Inside The Panthers

Pitt Loses Starting LT For Season

The Pitt Panthers have lost a starting offensive tackle for the season.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt Loses Starting LT For Season
Pitt Loses Starting LT For Season /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have suffered another devastating blow to their offensive line this week.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi announced at the beginning of this week that starting left tackle Matt Goncalves would be out for the rest of the season with an undisclosed injury. He was a third-team All-ACC selection in 2022 and had 23 career starts to his name. As a fifth-year senior, Goncalves has to decide whether he will return to school next season or pursue a career in professional football. 

Goncalves, Pitt's lone preseason first-team All-ACC selection, went down early in the fourth quarter of the Backyard Brawl. Training staff checked him out as he held his left shoulder. Redshirt freshman Ryan Bear checked in to replace him. Goncalves did not play against North Carolina and Bear started at right tackle in his place and Branson Taylor moved over to left tackle. 

The Panthers had already suffered some blows to its offensive line this season. The presumed starter at right guard, Ryan Jacoby, was lost to a season-ending injury during training camp.

Jason Collier Jr. replaced him in the season opener against Wofford, then true freshman B.J. Williams started the Cincinnati game. Williams did not travel to Morgantown, West Virginia after practicing earlier in the week. 

Starting center Jake Kradel also did not play against North Carolina and Terrance Moore took his place, making his first career start.  

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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