Pitt Loses OL to Transfer Portal

The Pitt Panthers saw one of their offensive lineman enter the transfer portal

Oct 14, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A Pittsburgh Panthers helmet on the sidelines against / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers lost one of their offensive lineman to the transfer portal, as the roster continues to change following the end of spring practices.

Dorien Ford departed the program, according to Rivals, after spending three seasons with the program. Ford played for nearby Baldwin high school, a suburb south of Pittsburgh, and came into Pitt as a three-star prospect.

247Sports ranked him as the No. 59 defensive lineman and No. 13 in Pennsylvania in the Class of 2021, respectively, while On3 ranked him as the No. 41 defensive lineman and also the No. 13 recruit in Pennsylvania in the Class of 2021, respectively.

Ford joined the Panthers as a defensive tackle, but after redshirting his first season and playing just one game in 2022, he chose to transition to the offensive line ahead of last season.

He would see the field more, playing in 10 games, but mainly just as a reserved guard and on the PAT/field goal units.

Ford is the second offensive lineman to transfer from Pitt following the end of spring practices, joining walk-on George French II in leaving for the portal. He is the third offensive lineman overall, as Trey Andersen transferred back home to play for Utah State after the end of the regular season.

Ford is the seventh scholarship player and eighth overall to depart from the Panthers following the end of spring practices. He joins wide receiver Israel Polk, quarterback Christian Veilleux, tight end Cole Mitchell and French on offense, as well as defensive ends in Dayon Hayes and Antonio Camon, plus linebacker Solomon DeShields.

The remaining scholarship offensive linemen on the Panthers include sixth years in Ryan Jacoby and Jason Collier, redshirt senior Branson Taylor, redshirt juniors Terrence Moore, Terrence Enos Jr. and NC State transfer Lyndon Cooper, redshirt sophomores Ryan Baer, Isaiah Montgomery and Jackson Brown, sophomore BJ Williams, redshirt freshmen Tai Ray and Ryan Carretta and incoming freshmen Caleb Holmes, Jiavanni Cooley, Adham Abouraya, Mason Lindsay and Moritz Schmoranzer.

Pitt is at 86 scholarships ahead of next season, but with sixth year defensive lineman Nate Temple out for the season with an injury, it is at 85 scholarships, the limit allowed on a roster. With Pitt offering many players in the transfer portal as of late, expect more players to leave the program.

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