Pitt’s defensive ends room has been a position group disproportionately hit by injuries so far this season.
Jaeden Moore went down during fall camp and has yet to see a snap, while Blaine Spires who sported an arm cast early in the year and played through an ailment, was sidelined the last two weeks against Boston College and Florida State.
On Monday, coach Pat Narduzzi relayed that Zach Crothers has been lost for the season due to injury. Defensive back Nigel Maynard is also done for the year with a season-ending injury.
“Depth is not very good,” Narduzzi said of his defensive ends room. “It’s even more impressive (to) win on the road with four defensive ends travelling who could jump in the game. Depth wasn’t very good, but our guys hung in there.”
Pitt’s available personnel at defensive end more resembled a skeleton crew than viable rotation Saturday at Florida State, with Spires, Joey Zelinsky and Crothers all out.
As a result, Jimmy Scott, Nate Temple, Maverick Gracio and Isaiah Neal, who’s moved over from tackle to aid with depth issues, formed Pitt’s corps at end vs. the Seminoles.
“(Neal) has really stepped up a bunch,” Narduzzi said. “… (Neal) has done an unbelievable job.”
Despite the lack of depth, as Narduzzi alluded to, the Panthers managed a 34-31 win over their No. 25-ranked foe.
Crothers, a 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman, steadily climbed the depth chart during fall camp and had emerged as a significant contributor for Pitt on defense.
In the first four games of the season, he amassed 15 tackles (three for loss) with 1.5 sacks and a quarterback hurry.
Crothers shined in Week 2 vs. Central Michigan, posting seven tackles (two for loss) and 1.5 sacks.
As for Maynard, he was nursing a shoulder injury but was starting to see increased snaps on special teams, only for his campaign to end prematurely.
“Disappointed, obviously, to lose both those guys,” Narduzzi said. “But next man up.”
