Gramlich and Mac Lain: Interview with Kenny Pickett

ACC Network’s Kelly Gramlich and Eric Mac Lain break down everything ACC football in on their podcast “Gramlich & Mac Lain.” On their most recent episode, the duo interview Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett.

To start, Pickett recapped Pitt’s season-opening 51-7 win over UMass. In the win, Pickett threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns, adding 39 rushing yards. Pickett particularly noted his excitement to play in front of a crowd again.

Rewinding to the 2020 season which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Pickett commented on the difference I and his reasoning for opting to return to Pitt for the 2021 season.

“There was a lot of reasons that went into it,” Pickett said. “But at the end of the day I kind of took all the emotions out of it and came down to a business decision, what would be best for my future and my family’s future and where do I se.”

Pickett added that Peyton Manning’s advice helped him make his decision

“I had a talk with Peyton Manning,” Pickett said. “I built a relationship with him through the Manning Camp and he was one of the people I reached out to to get advice from and he said ‘Where do you see yourself, what are the projections, what are you hearing’ and he ended up getting some information as well. After we fielded it, (Pickett’s draft projection) topped out at four, pretty consistent five. He was like ‘Is that where you see yourself’ and I said no and he said ‘I feel like that’s your answer right there'”

Pickett added that his belief in his team and the talent coming back on both sides of the ball was the second factor in his decision.

When asked about his favorite game of his Pitt career so far, Pickett recalls Pitt’s upset victory over Miami in 2017 and Pitt’s upset victory over UCF in 2019.

In Pickett’s freshman year, Pitt ended No. 2 ranked Miami’s undefeated season in a 24-14 upset win. In the victory, Kenny Pickett threw for 193 yards and one touchdown, adding 60 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground.

In 2019, Pitt defeated then 15-ranked UCF 35-34 with a trick play with under a minute left in the game. Down 34-28, Pitt ran a version of the ‘Philly Special’ called the ‘Pitt Special’ on fourth-down from the Miami three-yard line. Pickett caught the game-winning touchdown from wide receiver Aaron Matthews with just 56 seconds left in the game to defeat UCF by one point.

Pickett, Gramlich and Mac Lain then preview Pitt’s upcoming matchup with Tennessee on Sep. 11.

“Doesn’t really matter the team or conference,” Pickett said. “We know Tennessee’s a great team. So we’ll be up and ready for it.”

Click the link below to listen to Gramlich and Mac Lain’s full interview with Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett.

(CLICK HERE to listen to the newest episode of Gramlich & Mac Lain)

On this episode, Gramlich and Mac Lain also recap the final two ACC games from the weekend, Notre Dame’s thrilling and Louisville’s 43-24 loss to Ole Miss. The two also interviewed Pitt fifth-year quarterback Kenny Pickett. Pickett recaps Pitt’s Week One victory, why he returned to Pitt for the 2021 season, NIL, his favorite Pitt memories and Pitt’s upcoming game against Tennessee and more