The recruiting ball keeps on rolling and we continue to see what are likely direct effects from the win against WVU way back at the beginning of the month. Junior-college center Robb Houser is your newest Panther, coming to Pitt all the way from Butte, California. Houser is 6-foot-3 and 285 pounds and chose Pitt over Syracuse. He’s expected to compete for the starting job and it seems like everyone out there is happy he’ll be here next fall.
“I was looking for a good program and a great opportunity to start,” Houser said. “They’re not just going to give it to me, but the spot is mine to take. I’ve just got to earn it.”
It won’t be too hard to be an upgrade over what was there last season.
Meanwhile, Gateway linebacker Shayne Hale came to the Pitt-Oklahoma State basketball game on an official visit. Cat Basket’s thoughts from the Zoo:
I didn’t talk to Shayne at the game but I can tell you this about his visit. He came over to the Zoo with Cameron and watched the game for a few minutes with the Zoo. Not only that, but Shayne and Cameron were both wearing Oakland Zoo shirts. There were many signs and chants from the small Zoo crowd.
Prior to December 1, we were completely out of the Hale sweepstakes, but after a huge win and his friend/cousin Cam Saddler verballing to Pitt, things are looking very positive.
Duke is currently destroying Albany on ESPN2 and will be undefeated when we meet them at MSG on Thursday. What a huge non-con game — more coverage coming.
Anyone have a list of upperclassmen slated to return who are on scholarship?
Here’s a list of all returning Pitt players with either one or two years of eligibility left:
John Bachman
OL RS JR Scholarship
Aaron Berry
DB JR Scholarship
Shawn Besong
DB RS JR Walk On
Craig Bokor
DL RS JR Scholarship
Chris Bova
FB RS SR Walk On
Shane Brooks
FB RS JR Scholarship
Irvan Brown
DB RS JR Scholarship
John Brown
OL RS JR Scholarship
Dave Brytus
P RS SR Scholarship
Nate Byham
TE JR Scholarship
Jovani Chappel
DB JR Scholarship
Chase Clowser
OL RS SR Scholarship
Kevin Collier
RB JR Scholarship
Conredge Collins
FB SR Scholarship
C.J. Davis
OL SR Scholarship
Steve Dell
LB RS JR Scholarship
Dorin Dickerson
LB JR Scholarship
Tommie Duhart
DL JR Scholarship
Rashaad Duncan
DL SR Scholarship
Mark Estermyer
LS RS SR Scholarship
Elijah Fields
DB RS JR? Scholarship
Doug Fulmer
DL RS JR Scholarship
Adam Gunn
LB RS SR Scholarship
Brian Kaiser
LB RS JR Walk On
Derek Kinder
WR RS SR Scholarship
Frank Kochin
OL RS SR Walk on first 3 years, put on scholly last year
Conor Lee
PK RS SR Scholarship
John Malecki
DL JR Scholarship
Cedric McGee
WR RS JR Scholarship
Scott McKillop
LB RS SR Scholarship
Shane Murray
LB RS JR Scholarship
Gus Mustakas
DL SR Scholarship
John Pelusi
TE RS JR Scholarship
Jason Pinkston
OL JR Scholarship
T.J. Porter
WR JR Scholarship
Austin Ransom
WR RS SR Walk on first 3 years, put on scholly last year
Cody Sawhill
PK SR Walk On
LaRod Stephens-Howling
RB SR Scholarship
Lucas Stone
PK/P RS JR Walk On
Bill Stull
QB RS JR Scholarship
Eric Thatcher
DB RS SR Scholarship
Joe Thomas
OL JR Scholarship
Michael Toerper
DB RS JR Walk On
Oderick Turner
WR RS JR Scholarship
Dominic Williams
OL RS SR Scholarship
Ernest Williams
DL RS JR Scholarship
There is obviously some real dead weight here, but pulling scholly’s seems pretty drastic to me.
We had a big debate in a thread about this on the message board – interesting reading.
With the underclassmen under scholarship, I was looking more for kids who might explore an opportunity to transfer. I’m not sure if there are any underclassmen who are talking about it. I remember hearing rumors at the beginning of the season that Kevin Collier was contemplating it, but either the rumors weren’t true or nothing ever came of it.
I don’t want to speculate on any potential transfers because I don’t want to start any rumors.
