By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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Expectations are now high for Pittsburgh, a projected contender in the ACC Coastal Division.

Heading into Pat Narduzzi’s second year, Pittsburgh has better familiarity and stability as the season approaches. The Panthers, in transition, won six conference games a year ago and reached the eight-win mark during the regular season. Expectations are now high for Pittsburgh, a projected contender in the ACC Coastal Division. Leading the way, as various pre-season lists will validate, is considerable star power.

Production aside, the return all-everything running back James Conner, now cancer-free, is college football’s best story. Diagnosed late in 2015 with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, the 6’2”, 240-pound man-beyond-his-years has inspired many with his perseverance and fight. Conner is also fully recovered from a torn MCL that sidelined him in last fall’s season opener. His presence is a powerful one.

On the field, Conner led the league with a staggering 1,765 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2014. He had three 200-yard games two years ago and finished with the third-most rushing scores in the country. Conner was a punishing runner, an unstoppable force and, ultimately, the ACC Player of the Year.

With Conner out last season, the Panthers turned to a freshman in the offensive backfield. Qadree Ollison responded with 1,121 yards and eleven touchdowns. He ran for 207 yards and a score in his first-ever college game. Ollison earned second-team All-ACC honors, joining the likes of Dalvin Cook, Wayne Gallman and Elijah Hood as the conference’s feature backs.

Conner and Ollison are poised to run behind one of the nation’s most powerful offensive lines, a group led by all-conference returnees Adam Bisnowaty and Dorian Johnson. The accomplished seniors brings experience and toughness to the tackle and guard positions, respectively. Bisnowaty, 6’6”, 300 pounds, could be a first-round pick in next spring’s NFL Draft.

Back on National Signing Day, Pittsburgh’s biggest addition proved to be a holdover as the NCAA granted pass rusher Ejuan Price a sixth-year. One of the nation’s best edge defenders, Price compiled 19.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks this past year. His season was full of breakout performances, from a record five-sack showcase against Louisville to his touchdown versus Notre Dame. Price finished third in ACC Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Like Ollison on offense, safety Jordan Whitehead had an impressive freshman debut. His introduction included a team-high 108 tackles, six tackles for loss, six pass break-ups and, for good measure, 122 rushing yards and two offensive scores. Whitehead, a physical presence out of the defensive backfield, had the third-most solo stops in the league.

Playing for a successful first-year head coach, Ollison was the ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year and Whitehead was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year while claiming the overall billing.

Helping tie the talent together is quarterback Nate Peterman, a Tennessee-transfer who threw 20 touchdown passes compared to just eight interceptions in 2015.

The end result is a talented and tested group, one capable of making a run to Charlotte for the conference championship game. With a number of proven playmakers leading the way, the Panthers could be one of the league’s most talked about teams this fall.