That was the 2004 National Letter of Intent day for college football.

Lots of material in both the Post-Gazette and the Tribune-Review (by the way, don’t you think it’s time both papers gave up the hyphenated titles and choose just one part?).

First the straight news. Coach Walt Harris was somewhat defensive and trying to spin the recruiting class and all the last minute losses. Actually, most of the discussion centered on lost recruits

Harris lost his prized WPIAL recruits, as Penn Hills quarterback Anthony Morelli signed with Penn State and North Hills tailback Andrew Johnson with Miami.

Reading All-American linebacker James Bryant, who had indicated to Pitt coaches in June that he was coming, signed instead with Miami. And receiver Johnny Peyton (South Florida) and cornerback Alphonso Smith (Wake Forest) made stunning last-minute decisions at news conferences.

“We were excited about those young men,” Harris said, “but if they feel like someplace else they’ll get coached better or like the university better, we wish them well and hope they accomplish their dreams.

“We’re going to move on with our group.”

Harris appeared to want to put the blame on other schools and their recruiting methods.

Neither Johnson nor Morelli, once believed to be the cornerstones of the class, informed Pitt coaches of their decision. While Johnson picked his childhood favorite — calling Miami his “best chance to the NFL” — Morelli expressed concern over Harris’ job status.

“I really like coach Harris and believed he could get me to the NFL,” Morelli said, “but you can’t make a decision on the coach because he might leave.”

That caused Harris to use the platform to berate his peers for their “negative recruiting” and call for an early signing period. Harris said opposing recruiters used rumors regarding his job status, as well as the departures of several assistants and the changing makeup of the Big East Conference, to influence Panthers recruits to reconsider their decisions.

“Our kids that have committed have been totally abused by other schools,” Harris said. “We try to take the high road in every situation and not get into negative recruiting.”

Two things. One, how sad is it that Morelli claims (not believes, but claims) that a 77-year old coach who was the subject of national questions as to how much longer he can stay around as head coach of PSU was more stable in his position than Harris? Is he truly that stupid or was that all he had to work with in spinning the decision?

Two, I don’t buy it for a minute that Harris and Pitt recruiting doesn’t use “negative recruiting.” If it was actually true, I want Harris gone now because he truly would be an idiot. That said, the fact that Pitt couldn’t see the negative whisperings coming and counter it really bothers me. Of course people were going to keep wooing these kids. Pitt helped open the door with its on the field performance.

In the analysis of Pitt’s class, well…

“I think Pitt’s class would have to go down as one of the most disappointing classes of the year, along with Notre Dame, Colorado and Auburn,” said Allen Wallace of Super Prep magazine. “I know some college coaches who question how good Morelli is, but it’s still a big blow to lose those two.”

Bobby Burton of Rivals100.com said, “I think what hurts Pitt more than anything is just the mentality and the perception, no matter how good Johnson and Morelli really are.”

Burton and Wallace said Pitt’s class doesn’t appear to be as good as the past few Harris has put together.

“We’d probably rank them somewhere between 40 and 50 nationally,” Wallace said. “For Pitt, I’d say it’s a below-average class.”

As was also pointed out in an article. The status of the reconfiguring Big East had mixed results. The teams that will be joining did very, very well; while the old guard seemed to be hurt.

In the commentaries there was a very incoherent piece from Smizik. He knew it was a bad day for Pitt, but he couldn’t bring himself to put his finger on why — other than the flux in the Big East.

The same can’t be said for Starkey’s caustic piece. He puts the blame squarely on Coach Walt Harris.

A better title for a movie reflecting the state of Pitt’s football program might be one Brando already starred in: “Apocalypse Now.”

Spin it any way you like, Pitt lost arguably the top five players on its recruiting list, all of whom had indicated to the coaching staff they were headed this way.

Losing them has to fall on the boss.
…
Morelli might have delivered the knockout blow on Harris, because he didn’t just choose another school. He chose Dear Old State.

He chose Joe Paterno.

Essentially, Harris sat and watched while a 77-year-old man broke into his house and stole the keys to his brand-new Mazerati.

Can’t you just see JoePa — not exactly the picture of stability himself these days — driving that thing back to State College, cackling madly all the way?

Oh, the horror.

2003-2004 has to be one of Harris’ worst years. Pitt had high expectations that crashed. His in game coaching was exposed all season — again. His supposed real strength — recruiting — took a major blow. And I think it is safe to say that most of the local media has just about had it with him and his constant position of “Not my fault.”

Oh, and he lost another coach from his staff.

Pitt assistant Bob Ligashesky left his position as special teams/tight ends coach to become the assistant special teams coach for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. His departure comes on the heels of the hiring of Mike Kent as the Panthers’ new strength coach.

Ligashesky is the fourth Panthers assistant to leave coach Walt Harris’ staff since the end of the season. Offensive coordinator J.D. Brookhart became the head coach at Akron, running backs coach Dino Babers moved to UCLA, and strength coach Dave Kennedy accepted the same position at Nebraska.

Think that kind of turnover might have hurt in keeping recruits?

Here is Pitt’s official commitment list.