We have reached the midway point of the college football season. Multiple national outlets have announced their midseason All-American teams throughout this week, and a number of Pitt players have garnered national recognition for their performances in the first half of the season.
Pitt is off to a 4-2 start to the 2022 campaign, a slight underachievement given its preseason rankings. Still, the Panthers remain in position to make a second half push to repeat as ACC champions, and that begins on Saturday night with a road game against Louisville in primetime. Pitt has a number of veteran players it can lean on, and they will need some of these Panthers to maintain an All-American type level in order to defend its ACC championship.
Calijah Kancey
Athlon Sports: 1st team All-American
ESPN: 1st team
CBS: 1st team
The Athletic: 2nd team
PFF: 2nd team
Pitt had a pair of consensus All-American defensive linemen back in the 2020 season with Patrick Jones and Rashad Weaver. Given the midseason recognition Calijah Kancey is receiving, he could very well join those two players to earn that distinction. Kancey has 21 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks. Kancey is also credited with 6 QB hurries. His 8.5 tackles is tied for third in the ACC, and he is the only interior defensive linemen among the top players in that category.
Erick Hallett
The Athletic: 1st team All-American
Athlon Sports: 2nd team
PFF: 2nd team
Erick Hallett came into this season as one of the anchors of an experienced Pitt secondary, and has performed at a very high level through six games of his senior season. Hallett has 23 tackles, three interceptions, two fumble recovers, six pass break ups, and two tackles for loss. Hallett came down with two interceptions in Pitt's road win over Western Michigan earlier this season, it was the second game of his career he recorded multiple interceptions, the first being last season's ACC Championship game against Wake Forest.
Israel Abanikanda
Athlon Sports: 3rd team
PFF: Honorable mention
Israel Abanikanda has rushed for 830 yards and 12 touchdowns so far this season and is coming off one of the best individual performances in Pitt football history. In Pitt's last game out against Virginia Tech, Abanikanda rushed for a school-record 320 yards and tied a Pitt record with six rushing touchdowns. He currently leads the country in all-purpose yardage per game with 186.1 yards per game and also total touchdowns with 13. Pitt has scored 24 offensive touchdowns this season, and Abanikanda has accounted for over half of them. He is sixth in the nation in rushing yardage overall, and has fewer carries than the five backs currently ahead of him.
SirVocea Dennis
Athlon Sports: 3rd team
SirVocea Dennis earned third-team All-ACC in 2020, and was a second team pick in 2021. In his senior season, Dennis may be on the way towards more national recognition for his play. Dennis leads Pitt with 44 tackles on the season. The senior middle linebacker also has 4 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, and two QB hurries. Dennis' four sacks is tied for second in the ACC at the midway point of the season.
