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Pitt dismisses CB Titus Howard; 4 others depart program

Kelvin Benjamin #1 of the Florida State Seminoles makes a catch in the first half against Titus Howard #18 of the Pittsburgh Panthers during the game on September 2, 2013 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Kelvin Benjamin #1 of the Florida State Seminoles makes a catch in the first half against Titus Howard #18 of the Pittsburgh Panthers during the game on September 2, 2013 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Titus Howard’s time at Pitt has come to an end.

The program announced earlier this week that Howard, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound cornerback, has been dismissed for a violation of team policy. Howard played in 11 games and made two starts as a true freshman in 2013 but hasn’t seen the field since.

Former head coach Paul Chryst suspended Howard, who had 21 tackles in 2013, for the entire 2014 season for disciplinary reasons. Howard was allowed to remain with the program and practice throughout the 2014 season. He was expected to compete for a starting role on new head coach Pat Narduzzi’s defense, but ultimately the program decided to part ways with Howard.

In addition to Howard, Pitt also announced the departures of four other players – Trey Anderson, Devin Cook, Luke MacLean and Connor Hayes.

Anderson, a backup quarterback, and Cook, a defensive lineman, will use the graduate transfer rule to play their final seasons of eligibility elsewhere. Anderson completed 25-of-53 passes for 263 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in eight games during his Pitt career. He is on course to graduate this spring.

Cook appeared in 25 games during his Pitt career and registered 21 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He graduated in December and transferred to Richmond.

MacLean, a defensive end, appeared in four games as a redshirt freshman. A three-star recruit in the 2013 class, MacLean totaled six tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks for the Panthers.

Hayes, a 6-foot-4, 270-pound guard, was a three-star recruit in the 2014 class. He was expected to provide depth on the Panthers’ offensive line after redshirting last season.

Pitt went 6-7 in 2014 and is scheduled to begin its first spring practice under Narduzzi on March 15.

For more Pittsburgh news, visit Panther-lair.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!