Here’s what the throback unis, Pitt will be wearing on Saturday night will look like. Bids for game-worn, autographed by the player, uniforms start at $300.
February 23, 2006
I figured that there would be some doubters over a few of my choices. I’d like to put up some other people’s lists, but I’m going to try and simplify it. These are players that I feel are no-brainers for the 15 greatest:
- Charles Smith
- Billy Knight
- Don Hennon
- Brandin Knight
- Clyde Vaughan
- Sam Clancy
- Sean Miller
- Carl Krauser
- Charles Hyatt
- Larry Harris
Now I also think Demetreus Gore should be on there, but that could be debated. Some of you probably are against Krauser being on this list, but his numbers and what he’s done really make it a no-brainer. But I would like to see others offer their “Final 5” for the list. The most controversy on my picks seems to invlolve Page, Greer, Lane, Shorter.
E-mail the list and something of an explanation and I will post everyone’s Final 5. To help make your decision, take a look at these summaries of all the nominees. Also, here is the record book section from the Pitt media guide (PDF). If you really, fundamentally object to Krauser, make your list 6, but you better offer something convincing as to why someone should be placed above him.
I want to see why you feel one player should be in over another.
I will post the lists and explanations on Saturday afternoon.
The ballots are closed and the 15 players will be revealed this Saturday. I had my prelim list. Here’s how I finally voted:
- Charles Smith
- Billy Knight
- Don Hennon
- Brandin Knight
- Clyde Vaughan
- Demetreus Gore
- Sam Clancy
- Sean Miller
- Carl Krauser
- Charles Hyatt
- Jerome Lane
- Brian Shorter
- Larry Harris
- Ricardo Greer
- Julius Page
I chose Ricardo Greer over other very good players on bad teams from the 90s — like Cummings and McCullough. Greer was such a force in his Senior year. Not just carrying the load all season, but the way he led a young team through the Big East Tournament all the way to that Championship game. He led as a Senior helping the transition from Willard to Howland. It showed a glimpse of how good he could have been with a full team. Not to mention what was to come the next few years for Pitt.
You can take a look at the resume of each nominated player. We’ll see how close I came to the actual selection.
CollegeFootballNews.com has been looking ahead to spring drills and the schedules. This week, it’s been the Big East.
Pitt — Spring practice starts March 19, Spring Game April 15
The big spring question is … How much improvement will there be from year one to year two under Dave Wannstedt? 2005 wasn’t a total flop, but 5-6 isn’t exactly what Panther fans had in mind. Will the offense produce more after only averaging 336 yards and 24 points per game last year? Is the defense going to be any faster? This is a big spring for a lot of players before all the top new recruits come in this summer.
The most important position to watch is … Defensive tackle. The run defense might have been lousy last year, but it’s still not a plus to lose two veteran 300-pounders on the inside. Thomas Smith and Phil Tillman not only provided the beef at tackle, they provided some needed experience for the defense. The Panther linebackers need all the help they can get meaning Rashaad Duncan, Corey Davis, Nick Williams and Ron Idoko have to play well this spring.
Spring attitude… Don’t just assume that a Big East title is out of reach. With West Virginia and Louisville each coming to Heinz Field to close out the regular season, and the conference road games against Cincinnati and Syracuse, there’s no reason the Panthers can’t progress enough as the season goes on to be in a position to win the championship. However, every practice is important to tighten things up and become more explosive on offense and tighter on defense.
As for Pitt’s schedule, they don’t assume any sure losses on it, but it is considered the second hardest overall schedule in the Big East.
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 9-2
Barring total disaster worst case record: 5-7
Realistic record: 7-5
There’s no excuse for Pitt not to have a big bounceback season, as Dave Wannstedt and his team must take advantage of the favorable schedule and make a run at the Big East title. Yes, there are several tough games with Virginia, Michigan State, Toledo, Rutgers, West Virginia and Louisville to deal with, but all have to come to Heinz Field. When your toughest road game is at South Florida, you know your schedule isn’t all that bad.
Cinci was considered to have the toughest schedule — road games at Ohio St., VA Tech, WVU and Louisville. Syracuse has a brutal conference stretch with games against Pitt, @ WVU, and Louisville on 3 consecutive weekends in October.
I think they really weren’t sure what “storylines” to ask considering they spend a good chunk considering then dismissing any way the BE could get Notre Dame to join in football. No s**t.
As I noted before, there are going to be questions for Pitt at WR, and they note Lee’s leaving in the list of impact early entries.
Impact: Major. Lee had an off year in 2005, but it wasn’t all his fault. When the line protected Tyler Palko, Lee was one of the more prolific deep threats in the country.
Successor: If Palko is going to have a rebound year in 2006, he’ll need one or more of his receivers to step up and replace Lee. Derek Kinder has the tools and experience to be one of those players next fall.
Yes, I know Lee had a major case of dropsies last season, but he was still the guy to who could get free and be in the position to make the play.
