Inside The Panthers

WATCH: Pitt's Desmond Reid Returns Punt for TD vs. Duquesne

Pitt Panthers running back Desmond Reid wasted no time starting his senior season with a bang, scoring an electric punt return touchdown vs. Duquesne.
Karl Ludwig|
Nov 23, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) runs against the Louisville Cardinals during the first quarter at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images
Nov 23, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) runs against the Louisville Cardinals during the first quarter at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Panthers

PITTSBURGH - Desmond Reid has gotten very used to scoring punt return touchdowns in Pitt Panthers season openers.

Reid - a 5-foot-8, 175-pound running back from Miami Gardens, Fla. - housed a 78-yard punt return touchdown in last year's season opener against Kent State, and he followed it up this year with an 88-yard punt return touchdown in the season opener against Duquesne.

Reid tracked back to field a punt from the Dukes punter Michael Berarducci, cut up the field, cut inside to avoid a would-be tackler and shrugged off a few defenders on the way to the end zone.

Reid is coming off an All-American campaign for the Panthers, shouldering a heavy workload during his first season in Pittsburgh. He racked up 184 carries for 966 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and five touchdowns and added a team-high 52 receptions for 579 yards and four touchdowns.

Reid, who transferred to Pitt from Western Carolina before last season to rejoin offensive coordinator Kade Bell, earned the starting job over Rodney Hammond Jr. and never looked back.

Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid
Oct 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) eludes Syracuse Orange defensive back Duce Chestnut (0) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

While the Pitt offense struggled down the second half of the season, Reid was the engine that powered the team throughout.

The team voted Reid a team captain this season, and while he's stated his individual goal is to win an ACC championship and do whatever he can to help the team win, he's going to play his way into legitimate NFL consideration with his continued all-around versatility.

Reid has four carries for 15 yards and a reception for two yards early in the first quarter vs. Duquesne.

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Karl Ludwig
KARL LUDWIG

Karl Ludwig is a Pittsburgh Panthers on SI sportswriter. He has spent the past three years covering the Pitt Panthers for a couple of platforms. While he did not attend Pitt, he grew up in the Pittsburgh area, attending North Allegheny Senior High School and Slippery Rock University. As a student at SRU, he served as the sports editor of SRU’s student-run newspaper, The Rocket, and provided award-winning coverage in football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer. It was at SRU that his love for sports journalism blossomed. Karl spent three seasons as the Pitt football beat writer for Pittsburgh Sports Now, following time as an intern for the Sports Now Network. His most recent coverage of the University was for Pitt Sports News of the On3/Rivals network. He’s also contributed to Athlon Sports and SB Nation’s Behind the Steel Curtain.

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