Video podcasts. They’re apparently all the rage. The P-G and Paul Zeise have one that combines with Dave Wannstedt’s announcement of the recruiting class. Then there’s the Dave Wannstedt interview on CSTV. Good that they have these podcasts. I totally skipped the CSTV signing special because of the creepiness factor of Tom Lemming — though they did give Pitt the highest recruiting ranking of all lists to date at #19.
ESPN.com/Scouts, Inc. rates Pitt’s recruiting class as a “B-” on a national scale.
During his three-year tenure, head coach Dave Wannstedt has a losing record and has yet to take the Panthers to a bowl game. Despite that, he has recruited very well, especially in western Pennsylvania. He landed four ESPN 150 prospects, including No. 8-rated wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin (Aliquippa, Pa.). Pitt may have finished near the bottom of the Big East standings, but it is the only program in the conference with a top-25 recruiting class.
Silly grading, as they give Cinci and WVU “C”s, USF, Rutgers, Louisville and Syracuse get “C-” and UConn a “D+”.
The local newspaper stories summarize the recruiting success and highlight some of the big gets, throw in some quotes from Coach Wannstedt’s press conference announcing the class, and point out the successful local recruiting. The usual.
Paul Zeise did a couple Q&As around signing day. Seems like John Brown isn’t doing well in recovery.
Q: With Pitt now standing at 20 scholarships, and the word a month or so ago was that the number could be 17 or 18 with a few defections from the current team, where are the extra scholarships coming from? Will we see more gray shirts like Taglianetti, or are there players whose illnesses will keep them from returning?
ZEISE: Well there are a couple of guys, like a John Brown, who have chronic injuries and are candidates for medical hardship which would mean, he’s not physically able to finish his career but he keeps his scholarship to finish school. Those kinds of players don’t count towards your 85 and Pitt has at least three of them possible. Also, a couple of players who are fourth-year juniors will likely graduate in April and not use their fifth season. I don’t see any other gray shirts other than Taglianetti but frankly, if you take a look at what happened with Wayne Jones last year, it is possible there could be enough scholarships free’d up that he could start in September with the rest of the class.
I think he’s probably right that this class won’t have an immediate impact.
Q: Now that signing day has come and gone, how many of these incoming freshman do you actually see having an impact on the team THIS year? They don’t have to lead the league in their category, but anyone you think will fight for a starting position?
ZEISE: Great question – I think the best way to answer it is to use some common sense and look at the depth chart. Obviously Rob Houser (a JC kid, not a freshman but an incoming player nonetheless) was brought in to fill a void at center. And as I said, Cross will be a part of it in some capacity as well. Beyond those two — and perhaps Lucas Nix (the tackle from Thomas Jefferson) who is at a position of need so he might be thrust into action if he can prove he is ready – there really isn’t a NEED for any of these guys to play, which shows the progress Wannstedt has made in acquiring talent and building depth. That doesn’t mean some of them couldn’t beat out older guys or earn playing time – or a player like Cameron Saddler won’t step in as a returner because he is simply too talented to not play – but for the first time in the Wannstedt era the coaches have the luxury of bringing along their recruiting class at their own pace and won’t be forced to rush guys on to the field in order to fill a gaping hole. That’s a good thing.
We’ve already seen that even when there is a crying need, Coach Wannstedt has held off as long as he could. I think over half the class from last year ended up with redshirts.
Also, some of the road games are within driving distance.
By chance, do we have any open scholarship available? I thought we had ONE or TWO left.
If there are any ships left they may go to a deserving walk on. I still think this is Wanny’s best recruiting class by far. The first four players I commented on look like big time players. Also love Mo Williams as a WR.
If he can convert some more wins this year (even just 8 wins) and make a bowl, we may see Pitt’s recruiting class go top 15 or better. It is truly amazing the kind of recruits we are getting with a very bad record the last few years.
Bottom line is that as I understand it, the sliding scale of SAT (or ACT) score and core GPA that you need to be eligible is low enough that even if a kid absolutely shanked a class or two in high school, he can make the work up over the summer and be ready to play in the Fall.
Hail to Pitt!
I think everyone here knows one kid who dropped out of school because of maturity issues.
That said. I think this is going to be a special class. I predict 3 first rounders. 6 in the pros.
Partridge 5th coach to leave Panthers
Friday, February 08, 2008
By Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pitt special teams coordinator Charlie Partridge has resigned to become the defensive line coach and will work with specialists at Wisconsin. Partridge has been with the Panthers since the 2003 season in various capacities.
“Charlie is an excellent young coach and I am very appreciative of the contributions he made to our program,” Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. “We certainly wish him and his family the very best in his new opportunity.”
He is the fifth Pitt assistant to leave Wannstedt’s staff since the end of the season.
Partridge had an opportunity to go to Wisconsin two years ago and decided to stay.
