It was announced on December 13 that USC Trojans quarterback Kedon Slovis was entering the transfer portal, the latest high-profile quarterback to do so.
The Phoenix-area native had been the starting quarterback for the Trojans for the past three seasons, taking over as a true freshman, playing the entire COVID-shortened 2020 season, and then starting nine games this past season before he was injured. Over the course of his USC career, he threw for 7,576 yards, 58 TDs, and 24 interceptions. He left USC as No. 7 on the school’s passing yards list and tied for fifth on the touchdown list.
While some might have expected Slovis to stay on the West Coast, it looks like he’s headed east. Per Bruce Feldman, Slovis is transferring to the Pittsburgh Panthers, where he’ll likely replace Heisman finalist Kenny Pickett next season. Pickett has opted out of the Peach Bowl as he prepares to go pro.
Pitt had a stellar season winning the ACC this year, going 11-2, and winning the conference. The addition of Slovis into the mix could keep the conference on notice.
“USC will always be a special place to me,” Slovis wrote in an announcement post on The Players Tribune. “But now it’s time for me to start a new chapter. For my next two years of eligibility, I’ll be playing quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh.
“I was so excited when Coach Narduzzi called because I knew that Pitt and this program were the right fit for me to keep developing into the best leader I can be. I’m ready to win now — and talking to the players who are returning, and seeing how hungry they are for next season, that got me pumped. They have a lot of talented players coming back. And, man … getting to throw the ball to the guy who just won the Biletnikoff?? That’s something you don’t pass up. The culture and identity that Coach Narduzzi has created is everything I want to be a part of.”
According to Irish Illustrated’s Tom Loy, Slovis chose Pitt over Notre Dame.
There were plenty of big reactions on Twitter regarding Slovis’s decision, especially from Pitt fans looking to keep the momentum going with their program.
Big get as USC quarterback Kedon Slovis transfers to Pitt. Slovis broke out as a true freshman in 2019, throwing for 3,502 yards, 30 touchdowns and 9 interceptions that year and earning Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors. https://t.co/UySLWyVmX4
— Johnny McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) December 21, 2021
Monster pickup for Pitt football https://t.co/zvjAF4iWGi
— Mike Fenner (@Fenner_6) December 21, 2021
That’s a big one. https://t.co/V1Ftk4xbFE
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 21, 2021
The bar is pretty high for Slovis to repeat the success that Kenny Pickett had in 2021. We’ll see if he’s able to live up to the hype and fend off the other potential starters already on campus in Pittsburgh.