Kind of bogged down today. This is rushed as I have only a few minutes during a break.
Louisville has a balanced offense. They run a bit more than they pass, but it isn’t too far out of whack (especially coming from Pitt fans). So as expected both papers had stories leading on the running game and Bilal Powell.
As all in the blog debate for Pitt said, the running game is the big concern from Louisville in this game. I also made not that Anderson is back and healthy at last for Louisville. The kid was newcomer of the year in the Big East a couple years ago. Then got hurt. He’s healthy now, and like the Lewis-Graham combo can change things up with the ‘Ville running game.
On the offensive side, it will come down to the line and backs picking up L’ville’s blitzes so Tino has time to make his reads. Looked like UConn had guys open but their Freshman QB was hurried into making mistakes. Don’t think that will happen with Tino, so the passing game should once again help open up Pitt’s rushing attack.
Might not be a blowout like the last two games, but Pitt should win this one convincingly.
Hail to PITT! Crush the Cards!
Pitt 27
Louisville 17
Have said that, and the fact Louisville is not a spread team…Pitt 35 L’ville 24
Now this game is very relevant to recruiting/wanny… some of you may remember the mini controversy that occurred with the signing/decommitment of our boy Tino. There was a guy named Zach Stoudt involved…
so this is real? we may have Joe Flacco 2.0? I at least hope the “great ambassador” story fades as recruits read about Wanny lying to Stoudt and then basically trading Tino for Stoudt (what a deal!)
Looks like Pauly Rhoads is making a move for him… oh the irony!
So for the sake of objectivity, here are a couple of other points from that story (at least you provided a link) in case people don’t take the time to read it.
“Junior-college transfer Greg Cross picked Pitt three days later, and Sunseri switched allegiances a day after that. In fairness to Wannstedt, who declined comment, the Panthers had just finished a 5-7 season in which they were forced to start freshmen Kevan Smith and Pat Bostick. With starter Bill Stull coming off thumb surgery on his throwing hand, it’s hard to blame Wannstedt for stockpiling players at the game’s most important position.”
And: “Not to mention that Sunseri, popular among WPIAL players, opened the door for Pitt to recruit Jon Baldwin, Mike Shanahan and Shayne Hale.”
Since Stoudt is now at a JUCO and getting looks from mostly non-BCS schools, I’d say that was a fairly good trade-off (3 starters + 1 talent for 1). Stoudt wanted a guarantee that he was the only QB in that class. Wouldn’t that have been a bit foolish on Wanny’s part?
That doesn’t excuse Wanny from “deceiving” (Stoudt’s words) the kid if it’s true, but there may be more to the story.
I read that sentence and it really bothered me… that shouldnt even be printed
Granted, I could be wrong here… but were there any public statements by Baldwin/Shanahan/Hale (snore) that led anyone to believe they came because of TINO?
I can almost certainly say that Baldwin would never have said that… if you all remember Pryor originally committed to Pitt. At that point he had yet to say he would not be attending Pitt… and was still between Pitt, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, West Virginia (timing on Rich Rod), and Oregon…. so how that statement is printed is again very questionable
I seem to remember Shanahan committing later on in the process. Hale, of course, was part of the group – along with Cam Saddler – that was in Morgantown as guests of WVU during the 13-9 game and if I remember were seen celebrating with Pitt fans afterwards. Saddler spoke out almost immediately in the days after the game about considering Pitt and bringing some other guys with him (obviously a nod to Hale, who was also reportedly considering Ohio State).
Again, I’m not sure how much Sunseri played a role in all that, but he very well could have.
Not totally sure about the Pryor commitment to Pitt. However, I do know they thought he might play a position other than QB, DE or TE I think, which many of the scouting services said he would end up being as well. OSU said he would only play QB and as a Freshman, and that was a major factor in his decision to go there.
Stoosh: According to Rivals, Sunseri, Baldwin and Shanahan all committed on the same day, 12/10/07. Hale committed one month later. Coincidence? Maybe. But Gorman claims to have followed everyone’s recruiting so I don’t know why he’d have made that point if there weren’t some validity to it.
Agree with Chas that Stout didn’t merit priority status, and he obviously couldn’t make an impression at Louisville
Powell may have gotten some big numbers s weak opponents but that is what good backs do — there is no reason to think that he will be easily stopped
Not sure why Gorman thinks Tino’s changing “opened the door”. I just pulled that quote from his article. Maybe it was the final thing that got them all to “officially” announce.
Neither here nor there. It still worked out better for Pitt than it did for L’ville.
