Gavin Bartholomew has seen it all.

Well, not everything, but the senior tight end for the Pitt football team has experienced different feelings throughout his college football career. As a freshman, Bartholomew unexpectedly walked into a huge role on a team that went on to win the ACC Championship. But last season, just two years removed from conference supremacy, Bartholomew got to live through a 3-9 campaign.

It was a bottoming-out type of year for Pitt, and an unexpected one at that. Bartholomew knew there would be changes, and those came this offseason, with a complete overhaul of the offensive coaching staff. The Panthers had an anemic and outdated offensive attack in 2023, but there is hope for Bartholomew that the breathe of fresh air from the new coaches will bring on some much-needed change, led by first-year offensive coordinator Kade Bell.

“It’s almost what we were missing,” Bartholomew said of Bell’s no nonsense attitude. “We needed like a wake-up call almost.”

Bartholomew has been an available weapon for the Pitt offense since he arrived as a freshman, but only the 2021 team found a way to utilize him. He caught 28 passes for 326 yards and four touchdowns that year, all career highs. In the two years that have followed, Bartholomew has totaled 39 catches with just three touchdowns.

The arrival of Bell is supposed to wake up the entire offensive operation, and spread the ball out to a variety of playmakers, including the tight ends. The whole idea of Bell’s attack is to make all the skill position players threats on any given play, perhaps a missing element from last season.

Bartholomew said he really noticed it during a practice last week.

“It just allows us to get open in space and frees us up,” Bartholomew said of Bell’s offense. “Yesterday in the two-minute (drill), I thought we had a great day. It was the best we’ve looked in quite a while as far as two-minute goes. It’s just great. Everything is running smooth, and everyone knows what their doing right now.”

In addition to Bell, Bartholomew is also working with a new tight ends coach. Jacob Bronowski, another young, energetic assistant, is coaching at the power-four level for the first time, and has also brought a welcomed joint to the offense.

“Coach Bro, he’s always coming in with a smile on his face and keeping us accountable, which I love,” Bartholomew said. “If we’re not doing something right, he’s going to let us know so we can get it fixed. He’s doing a great job and brings the spirit up in the tight end room for sure.”

As it stands now, Bartholomew has 67 catches in his three-year career. No Pitt tight end has even reached 100 career receptions, but it’s within reach if he can produce a strong senior campaign, and if the offense gets him involved more.

Bartholomew’s production over the past two years has not necessarily matched that of an elite tight end, but he still has a strong reputation as a player after his impressive freshman season. He is still very much on the radar to play in the NFL, and he is also in a position to still receive some college recognition with a strong senior season.

Last week, Bartholomew was named to the Mackey Award preseason watch list. The Mackey Award, of course, is given to the nation’s best tight end. As a player who could reach those heights, Bartholomew knows it boils down to his production to earn that honor, but more importantly, if the team has on-field success.

“As a tight end, that’s what you want, the Mackey Award, but it comes down to if you win,” the Pitt senior explained. “Good things will happen and good things will come with that. We’ve got to win.”