The biggest news of the day for Pitt football Friday undoubtedly was All-American linebacker Kyle Louis declaring for the NFL Draft.
But around the same time Louis made his announcement, redshirt freshman tailback Juelz Goff revealed he will be entering the transfer portal.
Goff, a York native who played two years at Pitt, finished this season with 69 carries for 270 yards and five scores.
Thank you Pitt????! pic.twitter.com/Kt6ObcqVZ2
— Juelz Goff (@JuelzGoff) December 19, 2025
Entering the season, returning All-American Desmond Reid was anticipated to play the leading role in the backfield for Pitt.
But during the Backyard Brawl against West Virginia on Sept. 13, Reid went down with an injury, leading to much of his campaign being derailed.
As a result, the Panthers turned to Goff and true freshman Ja’Kyrian Turner to plug the gap.
Turner himself was working his way back from an injury as the season began, so Goff got more looks early on as Reid was forced to miss time.
However, as the season progressed, it was Turner who shined the brightest.
While Goff rushed for a season-high 59 yards and a score on 17 carries Oct. 4 vs. Boston College, Turner that same day took 12 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown.
From there, Goff took only 24 handoffs for 95 yards over Pitt’s remaining seven games.
Over that span, Turner emerged as the bellcow, with 96 carries for 514 yards and five touchdowns, including a 127-yard outing at Stanford and an unforgettable 201-yard performance vs. Georgia Tech.
Along with Turner, Pitt will be joined next season by four-star tailback Damon Ferguson.
Goff finishes his Panthers career with 86 total carries for 312 yards and five scores, adding 18 catches for 146 yards.
Notes: Goff is Pitt’s fourth scholarship player to hit the portal following the conclusion of the regular season. Other Pitt players whose names no longer appear on the team’s roster heading into the Military Bowl are receiver Zion Fowler-El, receiver/safety Jesse Anderson and offensive lineman Jackson Brown, along with walk-on long snapper Nico Crawford.
