If history is truly destined to repeat itself, the Pitt offense should be in good hands for the foreseeable future.
The recent NFL experience of longtime offensive coach Frank Cignetti Jr. has already shown itself, and whether it's Nick Patti or Kedon Slovis starting at quarterback, the Panthers locker room is set to benefit from a pro-style offense that favors balance and has the potential to reign again as one of the best in the ACC.
Pat Narduzzi has said Cignetti and the offense are ahead in terms of installation, even amid the ongoing battle for quarterback, the battle for the starting No. 2 wide receiver, and numerous miniature battles for rotation spots along the offensive line.
"When you look at the combined package, it seems like a lot (is) in," Narduzzi said last week. "Coach Cignetti does a great job of tweaking stuff, kind of like we do defensively. Not a total change; just tweaking stuff, so it's fun to watch. They've got a different flavor every day. They're changing something, it's just one little thing that makes a big difference. Impressed with the players and the knowledge that they have right now to put it all together at this point."
The competition is healthy with fewer than three weeks until the Sept. 1 kickoff against West Virginia, and the team has the potential to experience a continuation from last year's record-setting campaign, even with the exit of former coordinator Mark Whipple.
Kenny Pickett and Jordan Addison were major reasons why the Panthers had the No. 3 scoring offense and No. 8 total offense in the country, and that's going to be taken into account all season while prognosticating the Panthers. (Their ranking at No. 17 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll probably reflected this, along with an over/under win total of 8.5.)
But, Cignetti and his system shouldn't be slept on, considering his track record which speaks for itself.
"That's who I am," Cignetti said. "I don't feel anything came from coach Narduzzi. The only thing coach Narduzzi asked was to put us in a position to be successful. We have an offensive system in play, just like the last time I was here. We believe in being balanced, we believe in putting our best players on the field. We want to do whatever it takes to winning football games."
A two-year stay at Boston College preceded Cignetti's hiring at Pitt, but prior to that, he spent six of his 11 total seasons in the NFL working with some of the game's best quarterbacks in recent memory. Included in that is future Hall of Fame players Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning, as well as former No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford with the St. Louis Rams.
Under Cignetti in 2018, Rodgers threw for 4,442 yards, the second-highest mark in a single season in his career, with 25 touchdowns to two interceptions. Manning had an elite 2016 season with Cignetti as his quarterbacks coach. He was one of six quarterbacks to accumulate at least 4,000 passing yards (4,027), 25 TDs (26), and a 63% completion rate. Before injuries ruined Bradford's career, he was starting to blossom under Cignetti. In 2012, he threw for 3,702 yards and 21 TDs.
Even with all of the recent successes from the quarterbacks, Cignetti has also ben a driving factor for success from the running back room. Todd Gurley finished third in the NFL with 1,106 rushing yards and 10 TDs en route to an offensive Rookie of the Year award and a Pro Bowl selection in 2015.
The Panthers weren't scared to run the ball last season, as their 26 rushing touchdowns tied for fifth-most in the ACC, and the team registered the third-most rushing attempts in the conference at 525 in 14 games. This season, expectations are running high for the room, led by Israel Abanikanda.
"All of them have looked pretty good," Narduzzi said. "Izzy's shown the ability to make the explosive. They're doing a good job reading where to cut and all of that, but Izzy's popped through a couple of times against our defense, which against our defense is really hard to do. Once he gets past those linebackers, it's a race, and not many people are going to win that race against Izzy."
The room isn't just going to be Abanikanda's, however. Of the 1,817 net yards of rushing production from 2021 running backs, 97.7% of that returns to the 2022 roster. There is realistic potential for up to four other running backs to shift in for playing time: Vincent Davis, Daniel Carter, Rodney Hammond Jr., and Notre Dame transfer C'Bo Flemister.
Even with a deep room, Cignetti alluded to a potential situation where he could ride the hot hand, in going away from the committee approach.
"We're really fortunate, because we have an outstanding running back room," Cignetti said. "Coach (Andre) Powell's done a great job. We've got Izzy, we've got Rodney, we've got Vince, we've got Daniel Carter, let's not forget about him. We brought C'Bo in from (Notre Dame). It's going to be competitive. If one guy steps up and shows us that he is 'the guy,' then, hey, maybe we'll have one guy with the bulk of the carries. Until then, we're very lucky to have a running back room that can do it by committee."
The pro-style offense will also allow for tight ends to get out for routes. This mainly could affect Gavin Bartholomew the most, after he turned in a strong freshman season last year.
Expect a lot more play-action with the pro style offense, as is the norm. Single-back sets virtually eliminate the need for a fullback, and it will rely on a deep wide receivers room and the quarterback to be able to showcase some mobility.
"Tight ends are going to be everywhere," Bartholomew said. "Coach Cig is doing a great job of getting guys open, spreading them out, getting guys downfield. We lost some (skill players), but I feel like we replaced them with great players. I think we'll be fine."