Last year, there was a lot expected from Coach Wannstedt in his first year. He was expected to at least keep this team going to a bowl game, but the team didn’t meet expectations. Yet they ranked him around the middle of the pack in how first year coaches did.
12. Dave Wannstedt, Pittsburgh (5-6) — Plain and simple, Wannstedt’s team underachieved in 2005. And the entire coaching staff shares the responsibility with the players. Talk of eight wins and a Top 25 finish was quickly erased by a listless 0-3 start that included a loss to Ohio in front of a national television audience. To Wannstedt’s credit, the Panthers didn’t tank the season, finishing 5-3, and nearly qualifying for the school’s sixth consecutive bowl game. The former Panther player certainly has equity in Pittsburgh, but not so much that he can afford a replay of last season again in 2006. First and foremost, Wannstedt needs to bolster both lines through recruiting and locate speed to keep pace with superior Big East foes, such as West Virginia and Louisville.
On the recruiting front, there seems little doubt about the speed. The lines will take time, simply because that many freshmen just can’t be ready to go that soon. And if they do, that is a really, really bad sign.
It’s eye on the future for Pitt in the media today. While this article is supposed to be about how the freshmen — Sam Young, Levance Fields and Tyrell Biggs — can help and impact the Pitt team the rest of the way.
If what Craig Littlepage, the NCAA Tournament selection committee chairman, said is true about end-of-season performances having a huge bearing on determining the 65-team men’s basketball field, No. 9 Pitt will need continued solid efforts from its three freshmen reserves in order to finish on an upswing.
“The sky’s the limit for us,” said freshman forward Sam Young, the Panthers’ third-leading scorer. “People are saying our freshmen are going to fold. I don’t see myself as a freshman. I see myself as a competitor.”
Young, guard Levance Fields and center Tyrell Biggs have made huge contributions to Pitt’s successful season, and coach Jamie Dixon is expecting more of the same during a crucial stretch run and into the Big East Tournament next month.
The three of them have been at Pitt since the summer, playing together and with their teammates for a while now. The bonding, learning and trust amongst them and the rest of the team has made a difference in how this team plays on the court and the trust Coach Dixon has on them to play.
Still, the article can’t help but glimpse ahead to the next season.
Next season, Pitt loses only Krauser and fellow senior John DeGroat — both season-long starters — as well as junior Marcus Bowman, a former walk-on who will graduate early, and the Panthers will add at least two new players who Dixon is hoping will have a similar impact as has the current freshman trio.
Gilbert Brown, a 6-foot-6 swingman, and Austin Wallace, a 6-9 forward, have signed letters of intent to play for Pitt, which has one scholarship remaining.
The top target for that spot is 6-7, 210-pound forward Tyler Smith of Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy, who also is considering Iowa, Memphis and Kentucky.
The article fails to mention one other big addition to the team next season. Mike Cook, who transferred to Pitt from East Carolina and is sitting out the season. As luck would have it, though, he gets his own puff piece today.
“He has versatility,” Dixon said. “He can almost play point guard. He can play [shooting guard, small forward or power forward]. We knew he had versatility when we got him to come here and it’s been evident in practice. This redshirt year is good for him.”
Cook played two seasons at East Carolina and led the Pirates with 15 points per game last season. He had 25 double-figure scoring games last season, including six 20-point games. He had a career-high 24 points against South Carolina and 21 against Marquette. But when coach Bill Herrion was dismissed at the end of last season, Cook wanted a change. The losing had worn on him as did the weight of having to carry the team on his shoulders almost every night.
“I feel like myself again,” Cook said after practice earlier this week. “I’m playing more of a team game instead of trying to figure out a way to do things myself.”
Cook, a Philadelphia native who played with Memphis Grizzlies forward Hakim Warrick and University of Arizona Wildcat Mustafa Shakur in high school, is earning his scholarship this year by pushing the Panthers in practice. Coming from Conference USA, he has given his teammates tips on what to expect from some of the players who joined the Big East this season.
…
Dixon said Cook needs to continue to work on his defense, his outside shot and his conditioning. He would like him lighter than 230 pounds when the season starts next year.Cook said he can bring another dimension to the team next season.
“I think I’ll give us a different look on the offensive end because I can play three different positions,” he said. “Sometimes coach has me play [power forward] in practice. My strength makes up for my size. The fact that I can play different positions will help me.”
Pitt could have yet another new look to it next year. A line-up featuring Fields or Ramon running point, Cook and Benjamin on the wings able to attack the basket with Young and Gray down low would be a something very different. More athletic and able to take the ball inside, kick out or just get it down low. The possibilities are intriguing.
Of course, all of that is speculative and for next year. Hopefully there is still a lot of basketball to be played in March and maybe into the beginning of April (we can dream).
Pitt appears to have lined up another good non-con opponent for next year. A home game with the University of Dayton. That means almost half the non-con is set for 2006: At Wisconsin and Auburn; Home for Duquesne, Robert Morris and Dayton. Sure would be nice if Pitt can get into a pre-season tournament for next season.
