The last day of July. That means we reach the official end to what is usually one of the deadest months in college football. It’s a little more extended for Pitt fans since the start of practice does not begin until August 11 — with new Nike unis probably unveiled the day before at the Pitt Media Day.
Big East media days will fill the gap somewhat before that.
The big story is still that Pitt and Utah will meet. Love the gratuitous shot at ex-AD Long.
Utah fills a void left when former Pitt athletic director Jeff Long allowed Clemson out of its two-game series with the Panthers, who now have one open date remaining on their 2010 schedule.
The Panthers will open at home in 2010 against New Hampshire on Sept. 4, then visit Utah Sept. 11, play host to Miami Sept. 25 and at Notre Dame Oct. 9. In 2011, Pitt will visit Iowa and play host to Buffalo, Maine, Utah and Notre Dame in a schedule that features eight games at Heinz Field.
Nice. Remind everyone that Long let Clemson out of a home-and-home with nothing and never even got to finding a replacement.
BTW, UConn is going to Michigan for 2010 and gets the Woverines to come to the Rent in 2013. So let me get this straight. Michigan will play one game at the Rent, but in 3 “home” meetings with ND, UConn can’t get one to take place in their own frickin’ state?
Very late in acknowleding that Nate Byham is on the Mackey Watch List for best tight end. This was completely expected. Byham should be a unanimous pick on the preseason All-Big East first team as well.
Andrew Taglianetti got some love last week, and I never got to this story.
It’s that kind of effort that makes Gattuso think Taglianetti can challenge for playing time at safety, even though the Panthers have talented players there in Dom DeCicco and Elijah Fields.
“He’s got great instincts and he hits like a truck,” Gattuso said. “I don’t even think of him as an overachiever any more because he’s running 4.5s and high 4.4s (in the 40-yard dash). No one outworks him and no one outthinks him. He’s got all the tools. He’s just not 6-1 and 200 pounds.”
Taglianetti says he’s up to 186 pounds now. And there’s no questioning his toughness, because it was passed along in his genes.
At the end of the story they mention his hockey playing dad, but the bit is focused on what he does on the field. Just making plays.
Recent Pitt commit Andre Givens gets a story on his verbal from one of his locals.
Givens verbally committed to play football at the University of Pittsburgh last Friday. He made the choice after visiting Pitt and Ohio State.
“I just loved it,” Givens said of his visit to Pitt. “I’m going there pretty much for academic reasons. I want to major in criminal justice and become a detective. I saw how they handle things there. Everything is hands-on. I told coach (Dave) Wannstedt that the football team will take care of itself.”
…
Givens enjoyed his visit to Ohio State, but the Buckeyes weren’t a strong second choice.
“I liked the facilities at Ohio State, but I knew for a fact that I wasn’t going to play in the Big Ten,” Givens said. “The Big East is more my style. It’s a fast style of playing.”
Not that tOSU actually offered. Still, glad to have him.
Finally, Greg Romeus gives a quick profile on himself to Sporting News. It’s probably just a reflection of the times, and the fact that I’m always writing about college scandals. Still, what ended up jumping out at me was that his ride is a Lexus 300 GS. I don’t know his family’s background, but part of me is hoping it’s got a lot of miles on it and more than a few years.
