Pitt HC Jeff Capel Updates Status of John Hugley, William Jeffress, and Dior Johnson

Ahead of Pitt’s game against Notre Dame on Tuesday night, head coach Jeff Capel offered updates on several Panthers who have spent most of this year off the court.

Capel said that John Hugley, last year’s leading scorer, is not practicing with the team. In mid-January, Hugley announced that he would be sitting out the rest of the year to focus on his mental health and injury rehabilitation. After starting the year out due to a knee injury, Hugley averaged eight points and 3.6 rebounds per game in limited action.

Over the weekend, Hugley’s high school coach Chet Mason posted a video on Twitter of Hugley working out with future Pitt wing Marlon Barnes, who is currently at Brush High School.

Marlon @marlonbarnesjr and @thejohnhugley Big John working that ball screen re screen to the hook pass for the 3 point shot 🔥
Brush Basketball 💯 pic.twitter.com/almmXEj8uZ

— chet mason (@ChetMason32) February 27, 2023

Capel said that Dior Johnson is practicing with the team. In late January, Johnson, the Panthers’ five star freshman who was arrested and suspended from the program earlier in the year, was reinstated to the program. Pitt announced that he would seek a redshirt this year.

Capel also said that William Jeffress, who is out for the year after receiving foot surgery earlier this year, has been cleared for everything other than contact.

“Dior is practicing,” Capel said. “Will is cleared to do everything except for contact.”

When asked if Hugley is practicing with the team at all, Capel said, “no.”