LOUISVILLE — Aside from the confirmed season-ending injuries to Carter Warren, Nate Temple and Rashad Battle, the only notable Pitt players not to make the trip to Louisville were Owen Drexel and Brandon George.
Drexel hasn’t seen the field since he picked up a lower-body injury in the fourth quarter of the Tennessee game, and George has missed a handful of games this season — including the last two games against Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.
Jake Kradel will once again make the start at center in the absence of Drexel, and Blake Zubovic will slide into Kradel’s vacated right guard spot, as has been the case since the Western Michigan game.
SirVocea Dennis, who picked up a knock of his own against Georgia Tech before the bye week, appears to be healthy and ready to resume his spot at Mike linebacker — without George backing him up.
Luke DelGaudio, Kyle Louis, Myles Canton, Dylan Bennett and Nick Lapi have also made the trip to Louisville.
Rodney Hammond Jr., after dressing against Georgia Tech before the bye week, also made the trip to Louisville, and it’s likely that he will make his return to the field for the first time since West Virginia in the season opener.
Konata Mumpfield made the trip, already declared a game-time decision by Pat Narduzzi earlier this week, and he did participate in Pitt’s pregame drills with the rest of the wide receiving corps.
Jaylon Barden, Myles Alston, Peter Vardzel and Gavin Thomson all made the trip to Louisville, along with the starting trio of Jared Wayne, Bub Means and Mumfield.
Nahki Johnson and Sean FitzSimmons are a few notable exclusions from the young defensive line travel roster, but Dayon Hayes has made the trip to Louisville. He hasn’t played since the Tennessee game. It remains unlikely that he will see the field.
