Manny Williams apparently impressed the Pitt coaching staff enough during the camp they held over the weekend to be the first to make him an offer from a BCS school. Williams, apparently didn’t hesitate.
Williams made a verbal commitment to the Panthers over scholarship offers from Akron, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Toledo. He had favored West Virginia, which had yet to offer, before picking Pitt.
“I liked Pitt and West Virginia, but I’d rather play for my hometown team,” Williams said. “I love the idea of staying home to play for the team everybody talks about in town.”
…
Williams opened scouts’ eyes when he ran stride for stride 50 yards downfield with Penn State receiver recruit Derek Moye, a PIAA 400-meter champion, when Clairton defeated Rochester in the WPIAL Class A championship last November.
Williams is a safety who, himself, says he might grow into a linebacker. He sounds exactly like the kind of athlete that Coach Wannstedt wants at linebacker. Rivals.com may not have any ranking for him and Scout.com puts him at 3-stars. His fit, though, in Pitt’s defense may be the big thing. If you think about the way Greg Schiano at Rutgers built his defense with speed over size, that is very similar to what Wannstedt has been doing.
The fact that Williams is not resistant to the possible position change (think Tommie Campbell) makes it very probable in the long-term that he would be used as a linebacker.
Lets see if Wanny can back his word. He has already had two great recruiting classes and now he is ready to turn the corner on the football program this season for what should be a magical run in 08.
We need to trust and support Wanny and the program
Please be patience. I graduate from pitt in 95- From 90–95 we had ZERO bowl games and started 3- of those 5 seasons 4or 5 and O and ranked in the country only to fall apart.
Wanny will bring it back but the fans/ alumni need to support the program
From 90–95 we had ZERO bowl games and started 3- of those 5 seasons 4 or 5 and O and ranked
In 5 of the 6 seasons between 90-95 Pitt maxed out at 3 wins.
1990 2-0 start, 3-7-1 finish
1991 5-0 start, 6-5 finish
1992 1-2 start, 3-9 finish
1993 1-6 start, 3-8 finish
1994 1-7 start, 3-8 finish
1995 2-0 start, 2-9 finish
If this doesn’t work out, and its safe to say that right now it doesn’t look that way, we as fans should be realistic about aptitude with football and cocentrate/emphasize hoops.
Again, I like wanny but am definetly tired of losing (yes, 6-6 ain’t cutting it).
I know we have to see these recruits do it on the field to verify DW’s lofty rep as a recruiter – but look at the projected two deep across the board, and see if it isn’t more talented than any other time in recent history. Combine that with the fact that the two deep is younger as well and it sets the stage for some sustained good football.
So, please cheer for the panther and dont undermine what is happen. To be honest 6-6 would cut it b/c all the pieces should fall in place. Plus, note we will have a first year qb bear with their growing pain.
Harris recruiting ability was less than desire- Rutherford was a product of Larry and Piciotti was a white running back who could only be as good Leonard from Rutgers.
Top flight teams are built on the backs of those big pretty boys (linemen prefer to be called pretty instead of Big Ugllies) on both side of the ball. We got them pretty boys and another pretty boys is annoucing shortly per kevin gorman that he is coming to PITT.
We are back- trust me.
You want success from two recruiting classes (this years excluded)? For a freakin team that was noted for the flim-flam, and mirrors/deflection that was the Walt Harris regime, there has to be change. It starts with a change in recruiting as opposed to a man who was a dreadful recruiter to say the least.
The first class of recruits was nominal due to Wanny getting a late start (hired on Dec. 23rd). Last years’ class, just as the incoming class, were/are freakin freshman. Please name me one NCAA Division 1A power that has a lot of true freshman playing?
I thought Wanny sucked in the NFL, BUT Pitt aint the NFL. You win in the NFL via the draft, good organization, coaching, and luck. I believe Wanny, while a decent coach in the NFL with relative success, tried to use what they did in the U to win a SB. The NFL aint college.
Now at Pitt, Wanny is attempting to do what he could not do in the NFL, that being win a championship. Of course it will take him time. Look at the football program he inherited. Nominal players, recruited by a nominal coach, playing for a nominal program.
What has been Rich R’s and Greg S’s records been at WVU & RU?
. 2001 West Virginia 3-8 1-6 7
2002 West Virginia 9-4 6-1 2 Continental Tire Bowl
Virginia
L, 22-48 25
2003 West Virginia 8-5 6-1 1-T Gator Bowl
Maryland
L, 7-41
2004 West Virginia 8-4 4-2 1-T Gator Bowl Florida State
L, 18-30
2005 West Virginia 11-1 7-0 1 Sugar Bowl â€
Georgia
W, 38-35 5
2006 West Virginia 11-2 5-2 2-T Gator Bowl Georgia Tech
W, 38-35 10
At West Virginia: 50-24 29-12
Career: 95-60-2
2001 Rutgers 2-9 0-7 8
2002 Rutgers 1-11 0-7 8
2003 Rutgers 5-7 2-5 7
2004 Rutgers 4-7 1-5 6
2005 Rutgers 7-5 4-3 3 Insight Bowl
Arizona State
L 40-45
2006 Rutgers 11-2 5-2 3 Texas Bowl
Kansas State
W 37-10 12
At Rutgers: 30-41 12-29
Career: 30-41
It took RR 5 years to become a National power. He was .500 in his first 2 years. It took GS 5 years to have a wining record, and 6 to become a national power.
Wandstedt is 11-12 after 2 years, a 48% winning record. But I guarantee you that neither RR nor GS had the recruiting classes in their 2nd and 3rd years that Wanny has had. But in this era of instant gratification, Wanny is expected to do miracles with inherited inferior talent while at the same time laying a sound foundation via good recruits and a good system for them to flourish in.
Is he going to do it, is Pitt going to once again climb to the top of the Division 1A mountain? Only time will tell, but Wanny is to be given the benefit of the doubt, just as Howland/Dixon were given the benefit it in respect to the BB program.
Lets just wait and see what happens this year and next.