Pitt loses starting left guard Keith Gouveia to season-ending injury

The manner in which Pitt left guard Keith Gouveia went down with a right leg injury during the third quarter of Saturday’s 34-27 loss to Louisville appeared serious, as he was quickly fitted with a temporary cast and carted off the field.

On Monday, coach Pat Narduzzi revealed that Gouveia suffered a season-ending injury.

“Keith’s out for the year with a lower-leg (injury), as you guys saw on gameday,” Narduzzi said. “It’s disappointing. Super kid, tough dude and it’s obviously a tough loss. Just like (losing) any one of your starters, it’s a tough loss. We’ll re-gather, work the depth chart and see what we can do from there.”

Gouveia, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound transfer from Richmond, joined the Panthers in January and went on to win a starter’s role by the end of fall camp.

But after starting all of Pitt’s contests so far this year, his season is now over. Redshirt sophomore Ryan Carretta subbed in at left guard on Saturday.

Carretta (6-5, 3-5) will now be squarely in the mix to fill in for Gouveia long-term as Narduzzi decides how to plug that hole.

“Carretta’s played center, he’s played guard and I just think he’s our best guy,” Narduzzi said. “He’s one of the five best guys to put in, and we’ve got guys behind him. Isaiah Mongomery will be ready, Tai Ray will be ready and Jackson Brown will be ready.

“We’ve got three other guys that have played football for us — Tai Ray’s played on the field goal (unit), but those other two have been in games. … We’ll be ready to roll. It’s a next-man-up mentality, like everybody else in the country.”