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Pitt Football Practice Sights and Sounds: Week 13

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PITTSBURGH — On one of the coldest days of the 2017 season thus far, the Panthers took practice indoors on Monday as they prepared for their 2017 season finale against Miami at Heinz Field this Friday.

The indoor environment was probably appropriate, as the weather for Friday is forecast to be sunny, with high temperatures in the high 40s.

Inside, the Panthers were not practicing with their full-contact shells, instead donning what they call “spider” pads, which are just the soft parts of their usual attire. It makes for a less physical practice with the Panthers having one fewer day to prepare for the Hurricanes than they normally would.

TOP OF THE CHART?

Pitt has not yet released its depth chart for the Miami game Friday, and practice was no indication, as there didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to which quarterback — Ben DiNucci or Kenny Pickett — was working with the first team Monday morning.

PREP SCHOOL

Thomas MacVittie throws a pass in Pitt practice. — ALAN SAUNDERS

One of the things the Panthers will miss out on by not making a bowl game after the 2017 season is a month of practices in December.

That time period is very useful, particularly when it comes to players changing positions or roles on the team, to get a jump start on the next year.

It’s been widely speculated that redshirt freshman quarterback Thomas MacVittie’s future might be at a different position, and with no bowl practice to make a position switch, Pitt coaches could have gotten a head start on making a move, but he was still working out at quarterback on Monday.

BOSS MAN

Nate Bossory at Pitt practice. — ALAN SAUNDERS

Walk-on tight end and back-up long snapper Nate Bossory had a sling on right shoulder during practice, after dislocating it while catching a touchdown pass on a fake field goal during Saturday’s game.

A senior, Bossory’s Panthers career is over, but he was still on the field working out with his teammates. The former Air Force transfer joked after practice that he was just holding himself to prepare for the NFL.

Here’s another look at Bossory’s grab:

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

Check out the rest of the sights and sounds of Pitt’s Monday practice:

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
 
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