Redshirt freshman safety Paris Ford did not travel with Pitt to El Paso, Texas for the 2018 Sun Bowl.
Pittsburgh Sports Now was able to confirm that Ford was not on the plane that took most of the Panthers from Pittsburgh to El Paso.
Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said last week that players were permitted to travel home for Christmas and players that were not spending Christmas in the Pittsburgh area would meet the team directly in El Paso. Narduzzi said when he landed in El Paso that he was expecting to have a full complement of players.
It’s not clear if Ford was supposed to fly with the team to El Paso or meet the team there. He missed the team’s first practice on Thursday.
Pitt recently began the process of moving Ford back to safety after he was using sparingly as a cornerback in 2018. Ford’s absence was first reported by Richie Walsh of KDKA-TV.
Stay with PSN for more on this developing story.
Should have been one of the starters (along with Hamlin) at safety this year. Too good too talented to not be on the field. Should have also been a major contributor as punt returner and KO returner. Dude is a stud player! Inexcusable for him not to have been a playmaker for PITT this year.
This is a very bad look for this coaching staff…
We have no idea why he’s not with the team right now, and the coaches have a much closer look at their players than we do. If he were such a stud that he needed to be out there, he would’ve been out there.
He clearly was a stud from the beginning if the players are saying he could’ve and should’ve made an impact at safety this year.
Transfer to D2 along with TE that left mid year? Aren’t they fight club buddies?