PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It's been a trying first year for transfer Pitt quarterback Kedon Slovis following up Heisman finalist Kenny Pickett. He's not sure if he'll be back next year or not.
Slovis is eligible to go through Senior Day ceremonies and said he won't do that because all of his family can't be there. If he's going to walk out for that recognition, he wants the whole family there.
It doesn't appear he's thinking about transferring, rather he would explore if there is interest in the NFL Draft. Slovis said Tuesday he is 'organizing the information he needs to get before making a decision'. He will talk to Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi again later, wanting to focus on the pair of games remaining in the regular season.
There seems to be a number of obvious first-round choices in the 2023 Draft class-Ohio State's CJ Stroud, Heisman winner Bryce Young, Tennessee's Hendon Hooker. There are several others in the next tier including Wake Forest's Sam Hartman, Will Levis of Kentucky. Slovis wouldn't be coming from a position of strength, currently 89th in FBS in quarterback rating with only six touchdown passes and six interceptions in nine games.
Slovis has battled through injury and frustration in a Panthers offense based on a run-game. He described his first season in Pittsburgh season this way.
"It's been good," Slovis said. "Learned a lot, grown a lot as a player. Hit some adversity and have a lot of growth as a team in the new offense. Proud of how the team has handled it and I think you will see us, moving forward, getting better every week."
He said it took a few weeks to get back in sync coming back from his injury. He hasn't lost confidence in his game or the system, he said it's more of a flow thing. Noting how the first play sets up the next and they've had issue getting in those good passing situations.
He said the offense might be more effective if everyone wasn't learning a new system and if it was just him and a few others trying to catch up. Slovis said he's never played in an offense set up like Frank Cignetti's this year and he admitted Cignetti is very demanding.
When asked if it might be a lot better if he stuck around for a second year. The comparison made to the improvement of Nathan Peterman from 2015 to 2016 in yards, touchdowns and wins with fewer interceptions in his second season.
"That's a big point that we talked about," Slovis said. "Year two in the offense, more comfortable with it. Any offense, the more and more reps, you see it now. The Week 11 offense is better than we were in Fall camp."
He also admitted he will be watching which players decide to stay in this age of quick transfers. It's been a frustrating year for TE Gavin Bartholomew, would he leave? Most of the starting offensive line either is out of eligibility or in a final year. Would ACC leading rusher Israel Abanikanda jump to the NFL? Who would they get to help the receiving corps especially after a three-star receiver decommitted from Pitt last month. There are two receivers who have remained verbally committed.
A lot for Slovis to think about over the next few weeks. A lot for the Panthers staff to consider especially after four-star quarterback Kenny Minchey decommitted this week
