Joe Bendel, writing for ESPN.com (Insider subs.) about how recruiting went in the Big East leads with Pitt.
New Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt hit the recruiting trail running — and he looked like an old pro doing it.
The former boss of the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears had been out of the college game for 16 years, but you wouldn’t have known it by the way he hustled to retain the lion’s share of Walt Harris’ recruits.
He also brought in a few of his own, most notably running back Conredge Collins of Coconut Creek, Fla., the plum of this year’s 24-member class.
“Whenever there is a coaching change, it is very difficult to hold onto recruits,” said Wannstedt, a Pittsburgh alum who stepped into the job on Dec. 23 after Harris departed for Stanford. “That’s what other schools look for; they’re always looking for a crack in the armor. … We were able to hold onto the majority of the ones we wanted, and, in the [late going], we found a way to add three or four more players.”
Recruiting analyst Tom Lemming rated the Panthers’ class second in the Big East behind West Virginia’s. In addition to Collins, record-setting quarterback Bill Stull of Pittsburgh’s Seton-LaSalle High and defensive lineman Craig Bokor of Pittsburgh (an original member of the 2004 class who went to military school) were considered keys to the group.
Collins, the son of Tony Collins, former New England Patriots 1,000-yard running back, and Stull, who was set to go to Kentucky, committed under Wannstedt’s watch. Collins said there was a buzz in Florida when word spread that Wannstedt had taken over at Pittsburgh. The same occurred in western Pennsylvania.
“We’d like to recruit in a 300-mile radius from here … and, of course, we’ll continue to go into Florida,” Wannstedt said.
Eleven of the Pittsburgh signees hail from western Pennsylvania, which is significant, because Harris was criticized for his inability to lure enough players from his back yard. Six other states send at least one player to Pittsburgh, including Florida (6), New Jersey (2), New York (2), Ohio (1), Virginia (1) and Maryland (1).
“We have to reestablish ourselves at home,” Wannstedt said. “It is a priority, I can guarantee you that. We can’t let these guys leave and go someplace else. There’s too much talent here.”
Pittsburgh returns nine starters on offense and seven on defense from last year’s Fiesta Bowl team. A couple of the newcomers could make an immediate impact, notably Bokor and Collins (who could improve a running game that managed just 2.6 yards per carry). A good portion of the class likely will redshirt, though Wannstedt made it clear that every position is open.
Wonder who ESPN.com will tap next fall for the Big East Notebook? They tend to rotate with a different beat writer every year.
Pitt definitely isn’t the only one scheduling the Div. I-AA football programs. Auburn just added Western Kentucky.
At this point, I’ll introduce Pat Hill. You know him as Fresno State’s brash and bold coach, a guy who has built a program from the scrap heap and will play anyone, any time, any place to gain respect.
So I placed a call to Hill last week and told him Auburn just added a home game against Division I-AA Western Kentucky to complete its 2005 schedule. And before I could ask the question, he gave the answer.
“We called them,” Hill interrupted. “We wanted to play them. I guess their schedule was already filled.”
No, it wasn’t. Fresno officials called before Auburn added Western Kentucky, and Hill is speaking with a politically correct tone because, well, he’d love a shot at Auburn somewhere down the road. Yeah, good luck with that. Auburn has bigger fish to flop.
Like The Citadel. Or Western Kentucky. Or big, bad Ball State.
This is why Auburn wasn’t one of two teams playing in the Orange Bowl national title game last season, why the Tigers were stuck in the Sugar Bowl politicking for respect. Respect? Play someone with a pulse outside your conference, then we’ll talk.
Wait, I take that back. Aubie played USC in the 2002 and ’03 seasons and lost by a combined 47-17. The Tigers also played Georgia Tech in 2003 and lost 17-3. Hence, the reason for last year’s brutal nonconference slate of Louisiana-Monroe, The Citadel and Louisiana Tech. And the reason the Tigers weren’t playing USC in the Orange Bowl.
Look, Auburn shouldn’t have to apologize for its schedule; it plays in the SEC, the toughest conference in college football. But like it or not, teams must prove themselves outside of their conferences to earn style points. It’s as much a beauty pageant as it is a demolition derby.
Auburn was put in this predicament after Southern Miss bailed out of a game because of conflicts with the new Conference USA schedule. But here’s the hitch: Southern Miss informed Auburn last September. University officials knew for five months — through a magical unbeaten season, through the controversy of not being able to play for the national title because of a pathetic nonconference schedule — that they needed a nonconference game for 2005, yet they chose to continue down the same path.
This season and next season, it likely won’t be that type of issue for Pitt. But if Pitt continues to improve and seeks to get on the national stage, then the non-con will be vital for Pitt. Unlike Auburn for example (or the Pitt basketball team), the Pitt football team does not get to fall back on the argument of a brutal conference schedule. Not with Rutgers and Cinci every year.
At the very least, Pitt needs to start looking into scheduling some non-cons with teams like Fresno and Boise St. There is plenty of risk, but Pitt is going to have to start taking some chances in that area.
