Pitt OC Kade Bell Linked to Florida Job Amid Rising Stock and Offensive Turnaround
PITTSBURGH - The coaching carousel is already spinning, and one name gaining traction is Pitt Panthers offensive coordinator Kade Bell. According to recent reports, Bell is being considered for the offensive coordinator job at Florida, where new head coach Jon Summerall is in the midst of retooling his staff. Also mentioned in the mix are Georgia Tech’s Buster Faulkner and Tennessee’s Joey Halzle, but Bell’s name stands out - and for good reason.
Bell’s résumé has been building momentum, especially after what he’s done with Pitt’s offense in a short amount of time. His most notable success this season?
The rapid development of freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel. Just a year ago, Heintschel was a lightly recruited three-star prospect with only one Power Four offer.
Fast forward to now, and he’s one of the most promising young quarterbacks in the country. Heintschel led Pitt to a five-game win streak and a 6-2 record as a starter, nearly punching the Panthers’ ticket to the ACC Championship Game.
That kind of turnaround doesn’t happen by accident. Pitt’s offensive numbers have seen a clear upward trajectory under Bell’s leadership.
In 2023, the Panthers were near the bottom of the ACC in just about every major offensive category - eighth in passing, but dead last in scoring, total offense, and rushing. Enter Bell in 2024, and the picture changed: Pitt jumped to sixth in scoring, fourth in passing, 10th in rushing, and seventh in total yards.
This season, the offense took another step forward, finishing first in the ACC in scoring, fifth in passing, ninth in total yards - though rushing dropped to 13th.
Nationally, Pitt’s offense cracked the top 25 in both scoring and passing, a testament to Bell’s aggressive, quarterback-friendly system. Total offense ranked 65th, and rushing struggled at 116th, but the overall offensive identity was clear: push the ball, score points, and let the quarterback cook.
Still, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. Pitt’s offense has had trouble breaking through against top-tier defenses.
Against two top-15 opponents this season, the Panthers managed just 22 total points. In four games against ranked teams, Pitt averaged 24.5 points, 223.8 passing yards, 110.3 rushing yards, and 334.0 total yards per game.
Third-down conversions in those matchups sat at just 26.4%.
For context, those numbers are still an improvement over the previous regime. In former OC Frank Cignetti Jr.’s final season, Pitt averaged just 19.0 points and 295.8 total yards per game against ranked opponents, with a third-down conversion rate of only 17.4%. So while Bell’s offense hasn’t dominated elite defenses, it has made measurable progress.
Bell’s coaching journey has been shaped by both his family ties and his Southern roots. A Jacksonville, Florida native, Bell played quarterback at Jacksonville University from 2011 to 2015, where he was a four-year starter under his father, Kerwin Bell - a former Florida Gators quarterback himself in the 1980s. Kerwin went on to play in the NFL with the Dolphins, Falcons, Buccaneers, and Colts.
Kade Bell’s coaching path began at Valdosta State in Georgia, where he climbed from graduate assistant to offensive coordinator between 2016 and 2018. He then had stints at South Florida and Tusculum University before joining his father’s staff at Western Carolina, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2021 to 2023. Bell made the jump to Pitt in 2024, marking his first coaching job outside the South.
Given his Florida roots and deep ties to the region, a return to the SEC - and specifically the Gators - would be a natural fit. But Pitt isn’t without its selling points.
Heintschel is just getting started, and the Panthers have two more promising freshman quarterbacks on the roster. The foundation is there for sustained offensive success, and Bell has the keys to the engine.
The question now is whether the pull of home - and an SEC opportunity - outweighs the momentum he’s building in Pittsburgh. Either way, Bell’s stock is rising fast, and wherever he lands, expect the offense to follow.