Chris Dokish, the writer of the very interesting article on J.O. Stright for Pittsburgh Sports Report was kind enough to agree to answer a bunch of questions I had for him regarding Stright. This is Part 2 of the Q&A. Part 1 is below.

[Continued from Part 1.]

Having said that, the events surrounding the trip to Arlington County Day School (ACDS) still seem quite vague. Are there other connections for Stright with ACDS and Rex Morgan beyond the AAU? Even with the AAU stuff, that just seemed downright odd to try and get him down to Florida when his family is in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

After Pope committed to Pitt, it was reported that Pope was transferring to ACDS. I quickly called Pope who was actually at the school. He said it was not true and was coming back to Aliquippa. But he did not want me to tell anybody until he came back on Monday (the call was on Saturday). He said it was because he did not want anybody there to know that he wasn’t staying. In the meantime, the local Pittsburgh papers were reporting that Pope was transferring to ACDS and even had quotes from ACDS coach Rex Morgan that said “he’s enrolled and going to class”. I called Pope back and he was already in Aliquippa. Pryor says that he and Pope were recruited by ACDS at an AAU tournament. These things do happen but it seems very coincidental that this school just happens to have a big connection with Huggins.

As for the connection between Stright and Morgan, Morgan is friends with the coaches at the Miami Tropics AAU team, who are best friends with Frank Martin, the right hand man of Huggins. Morgan sends his top players to the Tropics but it was understood that Pope and Pryor would come back and play for the JOTS in the summer.

Given that Huggins had no school/NCAA regulations to bind or restrict him this past year, along with the way he has openly and brazenly been recruiting players like Bennett, Mayo and Walker — to say nothing of Pope — there’s a lot of speculation as to the role of Stright beyond merely advising and funneling. Have Huggins, Stright and Pope gotten together in settings outside of HS games? The phone call from Pope to Stright you describe seems to imply that there has been more than a little direct contact with Huggins and facilitated by Stright.

Stright is more than a coach to some of these players, especially Pope. He is more like a mentor and they do know each other away from the basketball court. Stright did facilitate other contact between Huggins and some of his players including last month when he organized a tryout with Huggins that included Pryor, plus Schenley stars DJ Kennedy and DeJuan Blair.

Then there is Pryor. The early reports when he committed were that one of the major reasons Pryor made a verbal to Pitt and is viewed as more likely to actually follow through on it, has been that he wants to be able to stay close to his father and have him be able to come to the games. Then in the story, he was halfway to ACDS in Florida and ready to go to a prep school for at least a year anywhere Stright recommends. There seems to be a real question as to what level of influence he is exerting.

Most close to Pryor thinks there is a very good chance that he will end up at Pitt. Pryor himself told me last week that it was “90%”. He is not as close to Stright, though he does see Stright as the organizer for his recruiting since he really doesn’t have a strong family influence. He doesn’t live with either of his parents and neither does Pope for that matter. Any influence that Stright may have on Pryor may stop at college, though, as Pryor does not seem thrilled with playing at Kansas State and he never really said anything to me that indicated that he would follow Huggins. He is actually a very good kid who many think could be the superstar player Pitt needs to raise the program up even further.

As for Pryor almost attending ACDS, he said he sent in the papers to attend but then changed his mind. Stright said Pryor never sent any papers. When I tried to get clarification for this, Pryor said that he gave the signed papers to an assistant coach so if ACDS didn’t get them then the coach must not have sent them. I have no idea why Pryor would not question any of this and I am not sure which team this assistant coached for.

The comment in the story regarding the present Pitt coaching staff. What or who doesn’t Stright like or how they are recruiting players from his AAU team? Are they trying to bypass him?

Stright feels slighted that Joe Lombardi was sent to recruit his players and not Barry Rohrssen, though many college basketball analysts will tell you that Lombardi is an excellent recruiter. He was also upset that they did not recruit Ben McCauley harder. And, yes, he feels like Pitt does not ask for his advice more. One highly respected national basketball figure told me that Pitt should get the players they are interested in out of the JOTS but that is not realistic. For players like Pope and Pryor, Stright is all they know and he does have a lot of power. In this case, more power than Pitt, who would no doubt pay the price if they tried to get somebody like Pope away from the JOTS.

Does Stright even understand why he is regarded so, um, warily?

By that I mean, not only is he a very influential AAU Coach with tight personal ties with a college coach who is considered to skate a gray area with regards to recruits and recruiting. He is also tight with at least one prep school.

Huggins, AAU basketball and Prep schools have all come under more scrutiny in recent years. All three have been attracting increasing NCAA scrutiny in recent years.

There have been articles in recent months about many prep schools being nothing more than basketball mills and questionable practices. AAU basketball tournaments and the coaches are increasingly getting attention for the way they control so much of the players and their recruitment.

