Editor’s note: Saturday Road’s annual Crystal Ball preview series continues today Pitt. We’ll preview every ACC Coastal team this week.

Getting to the top hasn’t been an issue for football teams in the ACC’s Coastal Division. Staying there once they’ve arrived is another story.

While all 7 programs have won at least 1 division title during the past 9 seasons, there hasn’t been a repeat champion since Virginia Tech in 2010-11.

After rising from 4th in the preseason poll to become the first Coastal team to win an overall league crown since those Hokies of a decade ago, Pittsburgh has the opportunity to end the chaos and break the pattern one final time before the ACC does away with its divisional format next year.

It won’t be easy.

Voters at the league’s annual summer kickoff event in Charlotte picked the Panthers to finish 2nd behind perpetual preseason darling Miami. But given the choice, it’s better to be the hunter with a ring already on your finger rather than the hunted without one.

“That’s always a challenge, but I would rather have that challenge than be sitting at the bottom trying to get my way up the ladder,” Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi said. “The attitude of our kids, the discipline, the passion … they have the desire to be champions again.

“You did it once. That was a long time ago. It seems like forever ago. I think our kids are going to work one day at a time. This is 2022. It’s a whole new season. We have a new football team, and I think our kids are going to work at that.”

The biggest obstacle standing in their way is the loss of Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Kenny Pickett and his top target, All-ACC receiver Jordan Addison. But beyond them, virtually every key player from the 2021 championship team is back for another run at the title.

Pitt returns all 5 starting linemen, a trio of talented running backs, a tight end and its second-leading receiver on offense, along with 7 starters on a defense that was No. 1 in the ACC against the run while leading the conference in both sacks and interceptions.

That’s the kind of continuity that marks the difference between a one-year wonder and a successful program.

Have the Panthers reached that point yet? Let’s take a closer look.

Trading places

There are no trades in college football, but thanks to relaxed transfer rules and NIL, Pitt was able to work out what amounted to a swap with Southern Cal that will likely benefit both teams.

In exchange for All-ACC receiver Addison, who signed with the Trojans and received a reported $3.5 million in endorsement compensation after catching 100 passes for 1,579 yards with 17 touchdowns last season, the Panthers got the veteran quarterback they need to replace recent NFL Draft pick Pickett.

Kedon Slovis transferred to Pitt after spending the majority of the past 3 seasons as USC’s starter. Slovis is competing with returning senior Nick Patti for the Pitt job. Although his numbers declined in each of the past 2 years, his stats heading into his senior season are similar to those recorded by Pickett at the same time in his career.

Slovis was the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2019 following a season in which he threw for 3,502 yards and 30 touchdowns while completing almost 72% of his passes. If he can come even close to that kind of a performance, the Panthers will once again be among the ACC leads in scoring offense.

Even without Addison, he should have plenty of viable receiving options at his disposal. In addition to senior Jared Wayne, the team’s second-leading receiver last year with 47 catches for 658 yards and 6 touchdowns, and tight end Gavin Bartholomew, who had 28 receptions for 326 yards and 4 scores, the Panthers brought in a pair of transfers: All-Mid-American Conference selection Konata Mumpfield from Akron and Bub Means from Louisiana Tech.

“We’ve got some great weapons at the receiver position,” Narduzzi said. “I feel great with the weapons we have out there. We’ve got some outstanding receivers. We’re going to get the ball in the guys’ hands that deserve it.”

Three-headed monster

Regardless of how quickly Slovis adjusts to his new surroundings or which receivers step up to become the Panthers’ go-to guys, this year’s offense will feature more of an emphasis on the running game than it did a year ago.

And it’s only partially the product of the changeover from outgoing offensive coordinator Mark Whipple to his successor Frank Cignetti Jr.

With all 5 starters returning on the offensive line and a rotation of 3 talented backs that combined for 1,700 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2021, along with Notre Dame transfer C’Bo Flemster, Pitt has the makings of one of the best ground attacks in the ACC. It only makes sense for it to run the ball more, no matter who is calling the plays.

Israel Abanikanda is an explosive 5-11, 215-pound junior who led the team with 651 yards, 7 touchdowns and a 5.3 yard per carry average while also providing a reliable receiving target out of the backfield.

Senior Vincent Davis is smaller at 5-8, 175, but he’s durable enough to have led the team with 142 carries, accumulating 594 yards and 4 touchdowns while Rodney Hammond finished with 504 yards and 5 scores during a rookie season in which he may just have begun to scratch the surface of his ability.

“We have some great guys that can really run that ball,” redshirt senior left tackle Carter Warren said. “We open some lanes for them, oh, man, the sky’s the limit for us.”

Though it’s not certain how the carries will end up being divided this season, Narduzzi said the running back by committee philosophy will continue.

“We’ve got three starters and you never know when you need them,” the Panthers said during spring practice.

Return of the sack pack

The Panthers have a history of stout defenses and last season’s edition was among their best, leading the ACC and ranking No. 2 in the nation in sacks with 54 while limiting opponents to 88.7 rushing yards per game. With the bulk of their defensive line and top linebacker all returning, they’ve got their sights set on being even better in 2022.

“We never look back on what we did last year,” senior defensive end Deslin Alexandre said. “We really just want to keep setting the bar higher and higher and never just sitting there and feeling happy with what we did. We always want more. We continue just to push the bar a lot higher and do a lot better than we did the year previously.”

It’s a realistic goal for a unit anchored by a pair of potential first-round NFL Draft picks. Edge rusher Habakkuk Baldonado and tackle Calijah Kancey were selected to the preseason All-ACC team after combining for 16 sacks and 25 tackles for losses a year ago.

And they’re only the cream of the crop in a crowded defensive line room.

