Yeah, Pitt football recruiting is taking on a strange vibe this summer. Everyone is still waiting for the big splash, while Ohio State and Rutgers (?) seem to be having a huge impact in Pennsylvania this year. Pitt, meanwhile, has picked up it’s 3d commit and it feels weird. It’s like everyone is waiting for a major verbal to excite things, but it is all appetizers. Nice players. Projects. Potential sleepers. Maybe it’s just feeling spoiled by recent recruiting success — to say nothing of what Ohio State has taken from Western PA to this point.
Juantez Hollins out of Aliquippa is the latest verbal. Hollins is a 3-star Defensive lineman (though, Rivals.com has him as an offensive guard). Maybe he’s playing D-line.
Hollins chose Pitt over Marshall, Buffalo, Akron and Eastern Michigan. At 6 feet 4, 270-pounds, Hollins plays defensive end at Aliquippa — where he is a three-year starter — but will be shifted to the interior of the defensive line in college.
Or maybe he is being switched over to the offensive line after all.
Rated the No. 58 offensive guard in the Class of 2009 by Rivals.com and the No. 32 defensive tackle by Scout.com, Hollins said Pitt recruited him to play offensive line.
“It’s close to home,” Hollins said. “It’s a real good school. There’s a lot of people from my town up there.”
…
Hollins is a three-year starter at right guard and also will start on the defensive line this season.
“Well, because he’s so big, he has great agility for his size,” Aliquippa coach Mike Zmijanac said. “He runs very well, and I don’t know what Pitt plans to do with him position wise, but he can play either side of the ball and make an impact.”
Hmm. Maybe next year he can room with Craig Bokor.
Addendum: His coach says that Coach Wannstedt never discussed position when he committed.
“We didn’t even talk about which side of the ball he’d play,†said Aliquippa head coach Mike Zmijanac. “He just told coach (Dave Wannstedt) yesterday afternoon that he’d be going to Pitt.â€
Hopefully by the time Hollins gets to Pitt they’ll have it figured it out.
I think what was meant by “blue-chip” was the recruits that get much more attention and by extension buzz about recruiting for a program. Getting Mason would be great, definitely an impact player.
At the same time, if he commits it will likely have a reaction of “phew” and “it’s about time” from the fanbase considering the slow start to recruiting this year for Pitt.
I have no problem with getting solid line players for development. Getting those lines strong and deep should be a goal given the recent history.
Chas understand my comments perfect. I could not agree with you more on the point that several two and three stars players have turned out to be fantastic. Revis is a great example. As for Mason, all I was saying is that he is not the elite of the elite. This is all based on paper not what will actually translate to the next level.
If I were to read too optimistically into the commit, perhaps Hollins and his coach looked around and saw the limited scholarships and sensed a few more commits in the upcoming weeks so they decided to pull the trigger early.
Perhaps with Brown headed to tOSU, this will open up another commitment from Hollins’s teammate Terry Patrick. I understand he is the brother of some 3-star cornerback named Revis. I am pretty sure that he turned out pretty well.
Also thanks for pointing out that Morgan does not produce the buzz that you want. I’m sure Romeus didn’t either. Morgan is a 4-star stud that could pick the college of his choice. His addition would mean another year where we bring in some of the top talent in the Western Pa. area. Even when we were the top of college fb we didn’t get all of the talent in the area. Some kids just like to get away rom their homes.
Why don’t you change this to the OSUhomersblather.com
On the other hand, if he has a solid season, reaching 8 or 9 wins, then recruits will pick up late in the recruiting season, just like last year after beating WVU.
Since players don’t have to commit yet, some may well be waiting to see how teams they are interested in do next year. Why commit to Pitt based on their solid recruiting the last few seasons when nothing has come of it. If they have a solid season, the good players will recognize that they do have a solid future as a Panther.
Having a coach who is on the hot seat doesn’t help either. Knowing that Wanny doesn’t have any more time to put something together, a stud might be hesitant to sign with a coach who might get fired before he even gets to play for the school.
Long story short, if Wanny wins, we will do fine in recruiting.
I wouldn’t be too optomistic about Patrick. From what I’ve read on Scout his grades are a complete train wreck.
link to coacheshotseat.com
I don’t think they have any five star recruits seriously considering PITT? I think the stud will end up being Dan Mason of Penn Hills, which still would be a great grab. But, not of the the blue chip quality that has headlined the last two classes.