Not really. He is a very self-assured man who seems unfazed that Pitt fans think he is doing something wrong. I assumed he would be hesitant to talk to me but he held nothing back and was very talkative and relaxed. I actually kept a lot out of his Pitt criticisms out because it was unfair to Pitt since they can not reply, per NCAA rules, to any talk about Pope and Pryor.

Thanks once again to Chris for taking the time to do this. And also to Tony DeFazio, Editor at Pittsburgh Sports Report for helping arrange the Q&A.

Chris Dokish, the writer of the very interesting article on J.O. Stright for Pittsburgh Sports Report was kind enough to agree to answer a bunch of questions I had for him regarding Stright. Because of the length, I’ve broken this into two parts.

I understand there are still a lot of questions but I had a word limit and unfortunately I had to have a big intro for the casual fan who may not know as much. Believe me, I could have written a book on the subject.

Fortunately, this Q&A doesn’t have such restrictions.

What kind of help did Gore and Smith provide Stright back when he was starting his AAU team back in ’81? Do they maintain any present connections with Stright or J.O.T.S. at this point?

The JOTS actually started in 1987. I wrote 25 years ago but that was when Stright actually started mentoring high school basketball players. It wasn’t until six years later that the JOTS started. Stright was a big Pitt fan and gave Smith and Gore summer jobs while they were playing for the Panthers. When he decided to start an AAU team, he asked Smith and Gore to use their popularity to get his team off the ground. I don’t know if he still talks to Gore but he is still very close with Smith and actually helped with Smith’s first NBA contract.

How far do Stright and Huggins go back? My assumption has been that they met while Huggins was at Akron, and that he came to Pitt to watch the AAU team — sometime around 1984 or 85. Was it earlier or later?

The earliest I can confirm their friendship is 1991 when Danny Fortson was a 15 year old playing for Stright on the JOTS. They may have known each other before that, but I can’t say for sure.

[The mystery continues.]

I know he was once, just as close to Calipari. Are they still on good terms or did the fallout from Danny Fortson — Calipari tried to go around Stright and Huggins to get him to UMass along with Hunter — end that.

Stright and Calipari used to be close but not so much anymore. All three were very close, in fact, until they made a deal that Huggins would get Fortson and Calipari would get Tino Hunter. But then UMass made it to the Sweet 16 and Calipari thought he now needed Fortson so he tried to recruit him. They had a falling out because it was not part of the deal. Huggins got Calipari and Hunter went to Minnesota.

Other than Fortson and Hunter, what other players has Stright directed to certain schools/coaches?

It’s tough to say who he “directed” to certain schools, other than Fortson, who Stright admits to directing to Cincinnati. There are many former JOTS players who ended up playing for Huggins at Cincinnati but they played for the Youngstown JOTS. There are five JOTS teams in total, four being in PA. The only JOTS members to attend Pitt were Josh Lay, Nate Byham, and Yuri Demetris. And Lay and Byham did not attend Pitt for basketball, of course. The most famous of the Pittsburgh JOTS were Dante Calabria (North Carolina), Archie Miller (NC State), Brandon Fuss-Cheatham (Ohio State), Chris Kirkland (UMass), Dave Young (Xavier), Matt Carroll (Notre Dame), and Ben McCauley (NC State).

[With that many teams, and really the only AAU outlet in the area for kids, there is no way to avoid dealing with Stright, it would seem.]

Regarding his Paul Evans comment — why? Was it a personal issue? Did it have to do with the sour relationship Evans had with most of his players. Charles Smith doesn’t say many nice things about him; and Jerome Lane cracked Evans, saying that Calipari should have been coaching the team and they would have made the final four.

I don’t know what he had against Evans. A lot of people have speculated that it was because Evans did not recruit Stright’s son, Justin, who frankly could not play at Pitt’s level. But he did not get into details with me. I know he holds a grudge against the current staff for not recruiting Ben McCauley hard enough, so the theory is possible.

On the subject of Herb Pope. I don’t dispute that Pope’s verbal as a HS Sophomore could not be taken seriously. Even before Stright was known to be involved, Pope had amassed a disturbing early history of school transfers. Why would anyone think choosing a college would be different?

Unfortunately, like many top prospects, Pope has a past of attending many schools. And it’s probably not over yet. I would not be surprised at all if Pope did not come back to Aliquippa next year. But western PA is home, he likes Jamie Dixon, and he wants to attend school with his cousin, Pitt football player Tommie Campbell, whose family Pope lives with.

Also, every time that Pope talked to me, he said the word “we” when talking about Pitt and told me even after he de-committed that the chances of him going to Pitt was “98.6%”. Truthfully, given the evidence, you would think Pitt would be a very heavy favorite.

