The two-deep: Pitt makes several changes this week

Pitt’s latest depth chart has as many changes as at any point this season. Here’s a look at

who the coaching staff announced on the two-deep.

- There were several shakeups on offense. Starting at receiver, the coaches removed sophomore Jaden Bradley, who announced last Monday that he intended to transfer from Pitt. In his place, the coaches listed redshirt junior Gavin Thomson, who went on scholarship in the summer and played a career-high 18 snaps on offense at Louisville when Pitt needed an emergency option after Bub Means got hurt in pregame, according to Pat Narduzzi.

- Thomson did not play more than three snaps during any of the first six games this season - he had three at Western Michigan, three against Rhode Island and one against Virginia Tech - and his previous season high was in 2020, when he played 25 snaps.

- The coaches also moved some pieces on the offensive line. At left tackle, they listed redshirt sophomore Branson Taylor as the starter ahead of true freshman Ryan Baer. This comes after Narduzzi’s announcement last week that super senior Carter Warren would miss the rest of the season due to injury.

- On Saturday night, though, Taylor came off the bench while redshirt junior Matt Goncalves started at left tackle. Goncalves had started the previous six games at right tackle, but with Warren’s injury and Gabe Houy returning to action, Goncalves shifted to the left for a start. Taylor did play at Louisville, though, loggia 18 snaps in the loss.

- At center, Pitt now lists redshirt senior Jake Kradel as the starter. He has been working in that position since the Week Three win at Western Michigan, when he stepped in for super senior Owen Drexel. Drexel has not played since the Week Two game against Tennessee, but Narduzzi said Monday that he has not officially been ruled out for the season.

- Redshirt freshman Terrence Moore, who was listed as Drexel’s backup, continues to be listed there behind Kradel.

- Kradel moved to center from right guard, leaving redshirt senior Blake Zubovic to start in his place. This week, Zubovic is listed as the starting right guard, while redshirt junior Jason Collier went from being listed as a backup right tackle to the backup right guard.

The most notable change on the defensive two-deep is at Star linebacker, where junior Bangally Kamara and redshirt senior Tylar Wiltz are now “OR” starters. Kamara has started every game this season, but Wiltz has served as his primary backup.

Wiltz played 29 snaps in the loss at Louisville after playing 21 or more in each of the previous three games, including 43 snaps against Virginia Tech and 30 against Georgia Tech.