At the start of camp I mentioned that with the number of injured players from last year, it could be counted on that the local media would be doing stories on each of them coming back this year.
With that in mind, a couple of severe knee injury stories from each side of the line.
On the D-Line it was Gus Mustakas who had a torn ACL in the left knee.
“I think it will take him a little while to play at the level he was playing and get comfortable again,” Pitt defensive line coach Greg Gattuso said of Mustakas. “Everybody that has injuries of that severity has work to do to get to that level again. But he’ll be fine. He’s tough, smart and understands it. I think it’ll take a game or two.
“The nice thing is, whatever minutes he can give me in a game are bonus minutes right now. He has to get to a high level – he knows it – because of the talent level of the others.”
For the O-line it was Chris Jacobson with a torn patella tendon in the right knee.
Tony Wise, Pitt’s new offensive line coach, said Jacobson is making progress.
“He is feeling more comfortable every day,” Wise said. “As he twists and turns his body, things like that. There’s really not much hesitation.”
Both are coming back to squads with a bit more depth.
The silver lining is that with Mustakas and [Mick] Williams, Pitt has the opportunity to use a rotation to keep them fresh. That’s quite a difference from two seasons ago, when Mustakas played every snap against Rutgers, West Virginia and Connecticut. Mustakas is a strong pass rusher, but Williams is better against the run.
Not to mention that taking a medical redshirt has allowed Mustakas another year to grow into his frame, especially after being forced to play defensive end as a 17-year-old true freshman.
And.
Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said Jacobson could be the first reserve off the bench for Malecki or left guard C.J. Davis.
“I think (Jacobson) is going to be a solid guy,” Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. “We need him to play. If we can get him to the point where he can be the swing guard, that would be a big bonus.”
That Wannstedt is already saying how Pitt needs him for the line as a reserve is actually reassuring. It means that O-Line coach Tony Wise’s comments last week about wanting just the top-5 guys always playing is already being scaled back a bit.
