Just one of those days where there was little time to get to the computer. So, covering all that was quickly.
The starting safeties have want to prove they are healthy, an asset and won’t be a liability to the team. Between the safeties and the linebackers, no wonder everyone says the d-line looks good. At least the d-line seems like a known quantity at this point. Throw in replacing Revis at one of the corner spot, and I guess it’s a good thing the run defense was so bad last year. Statistically it will be hard to be worse so improvement can be claimed.
John Malecki is now playing with a healthy shoulder, and looks good too.
LaRod Stephens-Howling’s local paper notes he has competition as the starting tailback from LeSean McCoy, Shariff Harris and Kevin Collier.
Confirmed, the Pirates September 8 game against the Chicago Cubs will remain at 7:05 pm and not be moved to a 3:35 start. No conflict with the Grambling game.
While we keep hearing about the 3 tight ends for Pitt, there is a fourth who walked-on initially as a linebacker and has earned a scholarship. Dustin Walters gets some love from his local paper in Maryland. As does TE Coach Brian Angelichio — also a Maryland native.
Paul Zeise observes that the O-line looks bad.
It is only the first day in pads and, as most coaches say “the defense is always going to be ahead of the offense early” (a line used by Dave Wannstedt today, but the defensive line absolutely dominated the offensive line in this morning session. And it wasn’t even a close battle.) That’s not a good sign, but it is early. And as if watching the defensive line run past the offensive line and blow up just about every play the offense tried to run wasn’t bad enough, the offense’s problems were compounded by the fact they had far too many fumbled snaps.
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There is far too much skill on this offense for it to be wasted because the Panthers can’t block anyone — which is an old story with this team. I think the pieces are in place for the offensive line to be fairly good, but that remains to be seen.
On the bright side, the D-line looks good. Of course if the O-line is doing nothing then it still remains a question about how good the D-line really is. It can be a vicious circle that will drive me crazy for the next several weeks until they actually play a meaningful game against a team with some legit talent. I’m thinking, maybe the September 15 game against Michigan State.
Plenty from Kevin Gorman’s blog. He agrees that the defense dominated the offense in the 1st team practices.
LeSean McCoy gave everyone a scare when he went down while making a move. Kevan Smith continues to struggle to get a handle on the ball on the snaps. Almost want to see him get some time with the 1st team just to determine how much is him and how much is the guys snapping it to him.
Aundre Wright has looked good, and might make a push to break into the deep and talented WR rotation.
