Pitt’s Kenny Pickett Named Finalist for Heisman Memorial Trophy
12/6/2021 6:30:00 PM | Football
PITTSBURGH—All season long, Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett performed like one of the finest players in all of college football.
That stature as one of the country's elite players received validation tonight when Pickett was named one of four finalists for the Heisman Memorial Trophy, annually presented to the nation's most outstanding player.
"It is an incredible honor to be named a Heisman Trophy finalist," Pickett said. "I'm so proud to represent our university this weekend in New York City. This honor is about our entire program and all of my teammates and coaches. Just like our ACC Championship, we did this together."
Pickett is Pitt's first Heisman finalist since 2003, when receiver Larry Fitzgerald finished as the runner-up. The Panthers' lone winner of the Heisman is running back Tony Dorsett, who took home the coveted award in 1976, the year he led Pitt to the national championship.
Pickett, who has led the Panthers to an 11-2 record and their first ACC championship, is in the midst of the most prolific season ever by a Pitt quarterback.
Through 13 games, he has completed 67% of his passes (334 of 497) for 4,319 yards with 42 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Including his five rushing scores, he has totaled 47 touchdowns this season.
Pickett's passing yardage, passing touchdowns, total TDs and completions are all Pitt season records. He also set an ACC season record for touchdown passes (eclipsing the prior mark of 41 set by Clemson's Deshaun Watson in 2016).
Pickett has even eclipsed the legendary Dan Marino in each of the Panthers' major career categories. Entering the postseason, Pickett stands as Pitt's all-time leader in passing yards (12,303), pass completions (1,045), total offense (13,112), touchdown responsibility (102) and passing touchdowns (81). His 20 career rushing touchdowns are also a new standard for a Pitt quarterback.
In addition to his athletic excellence, Pickett is accomplished academically and from a community and leadership standpoint. Pitt's two-time team captain earned his bachelor's degree in marketing and is presently enrolled in the Katz Graduate School of Business. He has been nationally lauded for his NIL initiatives, which have emphasized philanthropy as well as his teammates.
The 2021 Heisman Memorial Trophy winner will be announced during a live ESPN telecast this Saturday, Dec. 11 at 8 p.m.
PITT HEISMAN HISTORY
Legendary tailback Tony Dorsett was selected as the winner of the Heisman Trophy in 1976, the same season he led the Panthers to the national title with a 12-0 record. While Dorsett is Pitt's lone winner of the Heisman, the Panthers have had eight total players finish in the top five in the final balloting. Pitt players have finished in the top 10 of the Heisman voting 14 times.
2003
1. Jason White (Oklahoma)
2. Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh)
3. Eli Manning (Mississippi)
4. Chris Perry (Michigan)
5. Darren Sproles (Kansas State)
1987
1. Tim Brown (Notre Dame)
2. Don McPherson (Syracuse)
3. Gordon Lockbaum (Holy Cross)
4. Lorenzo White (Michigan State)
5. Craig "Ironhead" Heyward (Pittsburgh)
1981
1. Marcus Allen (Southern California)
2. Herschel Walker (Georgia)
3. Jim McMahon (Brigham Young)
4. Dan Marino (Pittsburgh)
5. Art Schlichter (Ohio State)
1980
1. George Rogers (South Carolina)
2. Hugh Green (Pittsburgh)
3. Herschel Walker (Georgia)
4. Mark Herrmann (Purdue)
5. Jim McMahon (Brigham Young)
1976
1. Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh)
2. Ricky Bell (Southern California)
3. Rob Lytle (Michigan)
4. Terry Miller (Oklahoma State)
5. Tom Kramer (Rice)
1975
1. Archie Griffin (Ohio State)
2. Chuck Muncie (California)
3. Ricky Bell (Southern California)
4. Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh)
5. Joe Washington (Oklahoma)
1938
1. Davey O'Brien (TCU)
2. Marshall Goldberg (Pittsburgh)
3. Sid Luckman (Columbia)
4. Bob MacLeod (Dartmouth)
5. Vic Bottari (California)
1937
1. Clint Frank (Yale)
2. Byron White (Colorado)
3. Marshall Goldberg (Pittsburgh)
4. Alex Wojciechowicz (Fordham)
5. Joe Kilgrow (Alabama)
Other Top 10 Heisman finishes by Pitt players:
Matt Cavanaugh (seventh, 1977)
Mike Ditka (sixth, 1960)
Bill Fralic (sixth, 1984; eighth, 1983)
Edgar "Special Delivery" Jones (seventh, 1941)
Dan Marino (ninth, 1982)
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That stature as one of the country's elite players received validation tonight when Pickett was named one of four finalists for the Heisman Memorial Trophy, annually presented to the nation's most outstanding player.
