Most Important Position Battles on Offense for Pitt

The Pitt Panthers have questions to answer on the offensive side for training camp.

Sep 6, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Cataurus Hicks (3) greets fans as he takes the field against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As training camp goes on for the Pitt Panthers, there are some questions that can hopefully be answered by the time the season starts. After a transfer portal season that saw many additions and losses, Pitt is looking to have an even better season than the 8-5 finish from last year.

A big part of having a good season is the offense. After losing star linebackers Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles, Pitt's offense might have to pick up a little more slack for a defense that could still be good but not as great as the past few years.

In the 2025 season, Pitt won every single game they scored 30 points or more, and lost every game they couldn't reach 30. It's imperative for Pitt to have a good offense, and we have seen what quarterback Mason Heintschel can do with good offensive weapons.

Kicker

Having a good kicker can make the difference between big wins and losses for any football team. Pitt lost walk-on freshman kicker Trey Butkowski to the transfer portal after last season. Butkowski made 20 of 23 field goal attempts and 43 of 44 PATs. He was a reliable kicker for Pitt, despite missing a few games with an illness.

Pitt has done a good job of recruiting and finding value in kickers, as they had four years of NFL-level kicker Ben Sauls until he graduated in 2024. Now, there are several kickers on the roster that could get the starting spot for Pitt.

During his first press conference of training camp, head coach Pat Narduzzi mentioned that FCS transfer Antonio Chadha drilled a 54-yard kick that "was good from 65". Sam Hunsaker, a transfer from NAU, was also mentioned as being good in practice.

Wide Receiver

Pitt has a lot of wide receivers on the roster, but has lost some of the ones who dominated last season because of either graduation or the transfer portal. Cataurus "Blue" Hicks is back for another season and is likely to be WR1, but some recent off-the-field drama leaves questions about how many games he will play.

Bryce Yates is a name to watch out for. As a true freshman last season, he played in 11 games and made two plays that were over 60 yards, one of which was a touchdown.

BIG PLAY BRYCE 💥

Eli finds Bryce Yates for the 68-yard completion!

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/cel1Da0Qus

— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) September 13, 2025

A transfer addition to the wide receiver room is Malik Knight, an experienced wide receiver from Western Carolina. The room also has loads of freshmen that could break out.

Offensive Line/Center

The unsung heroes of any big play is the offensive line. Pitt lost several offensive line pieces to the transfer portal, including starting center Lyndon Cooper.

The Panthers were able to retain some key offensive linemen with experience, including Ryan Baer, a redshirt senior who has spent his entire collegiate career at Pitt and played right tackle last season. Keith Gouveia, who went out early with an injury last season, is also returning.

A player to keep an eye on is Penn transfer Netinho Olivieri. He was the very first member of this season's transfer portal class for the Panthers. Olivieri had a very successful career in the Ivy League; if his play can translate to ACC play, he would be able to contribute a lot to the team.

Jul 17, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Pittsburgh offensice lineman Ryan Baer talks with the media during interviews at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Quarterback

Obviously, Mason Heintschel will be the starting quarterback after his electric true freshman season. But last season showed the Panthers that having other contributing backup quarterbacks on the roster can turn a season around.

While Texas State transfer Holden Greier is the oldest quarterback on the roster, he doesn't have as much playing experience as someone like Cole Gonzalez, last year's backup, did. But Narduzzi did mention he threw an impressive deep ball in practice.

The two freshmen standouts are Angelo Renda and Corey Dailey, both being able to stand out in the competitive state of Texas.

Redshirt freshman Beau Jackson is entering his second year with the Panthers. While he didn't see the field last season, he has had a full year with the team.

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