PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – There was no doubt the talent advantage for Pitt Saturday against UMass. One of the biggest fears in a game like that came true. Thankfully for Panther fans it only lasted one play.
It was a first half 1st and 10 from the Pitt 30 with the Panthers up 13-0. Kenny Pickett saw the flag and knew he had a free play with a UMass player jumping offsides. He held onto the ball deciding he has a free play to throw it deep. Just as he let go of the ball, Pickett suffered a helmet-to-helmet hit from UMass linebacker Gerrell Johnson.
Pickett laid on his back alone and after attempting to get up, laid back down. A collective Heinz Field gasp wondering the condition of their senior quarterback. As the refs reviewed and eventually upheld the targeting call, Pickett got to his feet and to the sidelines.
"I just needed a second to get my wind back," Pickett said. "That was really the problem, just got the wind knocked out of me. Once I was able to catch my breath. I was good to go."
"You see him down," said tight end Lucas Krull. "As a team, we are (upset). We hate seeing that."
"We knew he was going to bounce right back. He was going to be just fine."
"That kid has the heart of a lion. He's a special quarterback. A special person. You go to war with this guy every day."
"His toughness, I feel like it embodied this program as a whole, this city as a whole," said linebacker John Petrishen, who said Pickett returning provided momentum for the team. "He's a tough quarterback. Like a high school quarterback."
On what turned out to be Pitt's only play without Pickett, Nick Patti completed an 18-yard out route. Patti earned praise from his teammates as well, ending up 5 for 5 for 58 yards and a rushing TD.
While Patti performed well and did win his only career start (vs. Delaware). If Pitt is going where they hope, they need Pickett on the field.
