Not quite the miserable M*A*S*H unit of last year’s UConn game — and for the season — but geez. Bad things out of the Temple game.

Pitt coach Paul Chryst announced Monday that three players — linebackers Dan Mason and Manny Williams and offensive lineman Ryan Schlieper — would miss the rest of the season with injuries.

Manny Williams got hurt in the Louisville game. An ACL injury that has kept him out of the last few games. He has been trying to rehab, but it isn’t getting that much better so he is opting for the season-ending surgery.

Dan Mason. Yow. Just yow.

Mason returned earlier this season after missing two years with a knee injury, but lacerated his liver making a tackle late in the Temple game. Chryst said he is healing normally, and was optimistic that he could return for spring practice next year.

This just isn’t fair.

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I’m not saying it’s a must win. It’s much more that Pitt cannot lose. They can’t lose to two 1-AA teams in a season (or ever again). And they certainly can’t lose another home game.

Pitt lost Jahmal Pardner in the VT game. DE Jack Lippert and TE Hubie Graham missed the VT game with injuries. LB Todd Thomas has remained in recovery mode from off-season ACL surgery — but is apparently getting closer to seeing action.

The good news is that linebacker Todd Thomas, a 2011 starter who had knee surgery in January, might get his first snaps of the season Saturday.

“I don’t want to say it’s like sending a pitcher down to Triple-A to throw, but you have to get some live work,” Chryst said. “We have to see where Todd is at.”

Thomas has been practicing for the past week and has been encouraged by his progress.

“(He) felt better after each day,” Chryst said. “Todd was able to do a lot more (Wednesday) than he did a week ago, and Tuesday he did a fair amount.”

There had been rumors that Thomas might get on the field last week. Now, it is Coach Chryst saying its possible. So at least he’s getting closer.

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In case you missed it, the already thin and questionable linebacking corps got a bit thinner with the news of Ejuan Price.

Linebacker Ejuan Price tweeted that he will take a medical redshirt after undergoing pectoral surgery in the spring.

In the long-run, it is probably good for Pitt. The linebackers will be stronger, and Price will have an extra year.

But this year? With Todd Thomas still a big question mark when he is getting all the way back from his ACL surgery? Not so much.

Dan Mason may see more action than anyone really wanted that surgically repaired foot to ever see at this rate. Or maybe Pitt pioneers a 4-2-3-2 defense as a more general defensive look. There is going to be a lot of trial by fire for some of the underclassmen.

One thing I’m feeling sure of: there won’t be a label on Coach Paul Chryst about how he doesn’t play freshmen.

Not exactly surprising

Pittsburgh starting running back Ray Graham is “unlikely to play” in the Panthers’ season opener against Youngstown State on Sept. 1, sources told ESPN.

Graham, a senior, is still recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee suffered against Connecticut on Oct. 26 and has been limited in fall drills. Before last year’s injury, he was the nation’s second-leading rusher, averaging 134.1 yards per game.

Still a little disappointing if so. As the article notes, Graham would also be unlikely for the Cinci game that is only 5 days later (Thursday night) as well. But better to keep him out, even for the Cinci game as well for Graham’s own good — as well as Pitt for the rest of the season.

Small factual error in the piece that says Rushel Shell is the back-up to Isaac Bennett. Reality is that Malcolm Crockett is almost certainly the back-up to Bennett.

Yes, Coach Paul Chryst is downplaying the injuries at this point in training camp. Probably with good reason. Most of them are bangs and bruises where it seems there is erring on the side of caution. There are only a handful of serious or concerning injuries or holding players out of practices.

Among the injured players are four potential starters on defense, including safety Jason Hendricks, linebackers Todd Thomas and Shane Gordon, and defensive tackle K.K. Mosley-Smith. Cornerback Lafayette Pitts had a death in his family and was excused from practice. He was replaced by Cullen Christian. Also out is wide receiver Mike Shanahan (hamstring) and backup safety Steve Williams, who had his left arm in a sling.

K.K. Smith and LaQuentin Smith returned yesterday, so there is that.

Hendricks was already coming back from a season ending injury. His struggles to stay healthy, though, could cost him his starting safety position. Pitt has the depth at the spot and at some point he falls too far behind in practice.

Todd Thomas is much more of a concern since he has the potential to be Pitt’s best linebacker this season. Definitely the most athletic. Shane Gordon has not played since the scrimmage when he got knocked out cold. Haven’t seen an actual listing of the injury, but I think it would be safe to say he’s out with a concussion or “concussion-like symptons.”

