest game while driving home from work on the evening of Saturday, October 21, 2023.

The Panthers had just taken a 17-14 lead against Wake Forest on a 22-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Christian Veilleux to receiver Bub Means with just 1:30 remaining. Seconds later, the Panthers defense all but ended the game with an interception at the Pitt 28. The Allegacy Federal Union Stadium crowd was stunned into silence–save for a few lonely but happy blue-and-gold-clad faithful–as the visitors appeared poised for a huge road win. A couple of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties pushed the Panthers deep into their own territory. But on third down and eight from the nine, Veilleux took off running and appeared to pick up the necessary yardage for a game-sealing first down as he slid to the turf at the 17. The normally reserved Jeff Hathorne, who was filling in as the play-by-play man for the legendary Bill Hillgrove on the Panthers Radio Network, excitedly raised his voice while calling the Veilleux first down. Like everyone listening on the radio, Hathorne realized what this first down meant: The Panthers were about to win their second-straight game in the ACC. What a lift, especially after starting 1-4 and 0-2 in the conference. Unfortunately, the game-day officials said Veilleux began his slide before reaching the first-down yardage, forcing Pitt to punt from its own 16. Moments later, the Demon Deacons scored a touchdown that secured the win for them and broke the hearts of the Panthers and their blue-and-gold-clad faithful. Instead of 3-4 and on track to turn its season around, Pitt fell to 2-5 and was all but done.

If any moment summed up the Panthers 2023 campaign perfectly, it was the Veilleux short slide at the end of the Wake Forest game.

The Panthers program appeared to be headed in the right direction as it prepared for its 2023 campaign. Pitt won the 2021 ACC championship behind quarterback Kenny Pickett and followed that up with a nine-win 2022 season that ended with an exciting victory over a very good UCLA team in the Sun Bowl. Kedon Slovis, a transfer from USC, was brought in to take over for the recently drafted Pickett; while he didn’t work out in 2022, Phil Jurkovec, a Pittsburgh native, had transferred back home after stints with Notre Dame and Boston College.

With Jurkovec in the fold for his senior year, the Panthers were expected to contend for the ACC title again in 2023. They began the season just outside the top 25 and made a great case for a national ranking after taking care of Creampuff Wofford by a score of 45-7 in Week 1.

Sadly, a Week 1 blowout victory at home over an FCS program would be the highlight of Pitt’s 2023 campaign.

The Panthers spent most of their season acting as the creampuffs for their opponents. Pitt finished with a 3-9 mark–its worst season since 1998. Seven of the nine losses were by two scores or more, and the Panthers only won two of eight games in conference play.

The offense was putrid and only eclipsed 30 points once after the Wofford win. The Jurkovec experiment was a disaster, and his most famous moment occurred when he criticized the Panthers fans who booed him and the offense following a 27-21 loss to Cincinnati at Acrisure Stadium on September 9. Jurkovec was eventually benched and moved to tight end. Veilleux, a transfer from Penn State, started five games. Big things were expected of him, as he had two more years of eligibility beyond 2023. Unfortunately, Veilleux struggled and was eventually replaced by Nate Yarnell, who started the last two games. It didn’t matter who started at quarterback in 2023, as Pitt finished last in the conference in scoring and total yards.

With Pitt set to kick off its 2024 campaign against Kent State this Saturday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium, Yarnell is in line to be the starting quarterback…maybe. It could also be Eli Hostein, a redshirt freshman transfer from Alabama who rose up the depth chart during the spring and prompted Veilleux to transfer to Georgia State. I suppose it doesn’t matter who will start because, according to head coach Pat Narduzzi, both will see playing time.

I guess you can say the Kent State game will act as a tune-up (it better act as that, otherwise, the Pitt football program is in more trouble than we thought), and perhaps a permanent starter will be named heading into the Cincinnati matchup in Week 2.

No matter who the quarterback is, he’ll be the onfield general of an offense that’s supposed to be exciting and wide-open under new offensive coordinator, Kade Bell. Bell arrives at Pitt from Western Carolina, an FCS school that led the nation in scoring a year ago.

Bell should have some decent weapons to work with. Means is now in the NFL, but Konata Mumpfield, who led the team in receptions with 44 a year ago, is back to head the receiving corps. Kenny Johnson, an effective return specialist, should be able to fill the void left by Means’s departure to the pros. Senior Rodney Hammond Jr., who rushed for 547 yards in 2023, is returning at running back.  Hammond will be joined in the backfield by Desmond Reid, a Western Carolina transfer who rushed for a combined 1,721 yards over the past two seasons. Finally, pay attention to the senior season of Gavin Bartholomew, who is generating some preseason buzz and is expected to be one of the best tight ends in the ACC this year.

As for the defensive side, if there’s one thing Narduzzi-coached teams have been known for since he took over the program in 2015, it’s getting after the quarterback. Yet, even the pass rush underperformed in 2023, as Pitt’s defense only recorded 31 sacks. Unfortunately, Pitt’s front seven took a hit in the offseason when Samuel Okunlola and Dayon Hayes, two defensive linemen who combined for nine of those sacks a year ago, entered the portal and transferred to Colorado.

The Panthers may have a promising freshman defensive lineman in Sincere Edwards, one of the top high school prospects out of Florida.

M.J. Devonshire, Pitt’s best cornerback from a year ago, is now in the NFL. Having said that, the secondary should be very strong at the safety position, led by seniors Donovan McMillon and Phillip O’Brien and junior Javon McIntyre.

If you go by the various preseason power rankings, the 2024 Panthers are expected to finish near the bottom of an expanded ACC that now includes SMU, California and Stanford.

However, Pitt’s projected win total is around six, which would be good enough for bowl eligibility. That won’t get the Panthers a spot in the ACC title game or even an invitation to the Sun Bowl, but it would be a step up from their disastrous and forgettable 2023 campaign.

The Panthers have had some down seasons under Narduzzi–2017 and 2020 come to mind–and were quickly able to rebound from them.

It won’t take much for the 2024 Panthers to rebound from last year’s performance.