There were indications throughout the offseason that Desmond Reid was going to hold a significant role in Pitt’s offense. Through two games into Pitt’s 2024 season, it’s safe to say Reid has exceeded those expectations.

In Pitt’s thrilling 28-27 comeback victory over Cincinnati on Saturday at Nippert Stadium, the Panthers’ dynamic running back torched the Bearcats. Reid finished with 148 rushing yards on 19 carries and 106 receiving yards on six catches, including a game-changing 56-yard touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter.

The junior became the first player in Pitt history to post 100 yards of rushing and receiving in the same game.

“Desmond, he's a football player,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said after his team improved to 2-0. “I can't say enough. I don’t know when someone last had 100 yards receiving, 100 yards rushing. But his performance, outstanding. I’m sure he'll be the player of the week in the ACC. If he's not, something's wrong.”

It’s hard to argue on that last point.

No other playmaker in the ACC has been as good as Reid has been early on this season. He tops the conference in rushing with 293 yards. The Western Carolina transfer is also producing better than anyone in the country. He leads the nation in all-purpose at 244 yards per game.

In Pitt’s road win on Saturday, Reid was excellent, and had the Cincinnati defense chasing him all afternoon. Reid became the first Pitt player to start a career with consecutive 100-yard rushing games since Dion Lewis accomplished that as a freshman back in 2009.

“I mean, shoot, I just wanted to win,” Reid said after his second game in a Pitt uniform. “I just wanted to do whatever I could just to help win. So whether that was passing game, running game, I just wanted to wanted to help.”

He checked both of those boxes against the Bearcats.

Reid gashed Cincinnati for multiple long gains in the running game, but proved to be an effective mismatch in the passing game. It was one first-year starting quarterback Eli Holstein was more than happy to exploit.

“He’s a guy that you can just get the ball two yards down the line and he’s going to go get you 70,” said Holstein, who threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. Of course one of his scores went to Reid, who did most of the legwork.

The Panthers were trailing 27-19 at that point, just shy of midfield with a little over five minutes remaining. Reid got a favorable matchup with a linebacker on him, and a short throw across the middle from Holstein wound up as a 56-yard score.

“I knew it was going to be a touchdown before the play,” Reid said with a grin. “I know they were running man coverage and I knew I was one-on-one with that linebacker. I just knew I had to beat him, and I did. I just know once I catch that ball, I’m out of there.”

It’s early in his tenure, but now you almost expect these kind of plays each week. Reid simply is this fast, and he knows it as well as anyone, and his teammates are definitely believers as well.

“I told y’all he was going to have a better game,” Holstein said on Saturday reminding everyone of his postgame comments following the Kent State game. “I told you all last week that wasn’t even the best game he’s going to have.”

Reid was undeniably eager to prove what he could at his new school after transferring from a smaller level, and through two weeks he’s doing just that. But he was certainly more ready to talk up his team’s win after the game, as they will carry a 2-0 record into next week’s Backyard Brawl against rival West Virginia.

“I mean I’m happy with what I did, but shoot, I’m just really proud of the team,” Reid said. “We fought back. That shows a lot about how the season could go.”