Cal Adomitis named to Patrick Mannelly Award watch list

Pitt long snapper Cal Adomitis was honored on Monday with a spot on the Patrick Mannelly Award watch list. The award, which was first given in 2019, is intended to recognize the best long snapper in college football, and it is named for Duke alumnus and retired Chicago Bears long snapper Patrick Mannelly.

Adomitis, a 6’2”, 235-pound Pittsburgh native, is entering his senior season at Pitt and his fourth as the team’s starting long snapper, as he secured the role ahead of the 2017 season as a true freshman. Since then, Adomitis has appeared in all 39 of the Panthers’ games and become a fixture in the middle of the Pitt line during punts and field goals. He has also recorded a total of 10 tackles in his career.

The Pitt senior is one of just 20 long snappers in the country included on the watch list released on Monday. Of the 20 athletes on the watch list, 14 are from Power Five programs and three are from the ACC. The other two representatives of the ACC on the list include Duke’s Ben Wyatt and Louisville’s Mitch Hall.

In 2019, the award went to Notre Dame long snapper John Shannon. Ohio State’s Liam McCullough and Iowa State’s Steven Wirtel joined Shannon as finalists for the award last season, and all three have since moved on from college football. Wirtel is currently on the Detroit Lions roster, McCullough was recently cut by the Las Vegas Raiders and Shannon entered a career in law enforcement after winning the inaugural award.

Ten semifinalists for the award will be selected on Nov. 16. Then, three finalists will be selected on Nov. 27, and the winner of the second Patrick Mannelly Award is set to be announced on Dec. 12. Last year, former Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt was a member of the award's selection committee, as was NCAA writer Phil Steele and the award's namesake. It is unclear if the committee will be changed in 2020.