Kenny Pickett sustained big hit early in the second quarter in Pitt’s season opener against UMass on Saturday at Heinz Field. The senior quarterback dropped back to throw and after releasing the ball, a pass the Minutemen intercepted, UMass linebacker Gerrell Johnson hit Pickett square in the head.

Pickett stayed on the ground, and the crowd at Heinz Field grew silent. After a few moments, Pickett walked back to the sideline on his own. Reserve Nick Patti entered the game, but only for one play. After what looked like it could have been a season altering hit, Pickett took the hit and then played through it.

In his 37th career start, Pickett guided Pitt to a 51-7 victory and threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns. A big hit that could have changed the course of Pitt’s season was a mere blip in a dominant victory.

When asked if he was surprised Pickett only missed one play, Narduzzi reversed the question.

“No. Are you surprised?”

In fairness, the Pitt coach is correct with that sentiment. Throughout his career Pickett has taken big hits. He’s a determined runner that fights for extra yards and he bounces back almost every time.

“I took a hard shot, but it comes with the job,” Pickett told reporters after the game. “It is what it is. I feel really good right now, I feel healthy so I’m excited to go into week two.”

Pickett is the unquestioned leader of the Pitt team, and playing with that kind of attitude has earned him the respect of his teammates.

“His toughness, I feel like it embodies our program as a whole and this city as a whole,” Pitt senior linebacker Johnny Petrishen said of Pickett.

In addition to his passing yards on Saturday, Pickett broke off some big runs, including an 18-yard scamper in the first half in the red zone. He finished with 39 rushing yards on the day.

In the play Pickett sat out, Patti completed a first down pass to Shocky Jacques-Louis on the sideline. After winning the No. 2 job this camp, Patti looked poised in his game action. He finished 5-of-5 for 58 yards and rushed for a touchdown.

“He's confident and made good decisions,” Narduzzi said of his backup. “He didn't like where he was going to try to throw it, and then tucks it and goes, but he threw a nice first pass.”

It’s a valuable commodity Pitt has a backup the team can trust in the event Pickett were to miss time, but to be frank, this season hinges a lot on the play of the starting quarterback. He is the key to Pitt’s offense, and has made better decisions as his career about not taking as many big hits.

“Deep in my career now, I feel like my identity as a player should be there,” Pickett said of running the ball. “I just like getting in the game and getting involved.”

His teammates still admire his competitive drive.

“He’s a tough quarterback, like a high school quarterback almost, because he’s not afraid to run,” Petrishen said of Pickett. "I know on defense we just don’t want him to get banged up, but we love when he tucks it and runs it. It gets us fired up and he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty at all and we love that about him.”