Officially, there is no transfer portal for coaches, but constant movement within their ranks is similar, if not greater, to that of student-athletes these days in college sports.
Akin to having to retain a roster of players at year’s end, so must head coaches work to keep their assistants in place.
This offseason, Pat Narduzzi managed to do that with offensive coordinator Kade Bell, who turned 33 in February and returns to Pitt for the third season.
“We’re still nowhere near as good as we can be,” Bell said Thursday following Pitt’s fifth spring practice. “That’s what’s exciting about this year, going into Year 3 with a quarterback that I really believe in that’s going to be special. Hopefully, we can make that jump to the high 30s or 40s (in points per game) and be one of the top five offenses in the country. That’s how we’re going to win 10 games. With the way we play defense, we’ll have a chance to win a championship.”
Mason Heintschel is the returning quarterback Bell alluded to, and the sophomore’s ability to build upon what he did in 2025 will be critical if Pitt is to improve from an 8-5 campaign a year ago.
Can Heintschel do so?
Consider Bell a major believer.
“I really like where he’s at right now,” Bell said. “His mechanics, being more consistent with his feet and his base, just doing those little things right where he can always be on balance to make really, really good throws.
“When he’s on balance, he’s driving the ball and he’s as accurate as anybody in the country. Those are the things we’re really focusing on, and taking his game to the next level with coverages, changing protections and taking more ownership of those things.”
In March of 2025, Bell may have had a similar outlook about Eli Holstein, who put forth an impressive freshman campaign in 2024, stayed with the Panthers, and sought to be even better the following fall.
Holstein ultimately regressed under center in Year 2, struggling with decision-making (especially in the red zone) and leading to Narduzzi replacing him as starter heading into Week 5.
Heintschel took over under center, and the Panthers never looked back. Holstein transferred to Virginia in the offseason.
As the Panthers saw with Holstein, progression and improvement aren’t guaranteed for a quarterback just because he is a year older in the same system under the same coordinator.
Time will tell if Heintschel is able to succeed where Holstein faltered, but at this juncture of spring, Bell likes the signs he’s seeing.
“I can’t always help him — there’s going to be times where the play clock is going down and he’s got to get us into the right play or protection,” Bell said. “He’s really taking ownership of that. … The biggest thing is just being consistent.
“I think the things he’s got to get better on from the last part of the (2025) season is going through his progressions when it comes to getting lined up with coverages. He’s done that this spring and has done a great job of getting the ball out of his hands.”
While much hinges on Heintschel’s individual development, Pitt must also make strides up front, blocking well in the run game and crucially, protecting Heintschel.
The Panthers will also enter 2026 with an unproven tight ends room featuring two older transfers in seniors Elijah Lagg (UAB) and Carson Kent (Oklahoma). Redshirt freshman Max Hunt is the only returning tight end who recorded a statistic last fall.
Pitt will also need new receivers to emerge as playmakers after the Panthers lost the majority of their production to graduation and transfers.
Blue Hicks, who had 24 catches for 422 yards and four scores, is Pitt’s top returning receiver, while Bell also recruited a former player of his at Western Carolina, Malik Knight, to bolster the group.
With tailback Desmond Reid and receiver Poppi Williams serving as examples of fellow former Catamounts transfers to successfully make the jump from the FCS to the ACC, Bell has optimism in Knight’s ability to make a difference this fall.
But the door is wide open for other contributors to emerge, such as Censere Lee, whose 2025 campaign was derailed by injury and redshirt, or young returners Tony Kinsler, Tyreek Robinson and Bryce Yates.
Additionally, the Panthers brought in three true freshman wideouts, all of whom enrolled early, in Dylan Wester, Demetrice MrCray and Rodney Dunbar.
Out of that extended bunch, Bell believes impact players will emerge for Heintschel to distribute the ball.
“We’re not worried about playing our young guys because we think they have a lot of ability,” Bell said.