Pitt's overall 5-5 record gives defensive end Rashad Weaver no reason to smile

When at some point next year, he sets aside the failures that marked Pitt’s season, defensive end Rashad Weaver might crack a proud smile.

For now, however, he is toiling for a team that has lost as many games (five) as it’s won, and that doesn’t sit well with him.

“You can’t really say you did good when you have this many losses,” Weaver said after the 52-17 loss to Clemson on Saturday night. “I don’t see how you can be too proud of it at the moment.”

But Weaver’s a senior, and one of six Pitt players who may get drafted by the NFL in 2021. ABC-TV sideline reporter and draft analyst Todd McShay said Saturday during the telecast that he included Weaver among his top 150 draft prospects.

Weaver sacked Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence twice, including a strip sack that led to linebacker Phil Campbell’s fumble recovery and a Pitt touchdown. Coming into the game, Clemson quarterbacks had been sacked only 13 times in eight games.

With one game to play, Weaver has a career-high 7 ½ sacks this season (17 overall). He also has five forced fumbles for his career.

“Maybe in a few months, you might reflect on it and think you had a good season,” he said. “But right now, I could always say there’s something I could have done more to help the team get more wins.”

Weaver said a 5-5 record fell far short of what he and his teammates expected.

“You can ask anybody. This is not the goal we had for this team,” he said. “We thought this was going to be our type of year. We thought every game on our schedule was winnable.

“We just haven’t been consistent enough. We didn’t reach our goals.”

Pickett mentions ankle surgery

ABC-TV play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough reported during the telecast that Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett told him he had ankle surgery after the Boston College game Oct. 10.

Pickett missed two games and returned to the lineup within a month to lead Pitt to victories against Florida State and Virginia Tech.

McDonough said Pickett described it as similar to the procedure last season on former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s high ankle sprain.

Passing Marino

Pickett threw for 209 yards to give him a total of 8,334 through the air and on the ground in his Pitt career. He moved past Dan Marino and into fourth place on Pitt’s all-time list.

When Pickett wasn’t taking a beating from the Clemson pass rush that sacked him six times, he was frantically escaping the pocket.

Showing no ill effects from the ankle injury, he played two series after Clemson built a 52-17 lead in the fourth quarter.

“One thing about Kenny Pickett he has no quit in him,” center Jimmy Morrissey said. “I love playing with him. It’s been an honor having him as my quarterback for the past four seasons.”

During the telecast, McShay called Pickett “the most underrated quarterback in the country.”

Covid absentees

Pitt had five players absent as a result of covid-19 protocols, down from 16 the week prior. Pitt officials did not identify the players.

For the second consecutive week, starting tackles Carter Warren and Gabe Houy and guard Jake Kradel were missing from the offensive line.

The makeshift line had played well against Virginia Tech, but struggled to contain Clemson’s pass rush. Plus, running backs A.J. Davis, Vincent Davis and Daniel Carter gained only 35 yards on 11 carries.

“At the end of the day, it’s Clemson and there’s a reason why they’re in the playoff every year,” Morrissey said. “It’s a tall task for anybody to play them. Having three starters out definitely hurts, but (the replacements) are phenomenal players and they’re going to have a bright future here.”

Tackles Matt Goncalves and Carson Van Lynn and guard Blake Zubovic, who replaced the starters, will be joined next season by Warren, Houy and Kradel. Morrissey and guard Bryce Hargrove are the only seniors.

By the numbers

Patrick Jones recorded a sack to give him a team-high nine. … Safety Damar Hamlin led Pitt with 10 tackles. He leads the team with 67. … Pitt allowed six more passes of more than 20 yards, bringing the total to 38 for the season. … Clemson is 28-0 at home since losing to Pitt in Death Valley in 2016. Pitt is 22-20 overall since that game.

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