PITTSBURGH — Pitt has one less Cal player to worry about this afternoon.
Cal star Jaydn Ott has been ruled out against Pitt after re-aggravating a lower-body injury against Miami last weekend, an injury that had limited him earlier in the season, Pete Thamel of ESPN reported.
It’s a big blow for a Cal offense that likes to run the football.
Pat Narduzzi was very complimentary of the Cal running backs earlier this week.
“Running backs — is exceptional,” Narduzzi said Monday at his weekly presser. “The next kid, No. 25, is I think his nickname is Jet, I got his nickname down. The Thomas kid is fast as well.”
Ott played in four games this season, carrying the football 47 times for 135 yards and three touchdowns, adding 11 receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. He was one of the best running backs in college football last season, racking up 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground and adding 25 receptions.
Jaivian Thomas — a 5-foot-10, 190-pound sophomore — will likely receive a much heavier workload against Pitt.
Thomas is the leading Cal rusher this season, piling up 45 carries for 287 yards (6.4 yards per carry) and four touchdowns. He isn’t quite the threat that Ott is as a receiver out of the backfield, but that could change against the Panthers.
“He kind of reminds you a little bit of a Des Reid,” Narduzzi said. “He has the ability to do it all. If you give him a lane, he can take it to the house at any time. So can the Thomas kid, the Jet kid there.”
Pitt will look to limit a Cal rushing attack that has averaged 131.2 yards per game this season.