But not any longer after, he talked more and more about Huggins, and how Cincinnati wronged him by firing him. He also said, before this previous season, that he was told “by a coach” that Dixon would not be there for long. He intimated that Dixon would be fired. Around Cincinnati, it was considered a done deal that after Huggins got fired, he would end up at Pitt after Dixon also got fired. Who was spreading these rumors were setting off alarm bells for many people who follow college basketball and, correctly or incorrectly, Stright’s name came up.

End of Part 1.

It’s probably a real sign of age, that the line is likely more familiar from some derivative use than the original. I saw the line used the other day while watching Jimmy Neutron with my daughter.

Still, I’m betting Pitt is the only Div. 1-A team in the country with two Shanes. Definitely two that are both redshirt freshmen. Any how, the two Shanes of Pitt have been doing some hitting after switching positions.

Shane Murray and Shane Brooks never expected to become heavy hitters at Pitt. But with the second week of spring drills under way, it is clear that the two redshirt freshmen know how to put a good lick on somebody.

Murray (Pittsburgh Central Catholic) is rediscovering the joys of tackling after being switched from quarterback to safety, a position he dabbled at in high school.

“It’s a transition, going from taking the hits to delivering the hits, but it’s not so difficult,” Murray said. “In our first practice, I got a little sting, but it was nothing serious. I was able to pick up on it quickly and be physical again.”

By lowering his shoulder and plowing straight ahead, Brooks (Duquesne High School) has thrust himself into the mix for the starting tailback job.

“Some guys, even after one week, have separated themselves a little bit,” coach Dave Wannstedt said. “Shane Brooks has got the toughness that we’re looking for. He’s got more run-after-contact (ability) than any back we’ve got.”

Brooks was only moved slightly from fullback to tailback, but given his toughness, he can probably be expected to be used in either position. Especially if Pitt uses the fullback for more than just blocking as expected with Conredge Collins. Unless someone really distinguishes himself or most of the running backs go down to injury (always a possibility with the O-line), I expect that Coach Wannstedt will use a wide variety of backs this season.

Brooks said he dropped about 10 pounds in order to get a little quicker. He is 5 feet 10, 215 pounds and a bruising runner who fits in the power-run formations the Panthers like to utilize.

Stephens-Howling said he gained about 10 pounds in the offseason in order to make himself more durable, stronger and more capable of handling the pounding he’ll take once the season begins.

Wannstedt said the competition has been good, but he cautioned that the starting tailback might not have reached campus yet.

“Because of our youth, it is a real strong possibility that we’ll go into the season by committee,” Wannstedt said. “Right now, there is no question that LaRod is our best back. But Shane Brooks is coming on, and we still have Brandon Mason. But [incoming freshman] Kevin Collier brings a lot to the table, and I haven’t ruled out putting [incoming freshman] Dorin Dickerson back there and pitching him the ball.”

Players have been switching positions a bit as the coaching staff tries to find the right mix.

Coach Dave Wannstedt moved a few players around for Tuesday’s practice. Derrell Jones switched from defensive to offensive line.

Rashaad Duncan got a tryout at nose guard. Vernon Botts went from defensive end to tackle.

“With us, there are a lot of uncertain positions,” Wannstedt said. “That’s healthy, if handled in the right way.”

Running backs coach David Walker said sophomore fullback Conredge Collins won’t be limited to strictly blocking duties this fall.

“The reason he was recruited so highly and the reason we brought him here is because of his running ability, not necessarily because of what he did without the football. So, we have to create opportunities where he handles the ball — whether he’s a one-back, whether he’s at the top of the ‘I,’ or whether we’re throwing him the ball. We have to give him touches, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Part of the reason for shifting players around, especially on the defensive line, is the glaringly obvious need to improve from last year.

“We couldn’t stop anybody when we needed to,” senior linebacker H.B. Blades said. “And it wasn’t just the fault of the defensive line.”

Wannstedt is putting the onus on that unit during spring practice sessions at the UPMC Sports Complex.

“We were very young and inexperienced last year,” said Wannstedt. “That was scary, but now we’re a year older. And that’s going to benefit us this year. We’re still young, but a lot of those guys got a lot of playing time last season.

“I told our defensive line, and I was only half kidding them, that the first four guys off the bus will start. It’s all up for grabs in a healthy way, but how it unfolds … we’ll see. Guys will separate themselves, but it’s going to be real interesting.”

Sophomore Rashaad Duncan had two starts at tackle last season, while redshirt sophomore Corey Davis had another when fifth-year senior Thomas Smith was injured. Phil Tillman, a senior, started on the other side.

Playing time can be earned at those spots this spring.

For some reason, I wouldn’t be putting a lot of stock in what the depth chart says in the Media Guide this season.

