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Pitt's offense will be relying on new players at a number of key positions, having lost a lot of the team's production on that side of the ball.
So, with the opener two days away, Panther-Lair.com is looking at every major stat category and which players could lead the team.
PASSING YARDS/TOUCHDOWNS
2016 leader: Nathan Peterman - 2,855 yards, 27 touchdowns
Returning leader for 2017: Ben DiNucci - 16 yards, 1 touchdown in 2016
Favorite: This is probably the easiest of all offensive stat categories since, barring injury or extremely sub-optimal play, Max Browne will lead Pitt in both passing yards and passing touchdowns.
RUSHING YARDS/TOUCHDOWNS
2016 leader: James Conner - 1,092 yards, 16 touchdowns
Returning leader for 2017: Quadree Henderson - 631 yards, 5 touchdowns
Favorite: If the passing yards and touchdowns were the easiest to predict, then rushing yards and touchdowns are the toughest, since there really are 3-5 legitimate options. Qadree Ollison is the veteran of the group, a redshirt junior with 26 games of experience, 13 career starts, 1,248 career rushing yards and 13 career rushing touchdowns.
But he is far from a lock to be at the top of those categories in 2017, despite his listing as the starter in Pitt's first official two-deep. Ollison has been challenged by the Pitt coaches for the last two years, as Pat Narduzzi and Andre Powell have seemed to find more praise for other backs over that time. So the leader this year could be Ollison, but it could also be junior Darrin Hall - he is listed as the backup on the depth chart - or sophomore Chawntez Moss or freshmen AJ Davis and Todd Sibley.
It could even be Henderson, who should still see a prominent role in Pitt's rushing attack, despite the change in offensive coordinators. It's unlikely that a receiver could be the leading rusher, but if the coaches take a running-back-by-committee approach, then 700 yards could top the charts, and that might be in reach for Henderson.
RECEPTIONS/RECEIVING YARDS/TOUCHDOWNS
2016 leader: Jester Weah - 36 receptions, 870 yards, 10 touchdowns
Returning leader for 2017: Weah
Favorite: Weah led Pitt in all three receiving categories last season, although his receptions total was the fewest by a team-leading receiver since Derek Kinder paced Pitt with 36 in 2008. That was partially due to the way the offense spread the ball around, with five players catching at least 20 passes and two more recording at least a dozen.
Entering 2017, Weah is the odds-on favorite for all three receiving categories, although Henderson could push him for the most catches on the team if the coaches' plans to involve him more in the passing game come to fruition (a move to the slot is expected to generate more pass-catching opportunities).
Barring a focus on a tight end like Matt Flanagan or Chris Clark in the red zone, Weah should also lead the team in receiving touchdowns, in addition to receiving yards.