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I realize Pitt is re-transitioning to a 4-3 defense, from the 3-4, but given that it was only one season. And most of the players were already schooled in the 4-3 principles, I’m not going to be buying too many excuses for struggling based on that move.

On the other hand, the linebackers themselves may be a big concern. Todd Thomas appears to be slower coming back from his ACL injury than hoped. Shane Gordon is out, Ejuan Price is coming back slowly from a spring injury, and several others appear to be dinged up at the moment. Heck, moving to a 4-3 may have been necessary based on the depth chart.

With Thomas out, and linebacker Shane Gordon “day to day,” fifth-year seniors Manny Williams and Joe Trebitz have filled those roles. Wednesday, redshirt freshman Jason Frimpong found himself practicing with the first-team linebackers after Eric Williams went down with an injury.

Trebitz played in 12 games last year, but registered just five tackles. Manny Williams didn’t see meaningful playing time.

Now, Chryst said, is the chance for those guys to prove they deserve playing time once the presumed starters return.

“We’ll find out [about our depth] as you go through in practice,” Chryst said. “Because of the guys that aren’t practicing, other guys have opportunities and we’ll see what they do with that opportunity.”

Lots of questions about how the linebackers will turn out, since there isn’t a lot of experience.

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Ryan Turnley wasn’t just battling injuries in one foot all season last year. No, it was both feet.

Turnley initially got hurt against Utah. He says the injury was a shock to the system, particularly because he never really had one as serious during his career. The following week against UConn, he hurt his other foot.

“The thing about the one in the UConn game was that it was on a screen,” Turnley recalled. “I was pulling out to the left. I went to cut a linebacker, and it felt like the sole of my shoe ripped out, that’s the sound it made and the feeling I had. I got up on my feet, and I said, ‘It happened again. I can’t believe it.’ We completed the pass, and we ran a hurry-up no huddle, so I limped my way over to the line and snapped the ball. I didn’t have time to think about it. I went to the sideline, then to the locker room for pain medicine, and came back.”

Turnley ended up with torn plantar fascia in both feet. On crutches all week, but was in for every snap of every game. He converted to center last spring. As much out of need by Pitt as there was for an opportunity to play. He proved to be far, far better than anyone expected.

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The NCAA finally changed some of the rules for college basketball players in the summer. The old rule forbade any organized practicing overseen by the coaching staff. Some individualized sessions were allowed, but not the whole team at once.

The rationale was that summer practicing under the coaches control would make college sports too much like a professional sports system, and all the other justifications. This led to fascinating work-arounds. Like the head coach have his office built with big windows to oversee the practice court. And if he happened to be in the office when the kids came for their own voluntary practices, well, then he could stand and watch them through the class. And, hey, that banging on the glass by the coach wasn’t to get their attention. He just heard something on the TV that caused him to react.

The NCAA finally loosened the rules and allows the coach two whole hours a week to work with the entire team.

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His football career is almost certainly done, but he still has his life.

The 20-year-old had been seen by a doctor after he complained of a severe headache and numbness in his side, but no one suspected a stroke.

“Found a mass, a blood clot in the back of his head, and a small one on the left side which caused a stroke and left his right side weak,” Dan Burns, Derrick’s adoptive father, said.

Wow.

Scary beyond belief. The silver lining — and there really is one — is that he will be all right and this can be addressed early enough for him to get well and live a normal life. Yes, football is done for him. But he still can get his education (I am assuming that Pitt is going to do the right thing and honor his scholarship). He still gets to live his life.

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Still no confirmed reports on what sent Derrick Burns to the hospital.

Pitt football player Derrick Burns was hospitalized Tuesday with an unspecified medical condition, according to a statement released by the school’s athletic department.

Burns, a 5-foot-11, 235-pound redshirt freshman fullback, was listed in stable condition Tuesday night. More information about his condition was expected after tests were completed.

Rumors are he was life-flighted to UPMC. That there is a blood clot. But again, no confirmation.

Hopefully this will turn out to be a small problem, or one that was caught early enough. It goes without saying, that his football career takes a backseat to being able to live a long and healthy life.

Both J.J. Moore and Tray Woodall will have surgery tomorrow.

Moore will have surgery to repair the fractured bone in his right foot, that he suffered last week.

Woodall will have surgery for a sports hernia. The injury he suffered at the end of the Duquesne game.

