Pitt reinstates RB Rodney Hammond after he was declared ineligible for 2024 season

Pitt senior running back Rodney Hammond, who was expected to carry a significant workload before he was declared ineligible for the season the day before the opener, has been reinstated and will be available Saturday when the Panthers visit North Carolina.

“It was something we were hoping (for),” coach Pat Narduzzi said Thursday while making the announcement. “He’s practiced up and ready to roll. We’re excited as a coaching staff, as a team, that he is back. It’s a great thing for everybody.”

Neither Narduzzi nor Pitt officials specified the reason for what turned into a four-game suspension for Hammond, but he continued to practice with the team on a regular basis, the coach said.

“He’s been great. He’s been mature,” Narduzzi said. “He was on the scout team Tuesday.”

Narduzzi said he told Hammond “you need to go out there (in practice) and play and be that guy and give us the best possible look. ‘I want you taking every rep.’ He got after it. He’s got some good work in. Rodney has been practicing every day since it happened. He’ll be ready to roll.”

Desmond Reid, who missed the Youngstown State game with an injury, remains the starter at running back, befitting the No. 3 rusher in the ACC. Narduzzi said he doesn’t know how much Hammond will play, but he added, “He brings a lot.”

“Obviously, Desmond is the guy right now, the starter. He looks like a new man. It was smart for us to hold him out two weeks ago.”

Hammond had been a mainstay in the Pitt backfield from his freshman year in 2021 when then-offensive coordinator Mark Whipple used him as a fourth-quarter, move-the-sticks closer, to his Sun Bowl MVP performance in 2022, to last year when he led the team with 564 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

In three seasons, Hammond has gained 1,511 yards rushing with 14 touchdowns and a 4.6 yards-per-rush average.

Hammond has practiced extensively in Pitt’s new hurry-up offense since the spring, but if he plays Saturday, that will be his first experience with it in a game.

“We’re used to seeing him with two tight ends (pro-style offense), running dive plays,” Narduzzi said. “I think he can be special like (Reid) is in this offense. We’ll find out Saturday. He’s got ball skills. He can do it all. He’s a smart football player, too.”

Narduzzi is pleased to get good personnel news in an era of college football where opt-outs — even in-season as UNLV found out recently when starting quarterback Matthew Sluka left the team — are not uncommon. Pitt’s coach said he hasn’t heard such talk around his team.

“Not really, but you never know,” he said. “My office has been empty, which is good. I think we have a great culture. I’m not going to speak on anybody else. It’s none of my business.

“We talk about team all the time and what we do and how we do it. That’s kind of how we keep our guys together. They’re locked in to what we’re doing, and you hope you never have any of those problems.

“It’s something that’s out there nowadays. You hate to read about it, but our kids have been outstanding.

“If you treat guys the right way and you treat them fair and you’re up front … honesty and trust is key with the team. If we lose trust among ourselves, we have issues. But you have to trust in the team. You’re going to have your little scraps here and there, but you better trust each other.”