2022: Played in eight games, starting two at running back…missed five consecutive games due to an injury sustained late in the season opener against West Virginia…still finished as Pitt’s second-leading rusher with 460 yards and five touchdowns on 109 carries (4.2 avg.)…had six catches for 73 yards (12.2 avg.)…returned seven kickoffs for 124 yards (17.7 avg.)…named the C.M. Hendricks Sun Bowl Most Valuable Player after rushing for 94 yards and two TDs on 25 carries in the Panthers’ 37-35 victory over UCLA…led Pitt to a 19-9 win over Syracuse, rushing for a career-high 124 yards on 28 carries (4.4 avg.) with a TD in his first career start…the Orange entered the contest owning the ACC’s top-rated defense (303.1 yards per game)…was a sparkplug in Pitt’s season-opening 38-31 win over West Virginia, rushing for a team-high 74 yards and two TDs on 16 carries (4.6 avg.) and catching two passes for 55 yards (27.5 avg.) before getting injured late in the final period.

2021: Played in 12 games…rushed for 504 yards and five touchdowns on 102 carries (4.9 avg.)…also had eight catches for 57 yards (7.1 avg.) and two scores…rushed for a season-high 100 yards on 17 carries (5.9 avg.) with three TDs against New Hampshire…became the first Pitt freshman to rush for 100 yards since V’Lique Carter, who had 137 against Duke on Oct. 27, 2018…Hammond also became the first Pitt freshman to rush for three TDs since Dion Lewis had three against Cincinnati on Dec. 5, 2009…named the ACC Rookie of the Week and to the Football Writers Association of America’s “Fresh Four’ for his New Hampshire performance…came off the bench to start the fourth quarter against Clemson when injuries struck Pitt’s backfield and rushed for 66 yards on 11 carries (6.0 avg.)…rushed for a game-high 81 yards and a TD on 16 carries (5.1 avg.) at Duke…posted season highs with three catches for 30 yards and a TD against Wake Forest in the ACC Championship Game…had a 15-yard TD catch at Syracuse.

HIGH SCHOOL: Rated one of the nation’s top 20 running back prospects by ESPN…as a junior, rushed for more than 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns, while intercepting six passes as a defensive back…team did not have a 2020 fall season due to COVID-19…abbreviated 2021 spring season was highlighted by a 305-yard, four-TD performance on just 12 carries (25.4 avg.) against Wilson…two-time All-Tidewater…The Virginian-Pilot Hampton Roads Top 50 (No. 5)…rated one of Virginia’s top 20 overall prospects by ESPN (No. 9), Rivals (No. 14) and 247Sports (No. 19)...played under Coach William Robertson.

PERSONAL: Rodney Leon Hammond Jr., born 9/20/02, is the son of Regina Daggs and Rodney Hammond…has four brothers and one sister…communication major.

Rodney Hammond Jr.