Pitt offensive lineman Tony Pilato, a redshirt junior, has informed the Panthers coaching staff that he will be leaving the team, according to Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He was no longer listed on Pitt’s official roster as of Tuesday evening, and with his departure, the team is now down to its limit of 85 scholarships.
Pilato is the second Pitt player to abruptly part ways with the team since late March, when head coach Pat Narduzzi announced tight end Chris Clark had left the team for personal reasons. Like Clark, Pilato has not revealed the reason for his sudden exit, and it’s unknown if he intends to transfer to another program to finish out his two remaining years of eligibility.
The former Hempfield Area High School standout was considered a three-star recruit upon his arrival at Pitt in 2015, but he saw little significant action with the team. After redshirting during his freshman season, he sat out every game in 2016. Last year, he played in 12 games, but he was used primarily on the field goal unit and served as a backup to Brian O’Neill at left tackle.
With O’Neill moving on to the NFL, Pilato appeared to be next in line for playing time at left tackle. However, Pitt added graduate transfer Stefano Millin from Kent State on January 31, and he became the heir apparent to O’Neill as a two-year starter with the Golden Flashes.
Given the scarcity of opportunity Pilato has been faced with over the past three years, his decision to move on comes as little surprise. But if he chooses to utilize his remaining eligibility, he could find himself with some decent opportunities on the table, as he previously held offers from Maryland, Minnesota, Syracuse, Temple, Virginia and West Virginia.