The open lie in recruiting is that the players commit to the school not the coach. That’s what the NLI says. That’s what every program claims. Even in the face of statements from the kids who say upfront that they committed because of the coaches and/or the system they run. They may like the school, programs offered, the players they meet. But those are lower on the list.
Everyone knows it. When there is a coaching change, losses to a recruiting class have to be expected from all but the most deluded. When it is a coach like Dave Wannstedt, who is highly personable and very involved in the recruiting, I expected significant losses to the recruiting class. And for it to happen quickly.
Surprisingly, that really hasn’t been the case. After the initial shocked reaction to the firing by recruits (and the coaches), there hasn’t been a huge fallout — yet.
Some players have talked about reopening their commitments, but they had already seemed to do that. The firing of Wannstedt just allowed them to make it public. Yet, at the same time, they have been smart enough not to blindly toss aside a scholarship without being certain. Most of the stuff is behind pay walls for the details, but the implication or snippets indicate a lot of wait-and-see-attitude. Much like the stance taken by NJ commits Quinton Alston and Bill Belton.
“I’m going to stick with Pitt and see what they do with their staff,’’ Belton, a quarterback/safety from Winslow Township, said earlier this afternoon. “I’m waiting to see what they do with the staff and what coach they bring in. Those are the two major factors that would change my mind. If they don’t keep that staff, I might have to go in a different direction.’’
Alston was unavailable for comment but his mother, Connie Alston, said via e-mail that he was going to wait a few days in hopes of getting more information on the situation.
“He is still solid on Pitt,’’ she said, also noting that Quinton has received numerous phone calls from interested schools.
“He definitely has options, so that is a plus. I feel kind of bad, though, because he was/is very high on Pitt. … With that said, we also know that college football is a business.’’
Only one player has formally renounced his verbal commitment and committed elsewhere. Ben Kline switched from Pitt to Penn State. Kline was a very early Pitt commit. While that article makes it seem like he made the choice after the firing of Wannstedt, it has to be noted that he also took a recent visit to Penn State. So this may have happened with or without Wannstedt’s firing.
The Nittany Lions came through with their offer a couple of weeks ago, and Kline took an official visit to University Park last weekend. While he said he liked the atmosphere at Penn State, he didn’t want to decommit from Pitt. Then came Wannstedt’s resignation Tuesday.
“I was hesistant [to change], because I had made a commitment to these coaches. That was the biggest reason [for committing there],” Kline said. “When you took that away, though…. As soon as I heard Coach Wannstedt was stepping down, I pretty much knew what I was going to do.”
Sucks that he chose Penn State, but generally I have trouble begrudging kids the right to change their minds on verbals. I definitely won’t hold it against a kid who does so when the coach he thought he would play for is no longer there.
Even with the coaching change happening, at least one player is still hoping for an offer.
Three-star outside linebacker Dillon Lucas (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) has scholarship offers from Duke, Buffalo, Villanova and Youngstown State, but the offer he really wants is from Pittsburgh.
“If Pitt offered that would be my No. 1 school as of right now,” Lucas said.
Lucas said Pittsburgh, which parted ways with head coach Dave Wannstedt on Tuesday, is one of four schools that he hears from the most. West Virginia, Cincinnati and Villanova are the others. He said he’s also heard from Nebraska and Connecticut.
“Mostly Big East schools have started to contact me,” Lucas said. “Most of the schools have said they really like my speed. I’m a vocal leader and I take pride in my ability to run from sideline to sideline.”
Lucas is planning to take an official visit to Pitt in January (best way to see a good basketball game). Scout.com and Rivals.com both have him as a 2-star player. ESPN.com/Scouts, Inc. like him more (Insider subs.).
Lucas is a tough, active player capable of making plays all over the field. Has the height and athleticism for the outside linebacker position at the major level of competition; will need to add some bulk to his frame without hindering his playing speed. … This guy can punish and make ball carriers pay the price with his tough tackling ability. We like the intense motor and big play ability he brings to the game; it’s what we look for when evaluating linebackers. Lucas may need some time to add weight to his frame.
So there’s that.
I guess you do get what you pay for. Dave Wannstedt was a bargain. We should have kept him, financially speaking, of course.
