With three words on Twitter five days after the last game of the season, Kenny Pickett changed the entire course of the Pitt football program.
For, at least, as he stated: “One more year.”
Pickett, who has been Pitt’s starting quarterback since the last game of the 2017 season, indicated he is taking advantage of the NCAA one-time eligibility waiver and will return for the 2021 season, his fifth. He offered no further comment.
One more year. #H2P pic.twitter.com/mb5avpKIXe
— Kenny Pickett (@kennypickett10) December 16, 2020
Pickett’s decision is a bit of a surprise. He was honored with nine other seniors at the final home game Nov. 21 against Virginia Tech.
But he obviously believes he has some unfinished business at Pitt after a season with high expectations ended with a 6-5 record and the team’s decision to decline a bowl invitation. Plus, another season of development would make Pickett, 22, even more attractive to the NFL in 2022.
Pickett has started 37 games at Pitt after enrolling in January 2017 to get a head start on his college career. He seized the starting job from Ben DiNucci late in that season.
In the process, he became the first Pitt freshman to start at quarterback in his first season on campus since Pat Bostick in 2007, engineering an upset of then-No. 2 Miami, 24-14, in the season finale. Pitt finished 5-7, but Pickett offered hope for the future, throwing a touchdown pass and rushing for two more.
Pitt is 21-17 since that game, winning the ACC Coastal Division in 2018.
Three years later, Pickett sits fifth on Pitt’s all-time passing list with 7,984 yards, behind all-time leader Alex Van Pelt (11,267), Dan Marino (8,597), Tino Sunseri (8,590) and Tyler Palko (8,343). As a player who has a chance to start in five consecutive seasons, he may be able to pass them all with an exceptional season.
Pickett already is third in total yards (8,552), behind Van Pelt (11,148) and Sunseri (8,591).
Pitt was 6-3 in Pickett’s nine starts this season. He suffered a serious ankle injury in the Boston College game Oct. 10 and missed the next two games — losses to Miami and Notre Dame — after undergoing surgery.
He returned for the final four games, leading Pitt to a 3-1 finish.
Pitt is well-stocked at quarterback, with redshirt freshmen Joey Yellen, who started those two games, and Davis Beville and sophomore Nick Patti.
But the anticipated spring 2021 quarterback derby will have to wait.
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