Most of you don’t care, but an update on the Arizona State basketball coaching search. It’s back to square one a second time, as Rick Majerus is no longer an option.

Rick Majerus was eliminated Wednesday as a candidate for the job as Arizona State’s next basketball coach on a dwindling short list that still includes Randy Bennett of Saint Mary’s College and NBA assistant Lionel Hollins, according to multiple sources connected to ASU.

According to those sources, health concerns are a reason Majerus is no longer under consideration in ASU’s search for a successor to Rob Evans, who was told on March 10 that he would not be back.

Now it should be no shock, just to look at the guy, that health issues would be a serious stumbling block. Apparently ASU wanted a closer look at his recent medical tests and there was some balking at that.

What’s stunning is the sheer ineptness by ASU for this coaching search. None of the other possible candidates mentioned including Nevada’s Mike Fox and Montana’s Larry Krystkowiak, have even been contacted by ASU. The AD there apparently only calls the candidate she wants to interview next.

————–

Carl Krauser will be in Indianapolis this weekend.

West Virginia senior center Kevin Pittsnogle will participate in the 3-point competition at the 18th annual Dell College Basketball Slam Dunk and Three-Point Shooting Championships tonight at Butler University in Indianapolis. On Friday, Pitt senior guard Carl Krauser will participate in the seventh annual National Basketball Coaches’ Association All-Star Game at Canseco Fieldhouse, also in Indianapolis.

————–

Now, stop me if you’ve heard this before. A top HS Sophomore basketball player in the area gives a ridiculously early commit to Pitt. Now he’s reconsidering.

“I do want to go to Pitt,” he said, “but I want to see what type of recruiting class they bring in. Some of their freshmen did play this past season, but I’m looking to start in college.”

Pryor said that his coaches for the Pittsburgh JOTS AAU basketball club, J.O. Stright and Ken Oskey, are encouraging him to renege on his commitment.

“They want me to keep my options open,” said Pryor, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound swingman who averaged 21.5 points and 10.6 rebounds this season and is considered one of the top-10 nationwide prospects in the Class of 2008. “They said a lot of major-college coaches are calling them asking about me. I may want to look elsewhere.”

Pryor is the second WPIAL star — and JOTS player — to waver on a commitment to Pitt in the past year. Aliquippa forward Herb Pope, ranked among the nation’s top-10 juniors, committed to the Panthers last March before re-opening his recruitment over the summer.

Pope and Pryor are close friends who have discussed playing together in college.

“I told him, ‘Don’t make a decision based upon what everybody is telling you. Make it based on a personal thing,’ ” Pope said. “Since I re-opened mine, he’s not quite sure what he wants to do. … I’m not going to make my decision right away. I made it a little too early. You get caught up in the local thing.”

There’s more than 18 months before Pryor could even decide to sign an early letter of intent with Pitt. Way too early to worry right now.

RELATED TEASER ALERT!!

I exchanged e-mails with Chris Dokish, the writer of the Stright article from Pittsburgh Sports Report. He answered a slew of questions I had, and I will be posting them later in the day. I have some other things to do, and I have to clean the stuff up for posting.

Yep. While it appears Pitt Associate Head Coach Barry Rohrssen is a co-leader in the clubhouse for the Seton Hall job along with Manhattan Head Coach Bobby Gonzalez, no decision will be made before the Final Four.

A Seton Hall official said yesterday Quinlan’s final decision likely wouldn’t be made until next week, with an announcement likely by mid-week. Quinlan will attend the Final Four this weekend in Indianapolis, where it’s expected he’ll scout George Mason coach Jim Larranaga.

Larranaga – a Bronx native and Providence College graduate bound to show up on other short lists – would have tremendous backing in the Big East offices, which are in Providence.

Personally, I don’t see Seton Hall stepping up with the financial package to get Larranaga to leave. But the Final Four weekend is a coach-fest. ADs, Head Coaches, Assistants and Wanna-bes descend on the place and exchange plastic smiles and pleasantries while swapping resumes and whispering numbers and gauging interest.

So, Rohrssen and Gonzalez will also be in Indy this weekend along with plenty of other prospects for Seton Hall AD Quinlan to meet and discuss.

The first-year athletic director is also interested in Ohio University’s Tim O’Shea and George Mason’s Jim Larranaga. Quinlan has not yet asked for permission to speak with O’Shea, Ohio University athletic director Kirby Hocutt confirmed last night. Quinlan will gauge Larranaga’s interest after George Mason’s magical Final Four run ends.

While Fairleigh Dickinson’s Tom Green, Monmouth’s Dave Calloway and Iona’s Jeff Ruland remain possibilities, they are long shots.

The Pirates Plank Blog has been following the drama with a well-jaundiced eye.