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Kenny Pickett knew he would miss some games with an ankle injury. But he also had a recovery plan and intended to be back in time to face Florida State. His return was just the spark Pittsburgh needed. Nick Patti had two touchdown runs, Pickett added a 10-yard TD run and the Panthers capitalized on short fields to defeat Florida State 41-17 on Saturday night, snapping a four-game losing streak. Pickett returned to the starting lineup after missing two games, losses to top-15 teams Miami and Notre Dame. The senior completed 21 of 27 passes for 210 yards, connecting with freshman Jordan Addison a season-high 11 times for 127 yards.

"I'm just not at 100 percent yet," Pickett said. "I had this game circled after it happened, I kind of knew this was the game where it would come back or at least plan to come back. A credit to our training staff and doctors. I was pretty much living with those guys to this moment. A lot of hard work went into it and it's just great to be back." Pickett said he was watching Florida State film, preparing for this game during the bye last week. With Pitt on the goal line twice in the first half, he yielded to Patti for touchdown runs from 1 and 2 yards for Pittsburgh (4-4, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference). But Pickett was efficient and showed little effects from the ankle injury. "Kenny Pickett is a tough, tough son of a gun," Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. "I didn't even know if he was going to go or not. He did go and he played hard. Obviously, he had a heavily taped up, braced ankle, but he's my MVP. Our offense ticks when he's out there." - AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) rSr/2022

QB Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
News Source: AP College Football
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11/05/20 - *Israel Abanikanda, Jr/2023, Pittsburgh, 5-10, 216 (DS#7 RB) + More +

Narduzzi said he won't abandon the running game, which repeatedly has failed this season. "We are going to continue to try and, eventually, just keep pounding that rock, pounding that rock," he said. "The first hit might not make it, but after that 115th, 200th, 2,000th hit on that stone, that thing will crack open. "We have to continue to push and work to dig through that thing." Pitt is ranked 93rd of 102 teams nationwide and 14th of 15 in the ACC, with an average of 98 rushing yards per game. Izzy Abanicanda has only 11 carries in the past four games, but Narduzzi remains patient with his freshman running back. "It's day by day. He's still a puppy," he said. "Sometimes, it just takes a little longer. It's a process and you have to trust the process, whether it's in the run game or having patience with your players. He's a great kid." - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

(DS#7 RB) Jr/2023

RB *Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh
News Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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11/02/20 - *Paris Ford, rJr/2021, Pittsburgh, 6-1, 197 (DS#13 SS) + More +

Pittsburgh's attempt to salvage what has become a disappointing season won't include safety Paris Ford. Coach Pat Narduzzi confirmed Monday that Ford, a redshirt junior, has opted out of the Panthers' final four games. "Paris is a tremendous football player, a tremendous person," Narduzzi said. "We wish him all the best in his endeavors as he moves on through this football world and the rest of his life." Ford spent a portion of the offseason wavering between playing and sitting out before joining the Panthers following a breakout 2019 in which he was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection after collecting three interceptions to go along with a team-high 97 tackles.

"All along, Paris has had these thoughts in his mind going back to last year in February when he decided to stay, and then there's all the opting out going on in the middle of summer during camp," Narduzzi said. "So he took a few days back then to think about it long and hard." Ford had three picks and 45 tackles for the Panthers (3-4, 2-4 ACC), who have dropped four straight following a 3-0 start heading into Saturday's visit to Florida State (2-4, 1-4). His is the second high-profile departure for Pitt's defense. Defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman, an All-American in 2019, decided over the summer to take the season off and prepare for the NFL draft. Narduzzi said he does not believe Pitt's slide played a factor into Ford's decision to move on. Asked if he believes Ford will be the last player to opt out, Narduzzi said: "I don't see that at all. But you know, I don't have a crystal ball, and you never know." - AP College Football

(DS#13 SS) rJr/2021

SS *Paris Ford, Pittsburgh
News Source: AP College Football
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10/24/20 - Phil Jurkovec, rSr/2024, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 243 (DS#31 QB) + More +

