Linebacker Murray has torn ACL, out for season

By Zack Chakan

Pitt junior linebacker Shane Murray will be out for the remainder of the season after an MRI… Pitt junior linebacker Shane Murray will be out for the remainder of the season after an MRI revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his injured right knee. Murray hurt the knee in training camp and it hindered him enough that he was unable to play in four of Pitt’s five games. He played a few snaps in Pitt’s 34-24 victory over Syracuse Sept. 27. Senior Austin Ransom will remain the starter in Murray’s absence. Ransom has started every game with Murray out after switching from wide receiver to linebacker. Tristan Roberts is slated to back up Ransom. Murray was expected to form with Scott McKillop and Adam Gunn to be one of the top linebacker units in the country, but his injury worsened as time passed. Initially, Murray was only believed to miss a game or two with the knee problem, but the injury turned out to be far more serious. Gunn is also out for the year with a neck injury sustained in Pitt’s season opener with Bowling Green. With two-third of the preseason starters injured, Ransom and redshirt freshman Greg Williams have taken the starting roles. Murray did not record a tackle this season. He registered 60 total tackles in 2007, while adding three sacks. He started every game last year.