PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh will have to find a way to recover from its worst start since 2017 without left tackle Matt Goncalves and, possibly, quarterback Phil Jurkovec.
Goncalves will miss the rest of the season after sustaining a lower-body injury in a loss to West Virginia on Sept. 16, coach Pat Narduzzi announced Monday.
Jurkovec's status, meanwhile, is uncertain for Saturday's game against Virginia Tech after the senior left Saturday night's loss to No. 15 North Carolina late in the first half with an undisclosed injury.
Goncalves, a third-team All-ACC selection as a junior in 2022, is the third starting offensive lineman to deal with a serious setback this season. Ryan Jacoby tore his ACL during training camp and is done for the year and Jake Kradel is out indefinitely.
Branson Taylor will move from right tackle to left tackle to replace Goncalves.
Jurkovec was injured when he was hit high by North Carolina's Tayon Holloway late in the second quarter.
Backup Christian Veilleux came in and completed 7 of 18 passes for 85 yards with two interceptions for the Panthers (1-3, 0-1 ACC). Veilleux will get the start against Virginia Tech if Jurkovec isn't cleared to play.
