The Panther-Lair Podcast

It's a gameday edition of the Morning Pitt Mailbag, so after we get one more quick preview of Pitt-Virginia Tech, we're taking questions from Pitt fans about everything ranging from uniforms and travel plans to tiebreakers and the workload in the backfield. All that and more in this week's Morning Pitt Mailbag.

Pitt will put its 4-0 record on the line tomorrow night when the Panthers face 4-0 Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. It's a huge game for Pat Narduzzi and his team, and we think there are a few Pitt players who could play pivotal roles in this one. Which Panthers are we keeping an eye on? We've got five players to watch on the Thursday edition of the Morning Pitt.

Pat Narduzzi and James Franklin have a long history, and former Pitt personnel staffer Karlo Zovko has seen it up close. Today, Karlo joins us to talk about Narduzzi and Franklin, recruiting battles with Penn State, Pitt vs. Virginia Tech and a lot more.

What does Pat Narduzzi think of his team's readiness to go on the road? What kind of threat does Virginia Tech tight end Luke Reynolds present? How well have Pitt's transfer tight ends fit in? And is it time for more youth at receiver? We're breaking down Narduzzi's comments on those topics and more on the Tuesday edition of the Morning Pitt.

The non-conference portion of Pitt's 2026 schedule is over; now it's all ACC games, all the time. What have the 4-0 Panthers shown through the first third of the season? What do we know about this team and what questions do we still have? What do we expect from Mason Heintschel? All that and more on the Monday edition of the Morning Pitt.

After three games, how do we grade Pitt's pass rush? Who will be the Panthers' leaders in rushing and receiving when the season ends? Which coordinator should be Pitt's next head coach? And is the offense using tempo enough? Answers to those questions and more in this week's Morning Pitt Mailbag.

Pitt has its FCS game this weekend when Bucknell comes to town for a noon kickoff at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday. The game should be a good opportunity for the Panthers to use a lot of players, so who are we looking for? We've got a rundown of five players to watch for on the Thursday edition of the Morning Pitt.

We've got a jam-packed show with former Pitt personnel staffer and WPIAL Insider Karlo Zovko this week. What did Karlo think of Mason Heintschel's performance against Syracuse? Why doesn't he like Pitt's choice of FCS opponents? And which WPIAL recruit are the Panthers missing out on? All that and more on the Wednesday edition of the Morning Pitt.

From Mason Heintschel and short-yardage success to Cory Sanders' first year on the job and defensive tackle depth, Pat Narduzzi covered a lot of topics at his weekly press conference on Monday. Here's a look at five of the most notable things Narduzzi said.

Three weeks into the 2026 season, Pitt is 3-0 after beating Syracuse by two touchdowns on Thursday night. To get the week started, we're talking about where the Panthers are - and, more importantly, where their quarterback needs to go. All that and more on the Monday edition of the Morning Pitt.

Pitt improved to 3-0 Thursday night with a 27-13 win over Syracuse at Acrisure Stadium and today we're looking back at that game. Are you concerned about Mason Heintschel? Is the run game sustainable? How good has the defense been? All that and more on the Friday edition of the Morning Pitt.

Pitt has a chance to get to 3-0 tonight when the Panthers host Syracuse at Acrisure Stadium. To get ready for the game, we're breaking down five key players for the Panthers who could play big roles against the Orange. All that and more on the gameday edition of the Morning Pitt.

It's Wednesday, and that means we're joined by former Pitt personnel staffer and WPIAL Insider Karlo Zovko. This week, we're talking to Karlo about Pitt's win over UCF, how the matchup looks against Syracuse, what rain games are like, some top WPIAL recruits and a lot more.

Pat Narduzzi held his lone press conference of the week on Monday and talked about Pitt's win over UCF, Thursday night's matchup with Syracuse, his legacy, transfers, receivers and a lot more. On today's Morning Pitt, we're breaking down five notable things Narduzzi said.

It wasn't always pretty, but Pitt came out with a win on Saturday when the Panthers beat UCF 12-7 in a downpour at Acrisure Stadium. On today's Morning Pitt, we're talking about that game, what stood out on both sides of the ball and a lot more as the Panthers get ready for a short week before hosting Syracuse on Thursday night.

Has the NIL era killed Pitt's pass rush? How important is it that the Panthers' offense gained 33 first downs in the season opener? Answers to those questions and more in this week's Morning Pitt Mailbag.