Phil Jurkovec threw for 145 yards and two Boston College touchdowns, adding 94 yards on the ground on Saturday as the Eagles greeted Georgia Tech by scoring on their first seven full possessions to win 48-27. Fresh off a 73-7 loss to top-ranked Clemson, the Yellow Jackets fumbled twice in the first half - including one that safety Mike Palmer returned 33 yards for a touchdown to make it 24-0. Jeff Sims responded with 32- and 33-yard TD passes, but the Georgia Tech defense wouldn't make its first stop until there were two minutes left in the third quarter. BC (4-2, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) beat the Yellow Jackets for the first time since 2007, when Matt Ryan led the Eagles to a win in a matchup of ranked teams. Georgia Tech (2-4, 2-3) had won the last three meetings and had never lost in Alumni Stadium. - Boston College/AP College Football

(DS#31 QB) rSr/2024

QB Phil Jurkovec, Pittsburgh
News Source: Boston College/AP College Football
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10/24/20 - Patrick Jones II, rSr/2021, Pittsburgh, 6-4, 261 (DS#7 DE) + More +

Pittsburgh defensive end Patrick Jones II has an FBS-best seven sacks, including three against both Louisville and Boston College. The two-time ACC defensive lineman of the week has helped the Panthers rank seventh nationally in total defense (274.7 yards). - AP College Football

(DS#7 DE) rSr/2021

DE Patrick Jones II, Pittsburgh
News Source: AP College Football
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10/21/20 - Phil Jurkovec, rSr/2024, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 243 (DS#31 QB) + More +

After a stunning 358-yard air-raid performance against Pittsburgh last week, BC just couldn't seem to connect on the long balls against Virginia Tech. Last week, Jurkovec tossed a couple of dimes to Zay Flowers on the run, one which went for 44 yards and the other which went for a staggering 77 yards. But when the Eagles got to Blacksburg, the deep ball connection disappeared. The combination of VT's stout pass rush-which sacked Jurkovec once-and a lockdown secondary kept BC from hitting explosive plays in the air. The Hokies' secondary notched six pass breakups and two interceptions on the night. The Eagles notched their longest completion of the night on a 43-yard pass to Jaelen Gill. Other than that, BC, which had previously found a weapon in Jurkovec's cannon of an arm, struggled immensely as Jurkovec threw into tight coverage deep down field. - The Heights

(DS#31 QB) rSr/2024

QB Phil Jurkovec, Pittsburgh
News Source: The Heights
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10/21/20 - Phil Jurkovec, rSr/2024, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 243 (DS#31 QB) + More +

There aren't many quarterbacks in college football attempting more passes a game than Boston College's Phil Jurkovec (38 per game). He has 1,181 yards (65.1%) with eight touchdowns and helped first-year coach Jeff Hafley reshape the team's offense without running back A.J. Dillon. Jurkovec will be looking to take advantage of a depleted Tech secondary that struggled against North Carolina. Divine Deablo's return to the lineup should give the group a boost, but he's not going to magically fix all the issues Tech had last week. - Roanoke Times

(DS#31 QB) rSr/2024

QB Phil Jurkovec, Pittsburgh
News Source: Roanoke Times
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10/17/20 - Patrick Jones II, rSr/2021, Pittsburgh, 6-4, 261 (DS#7 DE) + More +

Even after losing preseason All-American defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman, who opted out this season to prepare for the NFL Draft, Pitt is back on top of the national sack rankings. The Panthers are No. 1 with 25 sacks and third in average per game (five). That's a season after Pitt finished tied for second, with Wisconsin and SMU (a total of 51), and led the nation with 3.9 per game. Yet, defensive end Patrick Jones II, who already leads the nation with seven, doesn't allow talk in the meeting room to lose focus. "He's quick to shut that down before it becomes a distraction," Partridge said. "He's extremely serious."

