I honestly don’t know, and don’t think anyone will know until Pitt’s offense takes the field on Monday Night.
Here’s Coach Paul Chryst’s comments on Isaac Bennett.
“He did some stuff yesterday in practice. He obviously missed quite a bit of time, so it’s too early to tell if he’ll be ready. But he was able to go through some things yesterday. We’ll see how he comes back today.”
Now, James Conner.
“He practiced some yesterday, so we’ll see where he’s at during practice today.”
These are the closed practices, so what that means is unknown. They could have just stretched with the team and done light jogging on the side. Or they could have been in there doing contact drills.
The point is, he essentially said the same thing for both. And said the same nothing about both.
Obviously this is by design. Coach Chryst showed last year that he falls into the category of coaches that feels revealing injury status of players is disclosing key information to an opponent.
Bennett hurt his knee well over two weeks ago, and no one even knows the nature of the injury. Only that he was wearing a brace around it.
Conner hurt his shoulder during practice. He tweeted later that it was fine, but who really knows.
So what now?
After Bennett and Crockett, Pitt has redshirt sophomore Malcolm Crockett, freshman Rachid Ibrahim and redshirt senior Desmond Brown, a former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship this past spring.
Of that group, only Crockett has recorded a rushing attempt in a college game. Last season he carried the ball 12 times for 50 yards; seven of those carries came in Pitt’s win over Gardner-Webb, and the other five came in the Panthers’ loss to Ole Miss in the BBVA Compass Bowl.
Crockett’s biggest concern is that he has not shown to be sure-handed.
The problem, as I have repeated, is that we don’t actually know. Conner and even Bennett may be fine. It may be extra caution and a little gamesmanship. Or they could both be still too banged up, but Chryst isn’t going to say.
All that is left is speculation and worry at the running back.
Crazy how he holds up carrying the load all the way through his freshman camp… then gets hurt diving trying to make a tackle during the last scrimmage.
Regardless… get ready to see Tyler Boyd getting handed the ball at least a couple of times.
It happened right at my feet.
Would love to see Des Brown have a nice game. Or Bennett. Or Conner. Or Crockett. (Or Savage)
Go Pitt.
Throw a couple of “ehs” in there and I would have thought he was a friggin’ hockey coach.
Nevertheless, GO PITT!
The improved OL is going to make a big impact. If the wholes are there, they can get someone to run through them.
If this happened I think Savage Boyd and Street have the talent to the best passing attack at Pitt since you name it, marino dawkins and collins (wake me up)or maybe not.
Go Pitt.
But I’m all for Boyd being the 2nd coming of Larry Fitz or Antonio Bryant.
Both were the best receiver in college football in their respective years.
Gordon, not so much. Neither Dawkins or Jones had much a pro career after leaving Pitt. Marino didn’t have great WR’s, imo. John Brown might have been the best of the lot and he was a TE.
d Day invasion. (That worked out alright didn’t it.) Seriously I think we may not know who will run the ball until the game is underway. HTP!
Come game time we see Bennett and Conner both on the sidelines in street clothes and Desmond Brown is out there with the ones on our opening drive. I sure as Hell hope not, but we ain’t going to learn anything from hanging on every word from Chryst over the next week.
I’m actually more concerned if Chris Blewitt is back in practice going full steam ahead or not. We need him on kickoffs.