Pitt's Kenny Pickett doesn't travel to Miami; Joey Yellen will start
Pat Narduzzi kept the secret all week, and it was finally revealed Saturday morning — Kenny Pickett won’t play Saturday at Miami.
Pickett, who injured his left ankle last week in the second half of the Boston College game, did not make the trip to Miami with his teammates. Joey Yellen, a transfer from Arizona State who started one game for the Sun Devils last season, will make his first start for Pitt.
Pickett, who finished the Boston College game, has been responsible for about 75% of Pitt’s offense this season — throwing and running. He leads the ACC in total offense per game (301.6 yards) and is third in aerial yards (277.8).
In his start for Arizona State last season, Yellen completed 28 of 44 pass attempts for four touchdowns and two interceptions in a 31-26 loss to USC.
Also not on Pitt’s travel roster Saturday is defensive tackle Keyshon Camp, tight end Lucas Krull and running back Izzy Abanikanda. For the fourth week in a row, Pitt does not have any absences tied to covid-19 protocols.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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