University of Pittsburgh Athletics
The Schnable Scoop: Why I Think Censere Lee Is Poised For a Breakout Season
8/16/2026 10:00:00 AM | Football, General
The night before training camp, Censere "CJ" Lee couldn't sleep. He was too excited.
He missed last year's camp entirely, sidelined by an injury from the 2024 season. He got limited reps once he returned late last year, but he never felt like he showed what he could really do. This camp is his chance to change that.
Lee called day one "the perfect day" — a strange way to describe three hours of practice in a downpour and thick humidity. It made more sense by day two.
Pitt's coaching staff hands out stickers for explosive plays and turnovers during camp — "BLURRR" for offense, "TAKEAWAYS" for defense.
After one practice, Lee had two. After two practices, four. By day eight, 11. His helmet is stacked front to back, and they have started adding stickers to the sides because there's no room left up top.
That might not sound like much. But it usually takes an entire training camp to fill a helmet. Pitt hadn't even played its first scrimmage yet, and Lee was already running out of space.
Head coach Pat Narduzzi has noticed the difference, too.
"I can't say enough good things about him, not just one day of practice, but really all summer," Narduzzi said. "He's more mature. I think he can be a different guy than he was last year. He knows this is his opportunity, and I think he's going to take it and go with it."
If the stickers and the praise from his head coach aren't enough to convince you, look at the numbers.
Lee followed offensive coordinator Kade Bell to Pitt after two seasons at Western Carolina, where he played in 22 games, started 14 and put up 82 catches for 1,426 yards and 14 touchdowns.
He didn't match that production in his first year at Pitt, but he was also coming off the bench. Even so, his 13.4 yards per reception ranked second on the team behind Konata Mumpfield, and his 65.6% reception rate was second-best on the roster — better than some of the starters ahead of him.
Then the injury hit. He missed the final three games of that season and played in just four games in 2025, finishing with five catches for 86 yards.
Coming back from injury is never easy. Lee knows that better than anyone.
"I don't think I got to display what I'm really capable of since I got here because I've been hurt battling injuries," Lee said. "So this will be the year. I'm stronger, faster, better right now. Smarter — I understand the game more. So it'll be way more than what people are expecting. I'm ready to show it."
He'll get his shot. Blue Hicks is the only returning starter at receiver, and the other two spots are wide open. Sophomores Bryce Yates and Tony Kinsler are right alongside him in the battle as is transfer Malik Knight.
Lee looks like the front-runner in the slot — a new position for him after playing outside receiver his entire career.
"I love competition," Lee said. "I thrive off of it. Makes me better. If I don't feel like I have competition, I'm making it up somehow, just because I need to. That's what pushes players, and that's honestly what makes players better. You're only as strong as your weakest link, and our weakest link is amazing."
That competition matters because of what's waiting at the slot.
Raphael "Poppi" Williams manned the position the past two seasons and, per Pro Football Focus, saw 80-plus targets each year.
Quarterback Mason Heintschel likes to spread the ball around, but Williams was still a consistent target throughout. It's fair to expect a similar volume for whoever takes that spot. If Lee is already stacking BLURRR stickers, it means he and Heintschel are already connecting on explosive plays before the season has even started.
Strip away the stats and the stickers, and the biggest difference might just be how Lee carries himself. He looks more confident. More sure of who he is on the field.
If camp is any indication, Lee is going to need a second helmet for his stickers before long. And Pitt is going to have a good answer for anyone worried about replacing two starters at receiver.
