Pitt linebacker Todd Thomas leaving the team

The Pitt Panthers will be down a starting linebacker this year after Todd Thomas elected to leave the team, according to head coach Paul Chryst. Thomas started seven games at linebacker for the Panthers in 2012 after missing the first four weeks with a knee injury, piling up 59 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Fall camp opened ominously for Thomas, as the redshirt junior was listed behind redshirt freshman Mike Caprara on the depth chart. Some thought that might have been Chryst trying to light a fire underneath Thomas, but it would seem that there were much bigger issues at hand. It stands to reason that Caprara is the favorite to open the season as the starter.

Some of Thomas’ now-former teammates don’t seem as shocked as the rest of the world does:

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