Football can be fun, mainly when a team is winning, but Jones said, "I don't think of it like a joke. I take it serious like a job. "It's something I just do and impress upon other people. You take the game like that, it's going to help you get a bigger paycheck when it's time to do that." Jones and Pitt's other bookend, Rashad Weaver, have combined for 111/2 sacks this season, one more than Twyman recorded in 13 games last year. All three men are considered among the top defensive linemen who will be available in the NFL Draft in 2021. Before that can happen, though, Jones and Weaver need to keep making the big, game-changing plays that could help pull Pitt out of its two-game losing streak. They get a chance to showcase their skills Saturday when Pitt visits No. 13 Miami. - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

(DS#7 DE) rSr/2021

DE Patrick Jones II, Pittsburgh
News Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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10/16/20 - Kenny Pickett, rSr/2022, Pittsburgh, 6-3, 219 (DS#1 QB) + More +

Kenny Pickett didn't play his best at Boston College, but it was no doubt a gutsy performance. The third-year starting quarterback ran 14 times and took some hits, including one that briefly forced him out of the game and into the medical tent. Pickett picked up an apparent ankle injury and returned to the game after two offensive plays and a defensive series. He's "banged up" now, Narduzzi said. But Pickett's health was "a lot better" on Sunday than the coach expected it to be. "The one thing I know about Kenny is he's tough as can be," Narduzzi said. "It's going to be hard to hold him out."

If Pickett is deemed unable to go - or if he re-aggravates the injury at Miami - it'll be either Arizona State transfer Joey Yellen or class of 2019 signee Davis Beville replacing him. When Pickett left the game at Boston College, Yellen entered the game. And when Pickett got the wind knocked out of him against N.C. State, it was Beville who took over for a play. Narduzzi is unsure, though, which quarterback would come in for Pickett at Miami. It's too early in the week to tell. "It depends on how good of a week every quarterback has. Whichever quarterback has the best week will be the guy who comes in," Narduzzi said. "I wish we had a true Number 2 right now, but we don't." - Pittsburgh Post Gazette

(DS#1 QB) rSr/2022

QB Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
News Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette
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10/14/20 - Jimmy Morrissey, rSr/2021, Pittsburgh, 6-3, 303 (DS#6 C) + More +

The last time Pitt lineman Jimmy Morrissey played guard in a game was his freshman year at La Salle College High School outside Philadelphia. So Saturday was a bit different for the first-team All-ACC center. No, your eyes didn't deceive you. Morrissey was moved from snapping duties to right guard against Boston College after Jake Kradel, Pitt's regular right guard, suffered a minor injury in practice this past week on a "freak play," Narduzzi said. Kradel could have played, but the coaching staff didn't want to risk his health and possibly lose him for the season. The Butler native traveled with the team, and Narduzzi said he expects him to be back in the lineup next week at Miami. So, Pitt offensive line coach Dave Borbely approached Morrissey about playing guard this week. The two-time captain obliged, saying he'd do "whatever the team needs." Redshirt junior Owen Drexel started at center, and the two played well given the circumstances. - Pittsburgh Post Gazette

(DS#6 C) rSr/2021

C Jimmy Morrissey, Pittsburgh
News Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette
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10/12/20 - Patrick Jones II, rSr/2021, Pittsburgh, 6-4, 261 (DS#7 DE) + More +

OCT 12 ACC DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK: Patrick Jones II, Pitt, Sr., DE, Chesapeake, Va.,...Continued to solidify his status as one of the top pass rushers in the country in Saturday's 31-30 overtime loss at Boston College...Collected three sacks for losses totaling 40 yards...Now owns an ACC-best seven sacks on the season and ranks seventh nationally with an average of 1.40 sacks per game. - ACC Football

(DS#7 DE) rSr/2021

DE Patrick Jones II, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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10/12/20 - Phil Jurkovec, rSr/2024, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 243 (DS#31 QB) + More +

