Pitt players well represented on All-ACC teams
The ACC announced its post season all-conference teams on Tuesday morning, and it was a strong haul for the Pitt football team. Three players were named to the first team, while five Panthers earned second team honors, and Pitt placed four on the third team. In addition to that, Pitt had nine players named as honorable mentions as well.
Pitt's 12 spots on the first, second, and third teams topped the conference.
In the preseason, Pitt did not have a single player named to the All-ACC first team. The Panthers were also picked to finish fourth in the ACC Coastal, but stand today as the champion of the division and the highest-ranked team in the conference. The major ACC Player of the Year awards are expected to be announced tomorrow, with Pitt star quarterback Kenny Pickett likely to take home some more hardware.
First Team
Quarterback: Kenny Pickett
Pitt senior quarterback Kenny Pickett has been named the first team quarterback in the ACC for the 2021 season, a pretty notable accomplishment in a league that features some of the nation's top passers like Brennan Armstrong, Sam Hartman, Sam Howell, and Devin Leary. Pickett's play has been a little better than his competition, however. Pickett leads the ACC in touchdown passes with 40 and he completed 67.7% of his passes through 12 games, which also tops the league.
In Pickett's farewell tour to college football, he has set milestone after milestone. Pickett's 2021 season will go down as one of the best ever in not only Pitt history, but also in ACC lore. Pickett is the only quarterback in league history to throw for 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in a 12-game season. He has taken down just about every school along the way this season and has guided his team to its second ACC Coastal title in four years.
Wide Receiver: Jordan Addison
Sophomore Jordan Addison is one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to college football's top wide receiver, so it is no surprise he is on the first team for the ACC. Addison's 17 touchdown receptions not only leads the conference, but also the country. He tops the league with 1,353 receiving yards, and is second in receptions with 85. Like Pickett, Addison has done a number on the Pitt record books and his 2021 campaign will go down as one of the best in school history. He needs five more touchdowns to tie Larry Fitzgerald's single-season record of 22, and is 319 yards off his single season yardage mark as well with two games to play.
Defensive Tackle: Calijah Kancey
Pitt boasts one of the best pass rushes and run defenses in the country, and sophomore defensive tackle Calijah Kancey has been in the middle of it all. Kancey has 31 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and seven sacks this season. He was a freshman All-American a year ago, and has continued his hot start to his young career with a strong sophomore season. Kancey has recorded a tackle for loss in seven straight games, and had three in Pitt's ACC Coastal clinching win over Virginia.
Second team
Tight End: Lucas Krull
Pitt tight end Lucas Krull has caught 35 passes for 405 yards and six touchdowns this season. Krull caught the game-winning touchdown in overtime in a crucial ACC showdown against North Carolina earlier this season.
Offensive Line: Carter Warren
Carter Warren has been a three-year starter for Pitt at left tackle. He has helped lead this 2021 Pitt offense to new heights this season. His play has also caught the eye of NFL scouts, as he has already earned an invite to the prestigious Senior Bowl.
Defensive End: Habakkuk Baldonado
After losing a pair of All-American defensive ends, Haba Baldonado stepped up this season to uphold the standard. Baldonado's eight sacks are the fourth most in the ACC this year. He has also 11 tackles for loss.
Linebacker: Sir'Vocea Dennis
Sir'Viocea Dennis is Pitt's second leading tackler this season with 69. He also has two sacks, and 7.5 tackles for loss. Dennis was a third-team All-ACC pick a year ago, and climbs the ranks to second team this year. Dennis had a game-changing pick-six against Clemson in Pitt's 27-17 win over the reigning champions of the league back in October.
Safety: Brandon Hill
In his first year as a starter, Brandon Hill has enjoyed a strong season manning Pitt's safety spot. The Florida native tops Pitt with 71 tackles. He also has a fumble recovery on the year, and his interception late in the game against Tennessee helped seal the win for the Panthers in an early season non-conference showdown on the road.
Third team
Offensive Line: Marcus Minor
Marcus Minor transferred from Maryland in the offseason and has made an instant impact. Pitt's offense has flourished this season and has also seen an uptick in production in the running game thanks to the addition of Minor working at left guard.
Offensive Line: Gabe Houy
Pitt senior tackle Gabe Houy finally started the season with a clean bill of health, and it showed. Houy has been in and out of the lineup the past two seasons, but Pitt's offense has been considerably better in 2021 and Houy working at right tackle has been a big help to that.
All-Purpose: Jordan Addison
Jordan Addison's second mention on the All-ACC teams. Addison has come on strong of late as Pitt's punt returner and his 14.6 average on runbacks would be tops in the league if he qualified in attempts.
Placekicker: Sam Scarton
Sam Scarton won a tightly contested battle to be Pitt's place kicker this offseason, and he has been more than solid in his redshirt freshman season. Scarton has converted 16-of-19 of his field goal tries, and is 60/63 on his extra points.
Honorable Mention
Tight End: Gavin Bartholomew
Guard: Jake Kradel
Center: Owen Drexel
Defensive End: Deslin Alexandre
Linebacker: Phil Campbell
Linebacker: Johnny Petrishen
Cornerback: Damarri Mathis
Safety: Erick Hallett
Specialist: Cal Adomitis