Pitt will look to improve to 2-0 on the season when the Panthers welcome UCF to Acrisure Stadium on Saturday, but several key players will have to have big games to make that happen. On today's Morning Pitt, we're looking at five (or maybe more) players we'll be watching in Saturday's Pitt-UCF game.

Pitt's blowout win over Miami (OH) impressed everyone - including former Pitt personnel staffer and WPIAL Insider Karlo Zovko, who joins us to talk about Mason Heintschel, the Panthers' offensive line, the defense, this week's matchup with UCF and a lot more on the Wednesday edition of the Morning Pitt.

From Mason Heintschel to Alonza Barnett, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi covered a lot of topics at his weekly press conference on Monday. Today, we're looking five of the most notable things he said. What did he think of Pitt's offensive line in the opener? How can the Panthers cut down on explosive plays? And was he surprised by how Heintschel played? All that and more on the Tuesday edition of the Morning Pitt.

Two days later, we're still impressed by what Mason Heintschel did in leading Pitt to a 59-14 blowout win over Miami (OH) in the season opener at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday. On today's Morning Pitt, we're talking about Heintschel's performance, how the receivers played, what else stood out in the game and a lot more.

Why is the four-touchdown benchmark such an important one? How would we grade Pitt's offense, defense and special teams before Saturday's season opener? And what is our prediction for the opener against Miami (Oh.)? Answers to those questions and more in this week's Morning Pitt Mailbag.

What is it like inside a college football program when the season is about to start? Today we're joined by Karlo Zovko to talk about how coaches feel before a season, as well as expectations for Pitt football in 2026 and a lot more on the Thursday edition of the Morning Pitt.

When Pitt takes the field for the season opener against Miami (Oh.), there will be plenty of things to watch. But there are five players - and maybe more like 10 or 11 - who have grabbed our interest so far this offseason, and on today's Morning Pitt, we're talking about the guys we'll be paying particular attention to when the game starts on Saturday.

Pat Narduzzi held his first press conference of the season on Monday, and today we're breaking it down. From the defensive end depth to the biggest question he's hoping to get answered in the season opener, we've got five notable things Narduzzi said at his weekly press conference.

It's finally here: game week. Pitt is getting ready to open the 2026 season against Miami (Oh.) on Saturday, and today, we've got a primer on the Panthers - everything you need to know to get ready for the season. From position breakdowns to strengths and weaknesses, storylines and questions, we've got it all right here on the Monday edition of the Morning Pitt.

How will the running back touches get distributed? What are the implications of the five-to-play-five rule? What have been Pitt's best recruiting wins over the last 11 years? We've got answers to those questions and more in this week's Morning Pitt Mailbag.

We've got another special guest on the Morning Pitt this week: it's ESPN college football writer David Hale. David knows the ACC as well as anyone and visited Pitt training camp this week, and today he's joining us to talk about the conference, the Panthers, Larry Fitzgerald, ACC stadiums and a lot more.

Over the weekend, former Pitt receiver Raphael Williams accused Pat Narduzzi of attacking his character with NFL scouts. What actually happens when NFL scouts come to the South Side? We've got just the person to ask: former Pitt assistant director of player personnel Karlo. Zovko, who tells us about the scouting process, what the coaches tell scouts and a lot more - like what he makes of the hype surrounding Mason Heintschel. All that and more on the Wednesday edition of the Morning Pitt.

The hype keeps climbing for Pitt's offense, so let's talk about where the Panthers are with just a few days left in training camp. How high is the ceiling for this offense? How do the position groups compare to previous years at Pitt? And can this be one of the best offenses of the Pat Narduzzi era? We're covering those questions and more on the Tuesday edition of the Morning Pitt.

Pitt held its final scrimmage of training camp on Sunday, and by all accounts, it was another impressive day from the Panthers' offense - which has become a trend through the first three weeks of camp. Who stood out in the scrimmage? How much hype is there for Pitt's offense? How much hype should there be? We're breaking it all down on the Monday edition of the Morning Pitt.

Fresh off the first scrimmage of training camp, Pitt's offense appears to be headed in the right direction. What has the Panthers' offense shown so far? How is Mason Heintschel playing? What playmakers have emerged at the skill positions? All that and more on the Monday edition of the Morning Pitt.

Does Pitt really need a No. 1 receiver? Which transfer will be the most productive? What are the vibes like for this year's Panthers? And does the Pittsburgh sports media really hate Pitt? We've got answers to those questions and more in this week's Morning Pitt Mailbag.

As Pitt gets rolling in the second week of training camp, there are some players worth keeping in mind. On today's Morning Pitt, we're looking at five guys who are especially interesting - two receivers, a defensive end, a linebacker and a cornerback.