OCT 12 ACC CO-QUARTERBACK OF THE WEEK: Phil Jurkovec, Boston College, So., QB, Pittsburgh, Pa.,...Playing against the team for which he grew up cheering, Jurkovec led Boston College to a thrilling 31-30 overtime victory over Pitt...Finished 19-for-35 passing for 358 yards with three touchdowns plus one rushing score...His 25-yard TD pass to Zay Flowers in overtime proved to be the difference...Jurkovec's 1,181 yards passing are the most by any BC quarterback over his first four games in school history...Also holds the record for the most completions (99) and passing touchdowns (8) over the first four games of any player in BC history. - ACC Football

(DS#31 QB) rSr/2024

QB Phil Jurkovec, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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10/12/20 - SirVocea Dennis, Sr/2023, Pittsburgh, 6-1, 226 (DS#9 ILB) + More +

OCT 12 ACC LINEBACKER OF THE WEEK: SirVocea Dennis, Pitt, So., OLB, Syracuse, N.Y.,...Making his first collegiate start, registered a game-high 11 tackles - including 4.5 tackles for loss - with a sack assist against Boston College...The single-game tackle-for-loss total is the highest by an ACC defender this year and is tied for the most nationally. - ACC Football

(DS#9 ILB) Sr/2023

ILB SirVocea Dennis, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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10/12/20 - Phil Jurkovec, rSr/2024, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 243 (DS#31 QB) + More +

Boston College has developed a passing combination that is tough to match in the ACC. Eagles quarterback Phil Jurkovec completed three touchdown passes to wide receiver Zay Flowers including a 25-yard in overtime in a 31-30 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday at Alumni Stadium. "It started way back last spring, we started connecting and talking and it really came together when we got back after quarantine break," said Flowers, who finished with six receptions for 163 yards. "That's when we really built the connection and now we are just going." BC (3-1, 2-1 ACC) got the ball first in the extra frame and faced a third-and-10 from the 25 when Jurkovec found Flowers in the end zone for the third time. Pitt needed 11 plays, twice converting on fourth down, to score on a slant pass from Kenny Pickett to Taysir Mack. BC won the game when Alex Kessman's extra point attempt sailed wide right. "I was coming off the edge and I almost blocked it," said cornerback Brandon Sebastian. "Then I looked and went 'oh my god he missed, he shanked it,' and I was just screaming." Jurkovec completed 19-of-35 for 358 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first BC quarterback to pass for over 300 yards in each of his first four games. - Boston Herald

(DS#31 QB) rSr/2024

QB Phil Jurkovec, Pittsburgh
News Source: Boston Herald
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10/10/20 - Phil Jurkovec, rSr/2024, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 243 (DS#31 QB) + More +

Phil Jurkovec threw three touchdown passes to Zay Flowers - the last a 25-yarder in overtime - and ran for a score as Boston College beat Pittsburgh 31-30 on Saturday night when the Panthers missed an extra-point attempt to end the game. Jurkovec, a sophomore transfer from Notre Dame, was 19 of 35 for 358 yards passing as the Eagles (3-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) rebounded from a frustrating close loss to then-No. 12 North Carolina. Flowers had six catches for 162 yards.

Kenny Pickett completed 25 of 48 passes for 266 yards for Pittsburgh (3-2, 2-2). He threw two TD passes, ran for a score, and then limped off the field late in the third quarter but returned in the next series to throw an interception. On BC-s first possession in OT, Jurkovec threw a strike down the middle to Flowers in the end zone on third-and-10. Pickett hit Taysir Mack with a 3-yard TD pass, but Alex Kessman missed wide right on the PAT. He had hit a 58-yard field goal with 40 seconds left in regulation. BC-s Aaron Boumerhi was wide left on a 52-yarder as time expired to force overtime. Pittsburgh rallied from a 10-point deficit. - Boston College/AP College Football

(DS#31 QB) rSr/2024

QB Phil Jurkovec, Pittsburgh
News Source: Boston College/AP College Football
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