"It is an incredible honor to be named a Heisman Trophy finalist," Pickett said. "I'm so proud to represent our university this weekend in New York City. This honor is about our entire program and all of my teammates and coaches. Just like our ACC Championship, we did this together."
Pickett is Pitt's first Heisman finalist since 2003, when receiver Larry Fitzgerald finished as the runner-up. The Panthers' lone winner of the Heisman is running back Tony Dorsett, who took home the coveted award in 1976, the year he led Pitt to the national championship.
Pickett, who has led the Panthers to an 11-2 record and their first ACC championship, is in the midst of the most prolific season ever by a Pitt quarterback.
Through 13 games, he has completed 67% of his passes (334 of 497) for 4,319 yards with 42 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Including his five rushing scores, he has totaled 47 touchdowns this season.
Pickett's passing yardage, passing touchdowns, total TDs and completions are all Pitt season records. He also set an ACC season record for touchdown passes (eclipsing the prior mark of 41 set by Clemson's Deshaun Watson in 2016).
Pickett has even eclipsed the legendary Dan Marino in each of the Panthers' major career categories. Entering the postseason, Pickett stands as Pitt's all-time leader in passing yards (12,303), pass completions (1,045), total offense (13,112), touchdown responsibility (102) and passing touchdowns (81). His 20 career rushing touchdowns are also a new standard for a Pitt quarterback.
In addition to his athletic excellence, Pickett is accomplished academically and from a community and leadership standpoint. Pitt's two-time team captain earned his bachelor's degree in marketing and is presently enrolled in the Katz Graduate School of Business. He has been nationally lauded for his NIL initiatives, which have emphasized philanthropy as well as his teammates.
The 2021 Heisman Memorial Trophy winner will be announced during a live ESPN telecast this Saturday, Dec. 11 at 8 p.m.
PITT HEISMAN HISTORY
Legendary tailback Tony Dorsett was selected as the winner of the Heisman Trophy in 1976, the same season he led the Panthers to the national title with a 12-0 record. While Dorsett is Pitt's lone winner of the Heisman, the Panthers have had eight total players finish in the top five in the final balloting. Pitt players have finished in the top 10 of the Heisman voting 14 times.
2003
1. Jason White (Oklahoma)
2. Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh)
3. Eli Manning (Mississippi)
4. Chris Perry (Michigan)
5. Darren Sproles (Kansas State)
1987
1. Tim Brown (Notre Dame)
2. Don McPherson (Syracuse)
3. Gordon Lockbaum (Holy Cross)
4. Lorenzo White (Michigan State)
5. Craig "Ironhead" Heyward (Pittsburgh)
1981
1. Marcus Allen (Southern California)
2. Herschel Walker (Georgia)
3. Jim McMahon (Brigham Young)
4. Dan Marino (Pittsburgh)
5. Art Schlichter (Ohio State)
1980
1. George Rogers (South Carolina)
2. Hugh Green (Pittsburgh)
3. Herschel Walker (Georgia)
4. Mark Herrmann (Purdue)
5. Jim McMahon (Brigham Young)
1976
1. Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh)
2. Ricky Bell (Southern California)
3. Rob Lytle (Michigan)
4. Terry Miller (Oklahoma State)
5. Tom Kramer (Rice)
1975
1. Archie Griffin (Ohio State)
2. Chuck Muncie (California)
3. Ricky Bell (Southern California)
4. Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh)
5. Joe Washington (Oklahoma)
1938
1. Davey O'Brien (TCU)
2. Marshall Goldberg (Pittsburgh)
3. Sid Luckman (Columbia)
4. Bob MacLeod (Dartmouth)
5. Vic Bottari (California)
1937
1. Clint Frank (Yale)
2. Byron White (Colorado)
3. Marshall Goldberg (Pittsburgh)
4. Alex Wojciechowicz (Fordham)
5. Joe Kilgrow (Alabama)
Other Top 10 Heisman finishes by Pitt players:
Matt Cavanaugh (seventh, 1977)
Mike Ditka (sixth, 1960)
Bill Fralic (sixth, 1984; eighth, 1983)
Edgar "Special Delivery" Jones (seventh, 1941)
Dan Marino (ninth, 1982)
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