Still hoping there is already a committed quality replacement coach ready to sign on the dotted line and this “search process” rhetoric is solely AD speak and not reality.
Hate to believe that the AD would let one coach go without having the replacement already lined up. Needing to conduct a potentially drawn out search, IMO, is incompetence. Such searches historically have had a far better chance of ending up badly than ending well.
I’m waiting and hoping for the best to happen and quickly, but expecting the worst to occur after long delays and quality candidates turning Pitt down at some late date with the end result being an uninspiring hire who will not advance the program but will ultimately cause it to regress.
staying and 2 players leaving Ben Kline (official) and Desimon Green. It is fairly safe to say that there won’t be much of the coaching staff left.
link to blogs.sites.post-gazette.com
I wouldn’t call it stabilized. The recruits would be smart to hold their Pitt offers until they get written offers from other schools. Most schools have finished their recruiting process but some of the Pitt recruits are good enough to find a way to make them an offer. This will take some time and we probably won’t be able call it stabilized until after the new head coach is in place. The only thing that is stabilized is that now they aren’t twittering on emotions.
Pitt has a serious opportunity to get to the Final 4 this year. It will be a big disappointment if they don’t advance deep into March. This team has very few weaknesses. Coach Dixon really needs to develop the team for a late season run.
Beginning as a graduate assistant in 2001, Harsin has been part of the building Boise State into the highest scoring offense in the country. This past year the Broncos led the country in scoring (42.21 PPG), and over the past decade (2000-09) Boise State has led the nation in scoring (41.40 ppg).
Bryan Harsin
Offensive Coordinator
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Alma Mater: Boise State
Pederson needs to move FAST on this and CLOSE THE DEAL!
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For me personally, I dont want Bradley. A great recruiter but I don’t see Pitt making any great strides under his guidance. just my opinion.
If Bradley was the man he wouldn’t be still waiting for the OLD MAN to keel over he would be elsewhere by now.
Bradley IS the man at Penn State in everything but job title (I’d like to find out how much the REAL coach of the Nittany Lions is making).
It sounds like you’re trying to sell us on Al Golden. If he is so great, then why is that?
We have a ready made team for success and an excellent recruiting class coming in. I would also be surprised if Wanny still isn’t involved with recruiting in some aspect.
Seriously, I’m not being a smart ass, just trying to understand.
Thanks.
We will also pay for a coach who proves he can win. We have shown this with Dixon.
I actually pretty much agree with guy who compared us to the Clemson crowd. Hell, we complain (and many won’t show) for noon starts!!
Edsall and Urban are like twins. Ergo, Edsall gets the job.
Why do you think Mike Rice got the RU job? Pernetti, Schiano and Rice are virtual triplicates.
So whoever comes close to Jamie gets the Pitt job.
Mark my words.
Pitt’s offense was not boring most of last year.
It averaged the most PPG it’s averaged since 1982.
Get the right QB in there, with Dion & Ray and this offense would be dynamic. You need a QB who can stretch the field, so the other team can’t stack the box to stop the run. You stretch the Defense and Dion & Ray will run hog wild.
P.S. Sunseri is not that QB, those of you who think he is, don’t know much about football.
Our great 1976 team with Touchdown Tony Dorsett as the main offensive weapon would be boring to them.
Get on some meds or change your bad diets, get off the cell phones, quit watching shows on TV that change the camera angle every second, while texting at the same time and quit multi-tasking. You’ll be better off.
Ok I’m done. 🙂
And I haven’t read anyone on here who thought Tino was the qb to stretch the field,etc. I don’t think we had a qb on the roster who would have done that THIS YEAR. Next year, I hope Mark Myers is that guy.
“Fire Arians! He’s a moron! All he does is pass! too much shotgun. Too many empty backfield. Where’s the fullback? You can’t win without a fullback. Elminate the mistakes. Control the clock.”
“Fire Wanny & Cignetti! They’re morons! All he does is run. Not enough shotgun. Not enough empty backfields. Why a fullback. Nobody uses a fullback anymore. Why the focus on mistakes? Screw the clock! Ball on your own 12 with 37 seconds left in the half, why not go for the touchdown? We need to throw it 50 times or nobody will come to a game!”
It is great comedy relief.