Kade Bell named Pitt’s new offensive coordinator

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pitt has named its new offensive coordinator for the Panthers’ football team.

The team announced the hiring of Kade Bell on Sunday, who comes to Pittsburgh after leading the Western Carolina offense for the past three years.

Bell, who will also serve as the team’s quarterbacks coach, was referred to as ‘one of college football’s most dynamic and aggressive offensive minds’ by head coach Pat Narduzzi. 

“Kade’s offensive approach—relentlessly fast and aggressive—is everything a defensive coordinator hates to face and the type of system our players will absolutely love,” Narduzzi said. “He’s an incredibly creative play caller who is widely regarded as one of the brightest young coaches in the country. Beyond ‘Xs and Os,’ Kade understands and greatly values relationship-building with his players and fellow coaches. On and off the field, Kade Bell will make us better.”

The Western Carolina offense, run by Bell, average over 500 yards per game last season, ranking first in all of the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision. 

Western Carolina also ranked third in the FCS in passing offense with 321 yards per game and fourth in the FCS in scoring with 37 points per game. 

In the 52 games that Bell was in charge of the offense for at Western Carolina, the team had more than 500 yards on 31 different occasions.

Bell’s hiring as offensive coordinator comes in the wake of the team’s firing of Frank Cignetti, Jr., who led the offense for two seasons.

This year, the Panthers finished the season 3-9, which was their worst record since going 2-9 in 1998.