We've got a special guest on the Wednesday edition of the Morning Pitt: It's the WPIAL Insider, former Pitt recruiting assistant Karlo Zovko. Today, Karlo joins us to talk about Pitt football, Pitt recruiting, the WPIAL, some key prospects to know and a lot more. Check out our conversation with Karlo Zovko.

Pitt didn't have any major position changes this offseason, but a handful of players are going to be doing something different from what they did in 2025, and for three of them, their individual success will be critical to the success of the team.

Pitt is about to start its first full week of training camp today, but before that happens, we're looking at the first few days of camp. Which players have impressed? Whose names have we heard the most? Where are the biggest concerns? We've got answers to those questions and more on the Monday edition of the Morning Pitt.

Which freshmen look like they're ready to play? Who are some surprise breakout candidates? Is a late bye week a good thing? We've got answers to those questions and much more in this week's Morning Pitt Mailbag.

Pat Narduzzi officially opened training camp on Wednesday, and after practice, he spoke to the media. On today's Morning Pitt, we're looking at five of the most notable things Narduzzi said - from the receivers to the offensive line to legal issues and more.

It's the first day of training camp, and we're taking an extra long look at Pitt's defense. How will the Panthers replace the production of Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles? Which newcomers will make the biggest impact? Will the defensive ends step up their play? Plus: a bold prediction, the top position battles and more.

Pitt starts training camp on Wednesday, so today we're getting you ready with a full breakdown of the Panthers' offense. What are the five biggest questions on that side of the ball? Which newcomer is one to watch? Where are the biggest position battles? We've got answers to those questions and more - plus a bold prediction on Pitt's offense in 2026.

There was major news over the weekend, as an injunction from federal judge ruled that fifth-year players can get an extra year of eligibility. For Pitt, that means two prominent players: Desmond Reid in football and Cam Corhen in basketball. Could those two have another year as Panthers? Would it make sense to bring them back? We're looking at all angles on the Monday edition of the Morning Pitt.

Whose Pitt all-stars would win: Pat Narduzzi or Dave Wannstedt? Which freshmen could be sleepers and get a lot of hype early in training camp? Will Kade Bell's offense evolve in Year Three? And could Pitt end up with some first-team all-conference players? We're answering those questions and more in this week's Morning Pitt Mailbag.

Pitt basketball general manager Jay Kuntz has been on the job for 13 months, and in the last four of those months, he has rebuilt the Panthers' roster virtually from the ground up. Today, he's joining us to talk about what stands out to him about Pitt's roster, why he has been so visible this offseason, what he thinks of student-athletes unionizing and a lot more.

We've got a lot to cover today after some good news for Pitt, some bad news for Pitt, some preseason polls and more. We're digging into all of it on the Wednesday edition of the Morning Pitt.

Pitt's cornerbacks have been kind of quiet for the last two years, with just five interceptions over the last two seasons combined. Can the Panthers do better in 2026? We think they can, and we're making a prediction about it on the Tuesday edition of the Morning Pitt.

We're feeling a bit of optimism about Pitt's offense this morning, and that's why we've two somewhat bold predictions (that become even bolder if we make them guarantees). We think a pair of Panthers will hit some significant individual benchmarks in 2026, and we're telling you why on the Monday edition of the Morning Pitt.

In this week's Morning Pitt Mailbag, we're answering questions about Pitt's kicker situation, replacing production at receiver, if NIL can keep top players in place, how the offensive line depth looks and a lot more. Check it all out right here in the Morning Pitt Mailbag.

We've got a special guest on today's Morning Pitt: it's former Pitt quarterback Max Browne, who will be part of the broadcast team for ACC primetime games this fall. Max joins us to talk about the ACC, Pitt, Mason Heintschel and a lot more.

Mason Heintschel is viewed as a top-25 quarterback nationally and a top-five signal-caller in the ACC. What does Pitt's sophomore starter need to do to elevate in 2026? We've got two key areas he needs to focus on - for himself and for the team - on the Wednesday edition of the Morning Pitt.

Pitt's 2026 season is still more than a month away, but today we're running down the 12 games on the Panthers' slate. Which games should Pitt be able to win and which games will be the biggest challenges? We're ranking the schedule from easiest to toughest on the Tuesday edition of the Morning Pitt.

There are things we know and things we don't, and position battles are the intersection of both - we know position battles will happen, but we don't know who will win them. On the Monday edition of the Morning Pitt, we're looking at some of the biggest position battles on Pitt's 2026 roster.