Pitt's football team just took a bit of a hit heading into its biggest game of the season against Notre Dame. Head coach Paul Chryst announced at his weekly press conference that linebacker Dan Mason, offensive lineman Ryan Schlieper, and linebacker Manny Williams were all lost for the season.

All three injuries will greatly hurt the team, but the Mason loss is particularly disheartening. Mason has fought his way back from a brutal leg injury suffered in 2010 and, after some other injuries at linebacker, moved into the starting lineup. He registered at least 10 tackles in both of his last two games and was starting to get back on track. But on a 4th down play near the goal-line, Mason made a touchdown-saving tackle and injured himself in the process, suffering an internal laceration. With Williams out as well, Pitt gets a lot thinner at linebacker.

Schlieper's loss is a big one as well as the offensive line is not only pretty average, but extremely thin. Arthur Doakes could be forced into the lineup to cover for Schlieper.