Pitt RB Rodney Hammond Returns After Discipline

Pitt Panthers running back Rodney Hammond is back after he was declared ineligible in 2024.

Nov 16, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Rodney Hammond Jr. (6) scores on a sixty-five yard touchdown run against the Boston College Eagles during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers senior running back Rodney Hammond Jr. hasn't played a down at all in 2024, but he will return this weekend against North Carolina.

The program revealed that Hammond was declared ineligible for the 2024 season prior to first game, but head coach Pat Narduzzi announced that Hammond would return in his most recent press conference for their game vs. UNC.

Narduzzi didn't specify why he was suspended in the first place nor how he had the chance to come back and play. He also said that he found out he would come back on Wednesday.

Hammond came to Pitt from Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Va. He ran for more than 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns and made six interceptions in the secondary. He committed to Pitt on Nov. 21, 2019, with 247Sports ranking him as a three-star, No. 51 athlete and No. 18 recruit in Virginia, while Rivals had him at No. 13 in his state and No. 38 running back in the Class of 2021. 

He played in 12 games as a true freshman in 2021, with 102 carries for 504 yards and five touchdowns, along with eight catches for 57 yards and two touchdowns. His play helped Pitt win their first ACC Championship and made the Peach Bowl. 

Hammond had 17 carries for 100 yards in a win against New Hampshire at home in Week 4 and 16 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown against Duke on the road in Week 10. He also had a touchdown catch against Wake Forest in the ACC Championship game.

He would play in eight games and make two starts at running back in 2022, missing five games after suffering an injury against West Virginia in the season opener. He finished the season with 109 carries for 460 yards and five touchdowns, plus six catches for 73 yards. 

Hammond played in all 12 games and started six in 2023, with 118 carries for a team-high 547 yards and four touchdowns plus eight catches for 60 yards.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi named Western Carolina transfer/junior Desmond Reid as the starter for their season opener against Kent State at Acrisure Stadium.

Reid has a sensational 2024 season, leading Pitt with 10 rushes for 145 yards and returning a punt for a 78-yard touchdown against Kent State. He also broke through their defense for a 46-yard rushing touchdown, running right past any defender that came remotely near him.

Reid had an even better game against Cincinnati in the River City Rivalry on the road in Week 2 on Sept. 7.

He finished with six catches for 106 receiving yards and a touchdown and had 19 carries for 148 yards, recording the first game a Pitt player had 100+ yards receiving and rushing. His best play came in the fourth quarter, as he took a pass from Holstein and ran 56 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead down to just two points.

Reid earned ACC Running Back of the Week honors for that performance, and led Pitt on a comeback, down 27-6 in the third quarter, to win 28-27, their largest comeback in more than 50 years.

He didn't have nearly as impressive of stats in the 38-34 comeback win vs. West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl in Week 3 on Sept. 14 at home, but still made two touchdown catches of nine yards and 19 yards, both from redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein.

Reid missed the last game against Youngstown State on Sept. 21, but Narduzzi revealed he would return for the game vs. North Carolina.

He and Hammond will likely have most of the snaps, while redshirt junior Derrick Davis Jr. will come in at third string.

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