“I tried to hire Charlie for my original staff here at Wisconsin,” said Wisconsin head coach Brett Bielema in a statement issued by the university. “He has a lot of experience and success on the defensive side of the ball, as well as with special teams. Charlie also brings a strong recruiting background in the state of Florida. He’s going to be an excellent addition.”
Wannstedt is expected to name former Maryland assistant Bryan Bossard as the Panthers receivers coach by the end of the week.
BTW- I thought TP dad was a HUGE Pitt fan and wanted TP to go Pitt and voiced this after we signed Shady? Also, there is a whisper of a larger Booster from UPisS enteraining the Pryor
Posted on Scout : Today 5:49 AM
My Inside InfoÂ
I know that people don’t believe people on the free board when they come out with inside info, but I promise this board that I have real inside info. I didn’t post it on the other board b/c I am a premium subscirber(under a diff. name) on both sites. I want this site to succeed b/c I have heard form players and I know that Bob gets the real scoop.  CPeek from TOS and Bob are the only ones that actually garner respect from these kids, FWIW. I partied(yes, drank with some of these kids tonight). I talked to them about these boards, they said that it was funny how much people care about this team and that they loved it. They all said that next year and the following will be better than they thought. Things I learned, believe it or not, I don’t care, all the usual stuff is BS anyway:
1. A direct source said that Joe Thomas will be a starting OT with Pinky this year. “Chase sucks”. I couldn’t make this up. Gone from what I gathered.
2. The best OG on the team is Dom Williams. I never thought I would hear this. “He will probably start this year along with CJ”. Nothing I expected. Lumpy isn’t ready is what I gathered. Dom W isn’t what this board thinks.Â
3. Greg Gaskins has moved to OT for depth. I was questoning this, but they said he can start at a position at this line b/c he is that good on the O-Line. He will probably rotate at OT and C for this team b/c he will start after Houser leaves.
4. Houser is small, what I heard. I saw him on the street and thought he was small but JACKED. The players I talked to all said the same thing. He will definitely start. Corson is not eligible and hasn’t been all year. They said he is bad in the classroom. They said you can go to class and be fine. Just show up and show some effort. The few I talked to were actually very concerened about their degrees. Very shocking. I have talked to them before and this hasn’t come up. They both have contributed a LOT over 2 years but both were VERY happy with the education and tutoring PITT has given them. This didn’t shock me, but they loved it. It was really an eye opener and a great thing to hear. Anytime you hear players talking about graduating and getting a good job, you know that Wanny has their priorities straight. Honestly, the most exciting thing I heard.
5. The defensive players here all said they love Paul Rhoades. They said he is a mastermind and the best guy they have played for. I thought this was interesting as I thought he was replaceable. A lot of negative vibes for Bennett. I talked about this in depth, the players were hesitant about his job at SMU. I explained the situation. Talked about his DC of the year award. I don’t like to give away who I was talking to, but this D-Lineman LOVES the blitzing idea. He said if this guy likes to blitz, the D will be top 10. Top 10 were his words. This kid hates PSU and said he has played against Yancich and some of the others from PSU(McEwon and Odrick), he said that he is stronger and better than them. I honestly respect this players opinon. He talked about his unit talking like they are the best in CFB. These players I talked to were so pumped about this offense and defense.Â
6. Elijah Fields has done it all. He WANTS this bad. Fields and Berry are talking to Shady and TJ about how the D is going to dominate in spring ball. The players I talked to about this said they LOVED this. They said the defense/offense argument is a legitimate beef coming to the spring game. Both sides WANT to win really bad.Â
7. These kids all said GREAT THINGS about Buddy Morris. They said that he motivates like no other. I know the people on the board will love this.Â
8. QB was seriously these players biggest concern. They said it is way too tounge and cheek. Very shockingly these players said that Kevan Smith has been the best QB for the last 2 years. I said BS, but they said people get to him. I don’t want to hear that, but I like to hear that Kevan Smith wants this job as much as the others. They all said that Pat did a GREAT job in the huddle for a young guy. They said his skills aren’t there yet. They want the redshirt as mcuh as I did.
9. An O-Lineman told me that the real beast that might really earn playing time is Myles. He said he will be a big time performer before it is all over. Every player, offense or defense said that the D-Line is the best position on the team. Tony Tucker got a lot of praise for playing scout. They disagreed with Sheard burning the Redshirt.Â
10. Greg Romeus is the best player on the team not named Shady. Shady is really pumped for next year. He has set the bar exceptionally HIGH for this O-Line.
11. After Partridge left, Wanny plans to bring in Sam Clancy to coach the defensive line. Only recruiting comment all day really, Clancy will bring in top 5 DL every year. Gattuso will coach the LB’s. Chad Lee is the most underrated coach on this staff.
