Pitt Missing Starting Offensive Lineman Against Syracuse

PITTSBURGH — Pitt will turn to its “unsung hero” at left tackle against Syracuse.

Branson Taylor and Ryan Jacoby left the win against Cal two weeks ago with injuries, and while Jacoby will play against ‘Cuse, Taylor did not dress for warmups and will miss the conference clash against the Orange.

Taylor — a 6-foot-6, 330-pound redshirt senior from Lorain, Ohio — is a tough loss at the most important position on the offensive line, but Terrence Enos Jr. filled in admirably against Cal. And he will have the benefit of playing alongside a veteran in Jacoby.

“Terrence Enos was the unsung hero on offense,” Pat Narduzzi said Friday at his weekly presser. “So I can tell you that. Terrence Enos played really well coming in and replacing Branson. He got that opportunity, and he did a phenomenal job.

“And Collier played okay, like he has played. We’d like it a little bit better in there, didn’t play as good as he wanted to or we wanted to, but we gotta coach him better, too.”

Taylor has played 344 snaps this season, all at left tackle, and Enos has taken the rest of the snaps at left tackle — either in relief or in blowouts. He made his first start last season against Notre Dame in relief of Taylor.