Pitt opens a new season Monday in Pittsburgh with a roster that looks a lot different from the one that went 13-20 a year ago.
Jeff Capel, now in his ninth season leading the Panthers, built this group around two major additions: point guard Naithan George and forward Baye Ndongo. George comes over from Syracuse after averaging 10.9 points and 5.4 assists last season, while Ndongo arrives from Georgia Tech, where he put up 11.8 points and 8.1 rebounds. The two already know each other well, having spent two seasons together as teammates and roommates at Georgia Tech, and Ndongo started all 90 games he played for the Yellow Jackets.
Capel made clear how central those additions were to his offseason plan.
"It was really important to get a really good point guard and a really good interior player," Capel said. "And then build everything around that."
He also didn’t hide the reality of where the program stands after last season’s struggles.
"We were bad last year," Capel said. "We've taken steps forward as a program from where we were nine years ago when I was first hired but it's still not where we need to be, where we want to be or where I thought we would be right now."
Rider is bringing its own fresh look into the opener after a dramatic reset of its roster. The Broncs finished 4-25 last season and missed the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament for the first time, prompting coach Kevin Baggett to overhaul the entire team - an unprecedented move for the program.
Baggett said the staff approached the rebuild with a different process and felt good about the people they brought in.
"As a staff, we met, we talked about spending more time getting to know these guys before we recruited them," Baggett said. "And I think we hit home runs as far as our guys; great character guys."
Among the new faces, UMass-Lowell transfer Khalil Farmer and Old Dominion transfer Bryce Baker were chosen as team captains.
"It's been a fun time," Baker said. "It's definitely a family, and you can't really say that all the time."
In Other News...
Pitt Just Took Another Defensive Hit It Couldn't Afford
Pitts defensive depth took another blow coming out of the Week 8 loss to Miami, with head coach Pat Narduzzi saying junior linebacker Cam Lindsey is done for the season because of a knee injury. Lindsey had been part of the Panthers linebacker rotation and provided insurance behind a group that has already had to absorb some wear and tear, making his absence another setback for a defense trying to stay steady through the stretch run.
The Panthers now have to sort out the linebacker room with fewer options available, a challenge made even trickier by the other injury issues theyre managing as well, including sophomore quarterback Mason Heintschel and running back Ja'Kyrian Turner. For a team trying to keep itself together in multiple spots, losing a reliable piece in the middle of the defense only adds to the pressure on the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Pitt Faces A Defining Test As Its Season Starts Slipping Away
A three-game losing streak has pushed Pittsburgh into a difficult spot heading into its ACC matchup with Georgia Tech, and the Panthers are trying to steady themselves after losing quarterback Mason Heintschel. Pat Narduzzi has kept a measured tone around the slide, still pointing to the chance for his team to respond even as the season has clearly taken a turn.
Georgia Tech brings its own uncertainty into the game after a strong start last season gave way to a downturn under Brent Key, though quarterback Alberto Mendoza has given the Yellow Jackets a productive passing presence this year. For Pitt, the larger question is less about style points than whether it can regain enough footing to keep the rest of the schedule from feeling like an uphill climb. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Narduzzi Faces The Pitt Debate Fans Cant Ignore
Pat Narduzzis name always comes with a little extra weight around Pittsburgh, and for good reason. He has already delivered an ACC championship in 2021, helped develop NFL-caliber talent, and given the program a level of stability it had been chasing for years. Even with the recent losses drawing plenty of criticism, there is still a strong case that he remains the best coach to guide Pitt through the realities of a difficult job, one shaped by recruiting limitations and the constant challenge of trying to keep pace with better-resourced programs.
The current frustration is real, though, because the Panthers have stumbled at a time when the margins are already thin. A key quarterback injury has only made the offense harder to sort out, and it has pushed the conversation beyond one rough stretch and into a broader debate about what Pitt can reasonably expect from this era of the program. Narduzzis track record buys him credibility, but the questions around how far he can still take this team are not going away anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]