The open browser tabs keep piling up, and it is getting out of hand.
The post on seniors graduating spurred some more good comments and discussion. There was also a Trib article on Coach Wannstedt keeping a close eye on the players and their academic performance. The anecdote is on Ray Graham being consistently late for a class and Coach Wannstedt dealing with it. But here’s the stuff on how the senior class is doing.
This year, several key players have graduated before the first snap of 2010 season and are taking post-graduate credits. They include fifth-year seniors Greg Romeus, an All-American candidate at defensive end; kicker Dan Hutchins; cornerback Ricky Gary; nose tackle Tyler Tkach; and senior wide receiver Greg Cross, a junior-college transfer. In addition, seniors Dom DeCicco, Nate Nix, Jason Pinkston and Jabaal Sheard are close to graduating.
“It would be neat to go nine-for-nine,” Wannstedt said.
Meanwhile, redshirt junior quarterback Pat Bostick earned a bachelor’s degree in communication in three years and is working toward a second degree in media and professional communication.
The dismissal of Elijah Fields certainly increased the odds that all seniors will graduate.
Sticking with academics, the NCAA now has a way to check individual coaches APR numbers.
ESPN issued a press release detailing assignments for their talent in the upcoming college football season. Much of the blogosphere keyed in on Pam Ward being exiled to ESPNU. For Pitt and Big East, here are the key bits:
Rece Davis, who will continue to anchor ESPN’s Saturday studio coverage with analysts Lou Holtz and Mark May, will add play-by-play duties for ESPN’s popular weekly Thursday night ESPN College Football Primetime game series with returning analysts Craig James and Jesse Palmer. Jenn Brown will join the Thursday team as the sideline reporter.
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Rob Stone will move from the studio to call play-by-play on the ESPNU noon telecast with former Georgia standout David Pollack, who also worked in the studio last year.
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ESPN and ESPN2 Friday games: Joe Tessitore, play-by-play; Rod Gilmore, analyst.ESPNU Thursday: Anish Shroff, play-by-play; Jay Walker or Eddie Robinson, analyst.
BIG EAST Network (ESPN Regional Television syndicated games): Mike Gleason, play-by-play; John Congemi, analyst; Eamon McAnaney, sideline reporter.
Also worth noting, the New Hampshire-Pitt game will be streamed/broadcast on ESPN3.com (formerly known as ESPN360).
Regional pride in the talent base can encompass a large geography (SEC speed) or more narrowly confined to a region (Western PA) or down to a city like Aliquippa.
Hall of Famer Mike Ditka made the trip before that and, more recently, Sean Gilbert and Darrelle Revis, among others, went from Aliquippa to Pitt.
“It’s become an Aliquippa tradition to have Pitt high on your list,” Lindsey said. “Playing here gives us a chance to make our family proud and make our hometown proud, too.
“This keeps the tradition alive from Sean and Darrelle,” Baldwin said. “My dad didn’t put any pressure on me and left it up to me. I really didn’t know where I’d end up but I’m glad I’m here.”
Not hearing as much about the D-line, even though there are new starters on that line as well. Greg Romeus keeps being cited to the underclassmen as an example of what can happen.
Is that a good coaching tool, to have a guy [Greg Romeus] who has developed so much and stayed coachable?
Yeah, and with the younger guys, I tell them all the time. It started back with Joe Clermond and Rashaad Duncan and Chris McKillop and those guys. Greg learned from Joe Clermond, he was a great player here for us. The young guys are learning off Jabaal [Sheard] and Greg. We use that as a very active tool. In our meetings, it’s, “look how Greg’s doing, look how Jabaal’s doing.” We do use the older guys and their techniques. It’s a lot easier than me trying to show them and going out on the field. The biggest thing is, they see it working, and they strive to do it. They’re one of the great teaching tools.
While it is scary to start the season right away with a very tough road game, the rationalization generally works like this.
Senior left tackle Jason Pinkston said the awaiting challenge has the players a little more tuned into camp.
“We’ve always been focused in camp,” Pinkston said. “But seeing Utah on the schedule, they ain’t no cupcake.”
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Offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said the goal is always to emerge from training camp at your best.
“It’s human nature,” he said. “When you look at the schedule and see Utah, it catches your attention pretty fast.”
Bruce Feldman at ESPN.com had an article about scheduling tough non-con games or marshmallows (Insider subs.), and some see the focus start even earlier.
Virginia Tech Hokies coach Frank Beamer, a guy who has played more than his share of hefty opening-week games, told me he believes his team will be better for having that kind of test right out of the gate. The reason? Beamer said the specter of such an opponent brings his team’s focus to a different level in spring football, offseason drills and conditioning and then in fall camp.
The Hokies start the season with Boise St. The other advantage to playing a big game early, is that even if you lose it doesn’t sink the season (usually).