A sports hernia typically begins with a slow onset of aching pain in the lower abdominal region. Symptoms may include:

• Pain in the lower abdomen
• Pain in the groin
• Pain in the testicle (in males)

Typically the symptoms are exacerbated with activities such as running, cutting, and bending forward. Patients may also have increased symptoms when coughing or sneezing. Sports hernias are most common in athletes that have to maintain a bent forward position…

That was not an injury that simply healed while Woodall was out. Woodall came back and played through the pain with a mix of pain-killing medications and just being tough enough to take the pain. Far tougher than I am.

The more I read about this kind of injury the more I cannot understand anyone who doubts Woodall’s dedication to Pitt and his teammates, or just how tough he is. He was definitely not at full strength when he returned and limitations were obvious, but he still went out there for the team.

Woodall’s surgery will have him rehabbing for the next eight weeks or so.

In tomorrow’s battle of preseason disappointments, Pitt has a chance to make sure UConn goes on the wrong side of the bubble. Creating a scenario where the Huskies would miss two straight NCAA Tournaments — thanks to their ban for next year due to bad academics. Don’t let UConn fans tell you differently. The Huskies earned it the same way they earned their NCAA Championships. Recruiting talent only, not worrying about grades, and shoving non-producers out the door at a disturbing clip. Then when busted complain that the metrics are the problem, that it wasn’t Jim Calhoun’s fault, that the issues are being addressed, that it is unfair to the present kids and that it is so0oooo unfair.

But I digress.

Anyways, Jim Calhoun remains at home recovering from some surgery on Monday for his spinal stenosis. Being back for Saturday’s game was always a longshot, but hard to rule out because: 1) it’s the season finale/senior day — along with the expected departures of Napier, Lamb and Drummond; and 2) Calhoun is such a stubborn bastard there was every chance he would show up with an IV still plugged into him.

Now, it appears more likely he will try to be ready to coach in the Big East Tournament.

UPDATE: And naturally, Calhoun showed up at the Huskies practice today. Didn’t run it or anything. But he showed up. So, maybe he will show tomorrow just for the ceremonies and to provide an emotional lift.

While the return of Tray Woodall to the line-up would not be the pure cure-all, it would definitely help. Well, it seems as if Woodall will be doing all he can to be out on the court for Saturday night’s game with Louisville.

Woodall, who has missed 10 of the past 11 games with an abdominal injury, said Thursday he is close to returning to game action.

“I definitely feel like I’m ready to play,” he said after going through a full practice for the first time since a game Dec. 27 at Notre Dame. “I’m not going to beat around the bush. I’m going to go through two more days of practice, see how I’m feeling. Whenever I’m ready to go, I’m ready to go.”

Not exactly definitive, but the general buzz seems to be that Woodall expects to be out there on Saturday.

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Well, in the past Pitt has survived spells of not having Levance Fields. Now Pitt will try to manage with Woodall. The reports are that Travon Woodall suffered an abdominal tear and will miss the next month.

There’s no sugarcoating that this is a big loss. He was playing 32 minutes a game. Shooting real well from the perimeter. The leading assist man on the team — a better than 2-1 A/TO ratio — and clearly the floor leader.

I can see Lamar Patterson getting some of the time running things as a point-forward type player like Brad Wanamaker. Patterson has good court vision and has 20 assists to only 8 turnovers. This could create times where both Patterson and J.J. Moore are on the floor at the same time. I would be somewhat intrigued to see that. Like it or not (and I don’t), Ashton Gibbs will get some more chances to play point.

Most of the minutes, though, should end up going to John Johnson, Cam Wright and Isiah Epps. The latter has not gotten much playing time after redshirting last year and still struggling to get on the court. He’s an actual point guard, but most stories are that his defense is lacking to be kind.

Going to be a hell of a first test with a road game on ESPN.

A morning spent prepping tailgate food for tomorrow. Chicken drumstick wings, spicy pulled pork, and the stuffing for Jalepeno poppers. If my friends aren’t befouling port-a-johns by 5pm, then I did something wrong. Luke has signed on to man the liveblog tomorrow night. I’ll be tweeting all game.

In case you missed it, Ray Graham had what is (of course) being termed successful surgery to replace the ACL in his right knee. Given the minimum six months recovery, it would appear that Graham will now return for his senior season. How quickly he can return to anywhere near his old style is unknown, but it is hard to bet against it.

It can be fun to speculate on the idea of a Pitt backfield of Graham and Rushel Shell — who was just named Sports Illustrated High School Player of the Week. But, that is a year away and the immediate concern is finishing out this season.

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