Inside The Panthers

Pitt's Dayon Hayes Gives Stunning Reason for Transfer

Dayon Hayes left the Pitt Panthers because he was not confident in their ability to win now.

Stephen Thompson

Pittsburgh Panthers Dayon Hayes (50) reacts after sacking Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Emory
Pittsburgh Panthers Dayon Hayes (50) reacts after sacking Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Emory / Michael Longo/For USA Today Network /

PITTSBURGH -- Former Pitt Panthers defensive end didn't leave his decision to transfer from his hometown school open to any interpretation.

In an interview with Chris Carter of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Hayes laid out his reasoning for leaving Pitt in the plainest terms possible - he is not optimistic about the direction of the program as he enters what is likely his last year of college football.

“It’s just that I don’t believe we can win now,” Hayes told Carter. “I believe we [were going to] win games, but I believe we are [in] a developmental stage. And I just can’t do that right now.”

Carter reported further that Alliance 412, the main NIL collective supporting Pitt athletes, had offered Hayes "one of the highest-paying NIL deals on the team for the 2024 season," as a sign that they valued him and believed he would be one of the best players on the team this coming season. Carter added that a source said Hayes had been voicing concerns about the state of the offense, which struggled mightily in 2023 and made an offensive coordinator change, bringing in Kade Bell to replace Frank Cignetti, along with four other new position coaches.

Hayes was one of the most disruptive players along the defensive line for the Panthers last season, but his numbers and that of the whole unit lagged behind what this program has become accustomed to seeing from it's front seven. Hayes led the team in tackles for loss with 10.5 and was third in sacks with 4. He made 45 total tackles and defended four passes.

Hayes leaves behind a thin defensive end room. He was projected to start this season alongside Kansas State transfer Nate Matlack, but now, with fellow veteran Nate Temple out for the season with a lower body injury, it falls upon an inexperienced group comprised of Jimmy Scott, Sincere Edwards and others to fill in the gaps.

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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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