At 1-3 on the season, the Pitt football team could use some good news. But they didn’t get any… At 1-2 on the season, the Pitt football team could use some good news. But they didn’t get any today.

Linebacker Dan Mason will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury he suffered in Pitt’s 31-3 loss to Miami.

Head coach Dave Wannstedt said in his press conference today that Mason will undergo surgery by the end of the week. Mason has been at UPMC Presbyterian since Thursday’s game, but Wannstedt said he hoped Mason would be out by the end of the day on Monday.

“There is some ligament damage,” Wannstedt said. “How much, and to what extent we won’t know until they go in there and make the final diagnosis after surgery. Once the surgery is complete, we’re optimistic that there will be a full recovery.”

The injury occurred early enough in the season for Mason to be eligible for a redshirt. He played last year as a true freshman, so Wannstedt said that he will return to the team next season as a redshirt sophomore.