I guess it’s the same for every coach at every level. There is never enough time to practice. Always something more to teach, repeat and learn. So Pitt’s annual Passing Camp for high schools is not just a way for Pitt Coaches to schmooze area HS Coaches and get more prospective recruits in the UPMC Practice Facility; it gives the HS coaches another chance to get an early practice with part of the team and see where they are against the competition.
“This is the 11th year that I’m aware of that Pitt has done this passing camp,” Pitt assistant athletic director for football operations, Chris LaSala said. “I don’t know if anything was done before Walt Harris got here, but I believe he started it. I started working here back then. My first day, when I arrived at work, they were involved already with the passing camp.
“And this is as big as it’s been. It’s huge. We have 40 teams, and that’s our max. That allows the teams that attend to get a quality amount of work. We could take more teams, but then the teams wouldn’t get as many games and they wouldn’t get the same amount of quality work. So, we can take up to 40 teams, and we happen to be at our maximum this year.”
So while Pitt fans don’t necessarily care about who wins in these things, it’s about what players were there and if they are committing to Pitt.
Pitt offer Mike Yancich from Trinity High School in Washington, Pa. was also in attendance with his team, which won two games Saturday but lost to Central Catholic twice. Before he left, however, the Pitt coaches made a last-ditch effort to secure a commitment from him to play for the Panthers this season. It is between Pitt and Penn State, reportedly vying for Yancich’s linebacking talents. He is expected to announce a decision Tuesday.
Pitt’s entire freshman class is expected to report for orientation Sunday. Talented DB Jarred Holley will visit the campus and practice facilities.
Yesterday, his local paper kept the number of teams he was still considering at 5, and thought Michigan State might be near the top.
Michigan State and Penn State are finalists along with three Big East schools – Connecticut, Pitt and West Virginia.
Yancich plans to announce his decision Tuesday.
“Michigan State is in the Big Ten and I love Big Ten football,” Yancich said Friday after wrapping up the first day of activity at Pitt passing camp. “The coaches are real cool and I felt comfortable there.”
He seemed equally impressed with Penn State.
“The coaches are awesome,” Yancich said. “I’m a linebacker and Penn State is the place they call “Linebacker U.” They’ve had Paul Posluszny, Sean Lee and everybody else.”
Many expect Yancich to select Penn State, however, his profile on MySpace.com sports Michigan State decorations.
Everyone is looking for tea leaves to read.
As for Jared Holley, he’s a 4-star CB out of Easton, PA with offers from Florida and Stanford as well as Pitt, PSU, Syracuse and Virginia.