Alexander is the other returning starter opposite Baldonado on the edge with John Morgan III and Dayon Hayes rotating in behind them. Joining Kancey inside are fellow returners David Green, Tyler Bentley and Devin Danielson.

Adding to the mix is linebacker SirVocea Dennis, the team’s leading tackler who contributed to the sack count by getting to opposing quarterbacks 4 times. Thanks in large part to the pressure generated by the defensive front, Pitt also led the ACC with 16 interceptions.

That’s a difficult combination for even the best offenses to handle.

Game-by-game predictions

Week 1: vs. West Virginia (W)

The Panthers jump right into the schedule with the first renewal of The Backyard Brawl in 11 years. The Mountaineers won the past 3 games before the series was disrupted when Pitt joined the ACC in 2011. West Virginia lost its starting quarterback to transfer and his 1,000-yard running back to the NFL while the Panthers return the bulk of their ACC championship defense. That experience and the home-field advantage should be enough for Pitt to come away with an emotional victory.

Week 2: vs. Tennessee (L)

From a rivalry game to a matchup that could potentially catapult the Panthers into the thick of the national conversation. Pitt won in Knoxville a year ago, but the player most responsible for that victory – Pickett – is gone while the quarterback who came off the bench to spark the Volunteers – former Virginia Tech Hokie Hendon Hooker – is back. He’ll be the difference as Tennessee comes to the Steel City and gets revenge.

Week 3: at Western Michigan (W)

At face value, this would appear to be the breather the Panthers desperately need after two high-intensity games to start the season. But remember, this is a Broncos team that pulled off a 44-41 shocker at Heinz Field last season. That in itself should be enough motivation for the Panthers to bring their “A” game and put a hurting on their MAC opponent.

Week 4: at Rhode Island (W)

Pitt beat New Hampshire 77-7 last season. This time it extends its domination of small New England states to Rhode Island. The Rams are a solid FCS team that went 7-4 a year ago, but should be no match for a Pitt team in its final nonconference tuneup before the start of ACC play.

Week 5: vs. Georgia Tech (W)

The Panthers might have started their season with a bang, but they ease into their conference schedule with what should be a breather against 1 of the 2 worst teams in the league. Three consecutive 3-win seasons have Yellow Jackets coach Geoff Collins squarely on the hot seat. A lopsided victory by the Panthers will bring him one step closer to the door.

Week 6: vs. Virginia Tech (W)

New Hokies coach Brent Pry is no stranger to the Keystone State. He’s an Altoona native who spent the past 8 seasons as defensive coordinator at Penn State. Pry was 3-1 against Pitt during his time with the Nittany Lions, but he’ll have less firepower at his disposal, especially on offense, when he meets the Panthers this time.

Week 7: Open

Week 8: at Louisville (W)

The first of 4 road trips in the final 6 weeks of the season is a dangerous one for the Panthers against an improving Cardinals team. Pitt’s defensive front will face a stiff challenge from elusive Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham, but the extra week of preparation during the open week will help the Panthers avoid the upset.

Week 9: at North Carolina (W)

Another difficult road test against a team that’s had success against the Panthers in the past. Pitt had to survive a 4th-quarter UNC comeback and a monsoon to win last year’s game in overtime. The Tar Heels should be even better with Gene Chizik returning to work with their defense and with a big play threat in receiver Josh Downs, the offense can be productive as well if one of their young quarterbacks blossoms. The Panthers are a team on a mission, though, and they’ll find a way to pull out the victory.

Week 10: vs. Syracuse (W)

The Orange features the ACC’s leading rusher in Sean Tucker but ranked last in the league in passing offense last season. Their defense is decent, but Slovis and his offense won’t have to put up a big number to win.

Week 11: at Virginia (W)

The Cavaliers have one of the ACC’s best arms in Brennan Armstrong to go along with a pair of explosive receiving threats in Dontayvion Wicks and Keytaon Thompson. But they’ll be no match for Narduzzi’s defense. The Panthers win going away before hundreds of people in Charlottesville.

Week 12: vs. Duke (W)

The Panthers get a scheduling break by drawing lowly Duke and its first-year coaching staff the week before taking on Miami for the Coastal Division title. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, will have all they can handle on the road at Clemson. But first things first, take care of business against the Blue Devils as quickly as possible and get all the starters out of the game in one piece.

Week 13: at Miami (W)

Pitt repeats as division champion and heads to their second straight title game in Charlotte. But it won’t be easy. Canes QB Tyler Van Dyke leads a potent Hurricanes offense that is capable of putting up big numbers, but the fresher Panthers eventually wear Miami down and hold on for the victory.

2022 projection: 11-1 (8-0), 1st in ACC Coastal

#H2P

Even though the Panthers are defending ACC champions, the league’s preseason poll has provided them with an opportunity to play the underdog card again this season. Only 3 of the 164 voters that cast ballots picked them to repeat as conference champions.

Given the history of Coastal chaos and the loss of Pickett and Addison, the lack of confidence is somewhat understandable.

But the Panthers still have plenty of veteran talent to go around, both homegrown and imported from the transfer portal. They have a conference schedule that avoids Clemson and NC State, the Atlantic Division’s top teams. And they have their sights set on a goal even higher than a second straight league title.

“We haven’t done anything yet,” Narduzzi said. “We would like to win a national championship. We want to be in the Playoff. … That’s where we want to be. We’re not happy with where we were last year and would like to win every football game. I think we’ve got a good football team returning.”

Good enough to contend for a national championship?

The first 2 weeks of the season, at home against Power 5 opponents West Virginia and Tennessee, will go a long way toward answering that question. No matter how those games go, there’s no question that the Panthers have what it takes to break the pattern of Coastal one-year wonders and stay at the top of the ACC now that they’ve arrived there.