The first play of Pitt’s regular- season finale versus Miami told the tale of why the Panthers entered December having fallen short of their goal to play in the ACC championship.
It was a 10-yard sack of Mason Heintschel, one of four allowed to the Hurricanes in a 38-7 blowout that saw Pitt (8-4, 6-2 ACC) outperformed in the trenches.
There are plenty of considerations on top of offensive and defensive line play when it comes to assessing why Pitt is preparing for a bowl and not the league title game or even a shot at the College Football Playoff.
But in the biggest moments of the season, when it came time to stack up against elite opponents, shortcomings in the trenches loomed large.
Offensive line
Pitt allowed 40 sacks during the regular season, second most in the ACC behind Stanford (41). Among FBS programs, only five teams gave up more sacks than the Panthers.
For a team that made a concerted effort in the transfer portal to add reinforcements up front, that was a major disappointment. The Panthers put forth just a three-sack improvement from a year ago, when they let up 43.
In fairness, not all sacks can be pinned on the offensive line.
Coach Pat Narduzzi and Heintschel alluded to the latter’s need to better avoid sacks by either getting rid of the ball or navigating the pocket more effectively.
Still, the number of sacks Heintschel averted with his slick maneuverability far outweighs the handful for which he could be fairly scrutinized for having walked into.
The bottom line for Pitt is that, too often, opposing defensive fronts won their battles with the Panthers’ front line.
It was a recurring problem that transcended the talent level of foes.
Not Notre Dame, not Miami, but ACC cellar dweller Syracuse (3-9, 1-7) racked up the most single-game sacks (seven) against the Panthers this year.
West Virginia (4-8, 2-7 Big 12) posted six.
Even Georgia Tech, which the Panthers gashed for 42 points in their impressive Nov. 22 road win, totaled six.
In every one of its losses, Pitt also struggled to run the ball effectively.
The Panthers couldn’t get much — if anything — going against Notre Dame, finishing with 70 rushing yards. Miami limited them to a season-low 30.
All three of the offensive linemen Pitt recruited from the portal in the offseason — Jeff Persi, Kendall Stanley and Keith Gouveia — saw significant playing time. Gouveia’s campaign was cut short with a season-ending injury, and Persi missed multiple weeks.
Of Pitt’s primary offensive linemen utilized in 2025, only Persi participated in senior day.
Redshirt senior center Lyndon Cooper notably was not among that pack, signalling he could return to Pitt next year, along with fellow full-time starter BJ Williams.
The transfer portal carousel has yet to commence, with the Panthers at risk of losing personnel (at all positions) in the offseason.
But just as was the case a year ago, Narduzzi likely will be looking to acquire help at offensive line when the season does conclude.
Defensive line
On the defensive line, several players had solid individual campaigns for Pitt.
• Jimmy Scott led all linemen with 4 1/2 sacks and eight tackles for loss.
• Isaiah Neal was invaluable to the Panthers, switching regularly between tackle and end and looking comfortable at both spots. He produced 3 1/2 sacks and six tackles for loss.
• Francis Brewu was solid all year, and Sean FitzSimmons, before missing the final three games of the year, was also stout.
But position coach Tim Daoust’s group navigated a litany of injuries, particularly at end, with Jaeden Moore significantly limited, Blaine Spires missing extended time and Zach Crothers suffering a season-ending ailment.
That didn’t stop Pitt’s defensive line from dominating the line of scrimmage against most conference foes.
Louisville (53 rushing yards), Boston College (27), Syracuse (76) and Stanford (minus-10) saw their rushing attacks shut down.
Pitt also deserves credit for checking a dynamic Georgia Tech offense.
However, when Notre Dame and Miami came to town, the defensive line struggled to get enough push.
Running back Jeremiyah Love and the Fighting Irish put up a season-high 175 yards on the ground, and the Hurricanes amassed 140.
While not attributable solely to the defensive linemen, Pitt’s sacks fell off considerably from a year ago: 28 compared to 41 in 2024.
Senior day participants among the defensive line were Nate Temple, Spires and Joey Zelinsky.
As is the case on the offensive line and up and down the Panthers’ roster, it’s far too early to take guesses as to position group landscapes entering winter workouts in January, with the transfer portal window opening Jan. 2.
Regardless, defensive line again will look to be a position of emphasis for Narduzzi once the season formally wraps and roster building for 2026 commences.
