Time to cram some things into posts and attempt to catch-up on training camp and the links to them, with a passing attempt to tie them together.
Starting with the injuries. Coach Wannstedt pointed out some before camp even began.
We do have a few guys that will be limited from an injury standpoint. Nothing has occurred this summer. Two or three of the freshman that have reported were banged up in All-Star games, and actually before they arrived here. There were some surgeries that a couple of kids had done: Jeff Knox had shoulder surgery from a basketball injury; Arthur Doakes had something done right after the season from an old shoulder injury; Derrick Burns hurt his leg up at the Big 33 game. He (Derrick) came here , was training and suddenly couldn’t participate. We have more incoming freshmen on the injury list this year than what we’ve had in years past.
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Two players will be on the medical list and will not be participating. Aundre Wright had a bad knee injury at camp and Aaron Smith — neither of those two guys will be out participating due to medical reasons, and will be out for the duration of the year.
None of the incoming freshman were likely to even sniff the depth chart, so taking a medical redshirt is probably not a big deal.Wright tore his ACL at the end of spring practice and Aaron Smith’s injury was not disclosed.
At the start of last year’s training camp, Wright and Smith were at the top of the depth chart for kick and punt returns respectively. Neither exactly distinguished themselves. Wright is not even on the depth chart for kickoff returns, and was the 3d cornerback behind Antwuan Reed and Buddy Jackson.
As for Smith, this reads like the end of his active career for Pitt football. Smith was hardly a fan favorite with punt returns. He was, to put it politely a bit on the timid side back there. A little too willing to let the ball go or signal for a fair catch if an opposing player was within semaphore signaling distance. Yet Coach Wannstedt kept trotting him out there.
Of greater concern on the injury front is Greg Romeus tweaking his ankle in practice.
Even though Romeus was taken off the practice field on a golf cart, Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt was relieved to find out Romeus wasn’t seriously injured. He is expected to return to practice today.
“He’s fine,” Wannstedt said. “He was just stiff, nothing serious. We’re going to have some of that stuff. If we have any serious injuries, we’ll talk about it, but not bumps and bruises of camp.”
So far no Twitter reports confirming it.
Andrew Taglianetti was also held out of Sunday practice with some knee stiffness.
There has been some hope since Henry Hynoski became a Panther that the big fullback could be used more. Seems odd at times, but after watching Owen Schmitt be such a weapon for the Hoopies in recent years, it seemed to create some buzz. His job is still to be the blocking fullback, but he has really taken to knowing the offense and being able to being like another coach.
But he also understands the nuances of the offense as well or better than just about everyone else on the team, including the quarterbacks.
That’s why the other running backs know they can rely on him to explain things in the film room.
“Henry is like a coach,” tailback Ray Graham said.
“Sometimes before we even go to the coaching staff, we’ll go to him because he knows everything. He is like the Peyton Manning of our offense. He is really on top of things and he is one of those guys who just likes to be perfect.
“But then he’s out there bruising people, too, which is why we like to call him ‘Hank the Tank.'”
The Pitt training camp site has a feature on him.
“Henry is one of the unsung guys on the team, in terms of the dirty work he does and the production he has at his position,” running backs coach David Walker said. “It may not be the flashiest position, but he does his job as well as anybody on our team does their job. So he’s a big part of the success we’re going to have this year in the running game and in the passing game.”
After a strong showing as Pitt’s starting fullback last season, Hynoski says he’s ready to bring his game to yet another level. That’s something the redshirt junior is used to doing on a constant basis, as his coaches and teammates have seen steady improvements each year he’s put on the shoulder pads.
The first step was becoming acclimated to being more of a true fullback. Focusing on blocking at the major college level was a difference for Hynoski, who has always been used to having the ball in his hands (he finished sixth in Pennsylvania history with 7,165 career rushing yards on his way to 113 touchdowns and four state titles at Southern Columbia Area High School). So when he got to Pitt and didn’t get as many carries, it was a change of pace. But it didn’t take long for him to embrace the role. Now, at 6-foot-2 and a solid 260 pounds, Hynoski looks the part and plays it, as well.
While Dion Lewis had the breakout season, and Coach Wannstedt rarely pays more than lip-service to the idea of rotating running backs, Ray Graham is optimistic that he will see chances in the backfield.
“Hey it is possible, it is certainly possible [for Pitt to have two 1,000-yard rushers],” Graham said Sunday after practice. “I think, though, I just have to take things one play at a time, let the games come to me and when I get those opportunities to carry the ball make the most of them.”
Graham was supposed to be the big get on signing day out of New Jersey. Instead, Dion Lewis got to Pitt early, was able to play in the spring, earn the coaches confidence — and extremely vital to Coach Wannstedt — never lost fumbles in practice (or in games).
Graham, though, beyond the flashes has shown a very high character and loyalty to the program. He never even considered transferring.
“Ray’s always been a mature guy and a guy we could trust,” Pitt running backs coach David Walker said. “Ray did more last year than we could ask for considering he was a freshman. Now he just needs to keep improving it all as he gets into the offense and gets more comfortable. But there is no question he will allow us to have at least two tailbacks who know the whole offense and can be productive in it.
“I think last year, there were certain parts of the offense that I felt better than others him executing whereas this year, I feel comfortable with him going out there and executing anything we’ll ask Dion to do. We have two guys now who are both productive enough to help us win games so we’ll play them both.”
Walker said that there will be times when the Panthers will have Graham and Lewis in the same backfield, similar to the way they used LeSean McCoy and LaRod Stephens-Howling together in certain formations in 2008. It should be a look that will give defenses plenty of problems.
If there’s one reason for Dion Lewis to not win the Heisman, the Walter Camp and/or Doak Walker Award that Pitt fans would happily tolerate, it would be because Graham became such a dual compliment to Lewis that the touches were split a lot more.
And, of course, there can’t be a discussion of the running game without mentioning the O-line. The interior line is where all the concern is, but naturally they are expressing confidence.
“We definitely have to be a strength of the team,” new left guard Chris Jacobson said. “We will. We will do fine.”
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“I don’t think any of us really ever felt there was going to be a drop-off,” Karabin said. “But we don’t want to let ourselves down or anybody else down, and that’s why we keep working hard.”
Two of the three spots are settled — Jacobson, who started last year’s Meineke Bowl against North Carolina in place of injured Thomas, at left guard and Karabin at center. Junior Greg Gaskins (6-4, 285) and sophomore Ryan Turnley (6-6, 305) are vying for the starting job at right guard. Gaskins took all of the first-team reps at training camp.
Until we see them in actual games, the questions and the free-floating anxiety will continue.