12. Oderick Turner is really overrated. These players(mostly older) said that Moe Willaims is the best WR on this team not named Kinder. They also said that they have heard that Jon Baldwin should play NOW. They want to win.
13. Lumpy needs more time. When I said that most people expect him to start they laughed. They said that he really needs a lot more time to get healed.
14. Another recruiting tidbit, they said Wanny wanted Jared Holley more than basically every player in this class. All the players wanted to take credit for bringin Holley to Pitt. It was an awesome conversation really. They said Holley was VERY shocked by the excitement of these players. After all the players argued, it was decided that Dorin was the one that brought him here. From what I gathered, Dorin was the most excited Panther.
15. One offensive player(a lineman) said that Dorin runs routes better than Stoneburner. He is a kid that follows recruting. He said that this move is one of Wanny’s great ideas.Â
16. My favorite thing that happened tonight was when we talked about next year. I said I expected a huge year, 9-3, with a bowl win. I got laughed at. They said that we were goin undefeated. I lauged. They didn’t . If these players had the same motivation as the rest of the team, we are getting 10+ wins.Â
I am drunk right now. I admit it. I hang out with most of these players a good bit. They usualy laugh about what I tell them. They were having a great time tonight. I told them how I have never posted anything about them b/c I respected them as people first. They laughed at that. They were having a good time agian. Although they drank tonight, they left early. They were talking about workouts tomorrow. It was really eye opening. They basically wanted everyone to know that they are ready for a special year. They are about this bandwagon. When everyone on this board talks about players wanting to play for Pitt and win win big games, we hope that is true. It was an eye opening experience. Pitt wants this. The players want this. The fans want this. Believe what I have said or not, but BELIEVE.
HAIL TO PITT
P.S. WE TALKED ABOUT RAMON AND 13-9 A LOT TOO.Â
P.P.S. They felt they got played a no respect card from WVU. Jokes on WVU.Â
Hail to PITT
WE BELIEVE.
Am I misreading this, or is Dorin back on offense?
:’)
Out of loyalty to Dave Wannstedt, who retained him at Pitt, Charlie Partridge resisted an offer to join Brett Bielema’s staff at Wisconsin two years ago.
When Bielema come calling again with an opening for a defensive line and specialists coach, it was an offer Pitt’s special teams coordinator couldn’t refuse – especially with Madison, Wis., only two hours away from his wife Julie’s hometown.
“I think the world of Coach Wannstedt, who hired me after Walt (Harris) left. I was in limbo and didn’t have a job, and Coach Wannstedt had the faith and trust in me to keep me on his staff,” said Partridge, a college roommate of Badgers defensive coordinator Dave Doeren. “There was no way I was going to leave a year after he gave me that chance.
“We all know what Pitt is on the verge of doing. That makes it hard. Battling in the Big East, they’re on the verge of a national title run. You can see Pitt doing that. It’s hard leaving all the young men I recruited.”
BBall: new word is back to Fields playin on Friday, feb 15th….so i guess we’ll see him sometime between the 15th and 24th…hopefully he isn’t too out of shape…
What’s everyone think about this Brossard guy as the WR coach?
Its time to win this season, let’s all go to the games and support our team!
you got me beat!! that post is from someone on the scout board which could possibly be you.
Question, are posted on the board either alumni, fans or current students? I am alumni, class of 95.
Lets do a petition from alumni and fans (not sutdents) to see who is going to purchase season tickets to attend half the games this year (including some road games)?
Count me in… I will be driving from philly to catch homes games (only 12 o’clock starts) and will be at the Navy game
by the way: alumnus class of 02, i wont be buying season tickets, but may drive down to tampa for the USF game.
Got killed at VA last year
and lost at USF the year before
my fam went to that Notre Dame game my freshman year, and I stayed home to study! What an idoit I was! haha. anyway hoping to finally get a road win after goin 0-2 in that last 2 years! Hail to PITT!
Not sure how we do that without an Oline, esp if Lumpy is still out.
More improbable things have happened.
Hail to Pitt!!!
From all I gather we’ll never see this idea happen at PITT.
Stoneburner is a FOUR Star TE signed to OSU
link to ohiostate.scout.com
He is suppose to be a top 5 tight end behind Randolph who going to Notre Shame and Baldwin who they list as a Tight End.
Hey, did anyone hear that Pryor eliminated ScUM and D*&kRod from his list?
Just heard on Pittsburgh radio ESPN 1250… Pryor will not announce today. He is stuck between Ohio State and Penn State with Michigan trailing behind. No joke. If you want to listen go to http://www.espnradio1250.com and turn on the live feed.
I got this off the gameboard for NCAA football for xbox 360
This must be the season that Pitt will turn the corner and go to a bowl game.
Look for season ticket sales to be slighty up this year because of the WVU win carrying over.