LASVEGASNOW

PITTSBURGH (AP) Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett took the snap, looked to his right and heaved the ball toward the corner of the end zone. When wide receiver Tre Tipton outwrestled a teammate for a 22-yard touchdown, Pickett and Tipton reunited at the goal line and celebrated with an intricate and deftly executed handshake, complete with a shimmy at the end.

The 22-yard connection - the second of two touchdowns passes from Pickett to Tipton - during the Blue/Gold scrimmage on Saturday served as the exclamation point of a spring the Panthers believe signaled a positive step forward for a passing game that struggled to make any sort of impact in 2018.

Though Pitt reached the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game for the first time last fall behind a brawny rushing attack, it wasn't enough for Shawn Watson to keep his job as offensive coordinator. Head coach Pat Narduzzi lured Mark Whipple - whose previous stops included Massachusetts, Miami and the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers - out of semi-retirement and tasked him with bringing balance to an offense that finished next to last in the 14-team ACC in yards passing per game.