Pitt Star RB Returning vs. No. 12 Miami

PITTSBURGH — The No. 22 Pitt Panthers get one of their best players back from injury as they head into their biggest game of the season in their Week 14, regular season finale vs. No. 12 Miami at Acrisure Stadium.

Desmond Reid Returns for Pitt vs. Miami

Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that Panthers senior running back Desmond Reid will return vs. the Hurricanes, after he didn't play in the last game.

Thamel also reported that Reid was limited in practice and it's unknown how much he'll play, but that he will be available vs. Miami.

Sources: Pitt star all-purpose back Desmond Reid will return against No. 12 Miami today after missing last week’s game at Georgia Tech. He’s expected to be available, although he’s been limited in practice and it’s uncertain how much of a workload he’ll be able to handle. pic.twitter.com/8wtnKl6Uku
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 29, 2025

What Injury is Desmond Reid Returning From?

Reid has dealt with injuries throughout the 2025 season, but he suffered his most recent injury in the 37-15 home loss to then ranked No. 9 Notre Dame in Week 12.

He caught a pass from Panthers freshman quarterback Mason Heitschel and went 27 yards, before Fighting Irish linebacker Drayk Bowen tackled him and landed on his lower body.

Reid grabbed his lower body in pain and received medical attention, before walking off the field with medical staff along side him in the third quarter, not returning to the game.

Pitt Panthers running back Desmond Reid — Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel (6) hands the ball off to running back Desmond Reid (0) during the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2025. | Michael Longo / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He missed the 42-28 road win over then ranked No. 16 Georgia Tech, but comes back for the most pivotal game of Pitt's season.

Injury Issues Plague 2025 Season for Reid

The Panthers expected another incredible season for Reid, who came off a 2024 campaign that earned him All-Purpose All-American honors, but that hasn't been the case at all.

Reid got off to a solid start, but suffered a lower body injury vs. West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl in Week 3, which held him to just 20 snaps total and just six carries for 30 yards in the first half. Pitt would blow a 10-point lead with five points remaining and lose in overtime, 31-24 on the road to their hated rival.

He then missed the next two games, a 34-27 loss to Louisville in Week 5 and a 48-7 win over Boston College in Week 6, both at home.

Reid returned for the Week 7 matchup vs. then ranked No. 25 Florida State on the road and had his best game of the season. He had 45 rushing yards on 12 carries, but 188 receiving yards on 12 catches for two touchdowns in the 34-31 win, earning ACC Receiver of the Week honors.

He followed this up by just playing 23 snaps in the 30-13 road win over rival Syracuse in Week 8, with just six carries for 38 yards.

Reid also played Pitt in their 53-34 win against NC State at home in Week 9, where he had 13 rushes for 41 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 28 yards.

He exited the game in the third quarter with an injury that sidelined him for Pitt's next game, a 35-20 road win over Stanford in Week 10.

Reid has 60 rushes for 278 yards, 4.6 yards per carry and two rushing touchdowns, 23 catches for 317 yards, 13.8 yards per reception, and two touchdowns, plus five returns for 105 yards and a touchdown, totaling 700 all-purpose yards for the Panthers this season.

Who Else Will Pitt Rely On in the Running Game?

Pitt has gotten great production from freshman running back Ja'Kyrian "Boosie" Turner, who had the best game of his career in the win over Georgia Tech.

Turner finished with 21 rushes for 201 yards, including a game-clinching 56-yards touchdown run late in the fourth quarter in the victory against the Yellow Jackets.

Pitt Panthers running back Ja'Kyrian Turner — Nov 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Ja'Kyrian Turner (25) is tackled by Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Kelvin Hill (16) in the first quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

That served as the most yards for a Pitt running back since Israel Abanikanda set the program rushing record with 323 yards vs. Virginia Tech in 2022.

Turner was also the first Pitt freshman running back to run for 200 yards in a game since Qadree Ollison vs. Youngstown State in 2015 and the first true freshman running back to run for 200 yards in a game since James Conner against Bowling Green in the 2013 Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.

He leads the Panthers with 99 carries for 565 yards, 5.7 yards per carry, and six touchdowns.

Redshirt freshman Juelz Goff is also another option for Pitt, with 43 rushes for 176 yards, 4.1 yards per carry and three touchdowns.

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