Inside The Panthers

Watch: Pitt RB Breaks Free for Long 4th Down TD

Pitt Panthers running back Desmond Reid broke out a long 4th down Touchdown.

James Carter

Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid gains yardage against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid gains yardage against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh-- Pitt Panthers junior running back Desmond Reid has displayed his speed throughout 2024 and did it again against Cal at Acrisure Stadium.

Facing a fourth-and-1 from their own 28-yard line, Panthers offensive coordinator Kade Bell decided to go bold in a situation where most would expect a sneak, or more conventionally a punt.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein handed the ball off to Reid, who burst through the gap on the right side and took it 72 yards in for the touchdown, which gave Pitt a 14-6 lead at the start of the second quarter.

This marks Reid's second touchdown of the game, the first coming on a 5-yard carry earlier in the first quarter. This also counts as Reid's longest touchdown of the season and of his career, his previous best was a 70-yard scamper last year with Western Carolina.

Reid's carry is the longest rushing touchdown for Pitt since Israel Abanikanda's 80-yard carry against Virginia Tech in 2022. Abanikanda set the program record and tied it with 320 rushing yards and six touchdowns, respectively, in the 45-29 win.

The run is important for Reid and the Panthers as Reid had only earned a total of 81 yards in his previous two contests against North Carolina and West Virginia. Reid has more than matched his total from those two games, as he has 92 rushing yards on six attempts, good for 15.3 yards an attempt.

Reid earned ACC Receiver of the Week honors for his performance in the 34-24 win over the Tar Heels on the road in Week 6, as he made 11 catches for 155 yards.

His best play came in the second quarter, with the Panthers down 7-3. Holstein found him for a pass over the middle of the field and Reid used his speed to go past almost every Tar Heels defender, besides one, going 72 yards to the seven-yard line.

Reid also earned ACC Running Back of the Week honors for his play vs. Cincinnati on the road in Week 2 in the River City Rivalry.

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.

His performance led Pitt from down 27-6 in the third quarter, to win 28-27, their largest comeback in more than 50 years.

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James Carter
JAMES CARTER

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