Head coach Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt football program are less than two months from the start of the season, but the team added another player Tuesday in graduate transfer Brandon Hodges.
The 6-foot-4, 310-pound offensive lineman played last season with the Texas Longhorns, making an appearance in 11 games while starting nine. Before his time there, he played for East Mississippi Community College, where he grew into the No. 87 junior college prospect according to 247Sports.
Next stop! pic.twitter.com/ELZEWp5LCG
— Brandon Hodges (@BHoD_31) July 25, 2017
Hodges will be immediately eligible to play this fall and will help to provide depth on an offensive line recovering from the departures of starters Dorian Johnson and Adam Bisnowaty.
On the team’s latest depth chart, redshirt junior Brian O’Neill and redshirt senior Jaryd Jones-Smith were listed as the starters at left and right tackle, respectively. Hodges will likely fill in behind one of the two and contribute when needed.
The move to bring in Hodges as a late addition is an unexpected one from Narduzzi. Teams rarely add players for the upcoming season in the summer, let alone days before fall camp begins. But with the added depth, the offensive line should be in better shape when the team takes on Youngstown State in the opening game Sept. 2.