With Signing Day a couple weeks away, lets’ face it. The angst (as such) around Pitt fans is with our own selfish interests. It’s been annoying, frustrating, and yes, understandable at losing a bunch of very good recruits to other programs that have poached the former staff and just re-recruited the kids amidst Pitt’s coaching carousel chaos.
Still, it sucks for a lot of the kids who committed to Dave Wannstedt and Pitt. It has been a complete mess on their end, and what if you aren’t one of the top recruits in the group? Do you stay with Pitt if it is still your best offer as far as conference and name recognition? The scholarship is going to be honored, but are you sure about how you will fit with the new staff, and what they want to do?
This seems to be the dilemma faced by Justin Olack.
A 3-star WR from Massillon, Ohio.
Then the Panthers hired Todd Graham, and all the movement has made Olack, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound sure-handed wide receiver, take a second look.
“That’s up in the air,” Massillon head coach Jason Hall said of Olack’s commitment to Pitt. “I think he looking at Cincinnati and he visited Toledo. The Pitt staff was in today, and Justin is going there this weekend.
“He’s looking at all his options.”
Olack, was still solid with Pitt when Haywood was hired because the WR coach on Haywood’s staff was his former OC at Massillon. While not an elite-potential receiver. He is a key possession, dirty-work WR (Insider subs).
Olack is a big, athletic possession receiver that has great hands and no fear going over the middle of the field. He is tall and well built, has a thick build and knows how to use his frame to gain position and shield the ball from the defender. He is essentially a short and intermediate target with big upside as a redzone player on the jump ball.
Still, Olack is on the list of ten players visiting Pitt this weekend. Hopefully things will be sorted out with a meeting. The list is Artie Rowell (C), LaQuentin Smith (MLB), Floyd Raven (CB), Malcolm Crockett (RB), Corey Davis (RB), Keyarris Garrett (WR), Rodrick Ryles (S), Darius Patton (WR), Jeremiah Bryson (RB), and Olack.
As of right now, there are five players visiting next week. Lafayette Pitts (CB), Robert Trudo (OG), Sam Collura (TE), Jason Frimpong (CB) and Cortez Johnson (CB).
And if you are wondering, Pitt and Todd Graham haven’t given up on the decommits like DT Marquise Wright.
“I’d say it’s down to Michigan State, Rutgers and possibly Pitt,” Wright said. “I spoke with the Pitt coach [Todd Graham] Tuesday. He’s trying to get me back on campus. It’s a longshot.
“I’d say it’s 75 percent Michigan State and 25 percent Rutgers. I loved the Michigan State campus and the coaching staff. The facilities are top-notch and they have a good criminal justice program. I’m not sure what I want to do yet, but it’ll have something to do with law enforcement.
An admitted longshot, but we can hope.
It’s as if these recruits lack the grace to properly manage their extreme fortune. True, we want you to come here and play football and, at the moment, you have all of the leverage. At least pretend to acknowledge that you will also benefit from a top-tier education (and scholarship, to boot).
UGH! It is insulting (1) to those who could not get into Pitt academically OR athletically; (2) to those who did get in (in the sense that the education they value so highly is not attractive enough to someone who will get it for free); (3) to the current players (these guys didn’t even MAKE THE TEAM yet); and (4) to those who have Pitt degrees.
Biased as I am (i.e., how could anyone turn down Pitt!?), I feel that there is disrespect in these comments. Kids today! If you are going to turn us down, do it. Don’t be so casual about it. Regardless of where you go, you have to get the grades and you have to make the team.
I doubt recruits read comments of fan blogs (maybe they do?), but if so, we want you to come and further the excellence of this University. If our coach deems you fit enough to be recruited, I think it’s presumed you will do that on and off the field. If you don’t feel a reciprocal desire to be here, please exhibit the grace to politely decline without providing us false hope or insulting an institution that anyone would be lucky in which to be involved. Supposing you do decline, best of luck in your future endeavors! Really!
It might be too late in the game but they’re making an impact with the effort that will pay dividends with coaches and underclassman next year. Embrace the positives and don’t dwell on the negatives.
That is not to say that we would have kept everyone, but I do believe that we would have kept many more than we will now.
TG is doing all the right things, imagine if he would have had almost an extra month had he been hired first.
steve, you are being protected by MN, bit we all know, IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GO.
You will be too. Shocked and stunned. You have my word. Stay positive!
Since the star ranking is no guarantee and we’ve all agreed in the past, that teams like Boise & TCU and Utah have all done very well in the last decade with for the most part, no or minimal 4 star players, it’s all about coaching them up. And I feel very confident about Coach Graham’s abilities to coach em up.
While I would like to see all these recruits that we want come to Pitt, it’s their loss not ours, there are plenty of kids who will embrace Pitt and 20 years later will remember what a great decision they made. Maybe they too will be in the Hall of Fame (college or NFL), a former great NFL player or a network TV personality like former Pitt players, Mike Ditka, Mark May, Tony Siragusa, Bill Maas or the late great Ironhead Heyward.
Hail to Pitt !
I find it interesting that the players were really NOT happy about the early morning practices with Haywood, but are already running and lifting at 6 am, three days a week, with the new staff, and are really fired up. The ex Michigan/WVU coaches have relationships from recruiting some of the current players, and have done a lot to get them on board, and allay their fears. There may not be enough time to do much with this class, but having the current players buy in is at least as important.
This is no mean feat either. Screw this up and you can kiss the 2012 recruiting class goodbye also. THIS is what I’m worried about.
PITT can weather one down year in recruiting – but two in a row will shift the ground under the program in a way it may not recover from for years.
Kind of off topic except for the fact that one doesn’t necessarily have to be a 3 or 4 star to make an impact in college
Or maybe there isn’t a QB that has interest in Pitt that is better than what is already on the roster?
Seriously, Graham is clearly a high energy guy and is beating the bushes for recruits. Thats all you can ask for at this point.
Thanks to Dan72 for the words of assurance. Hope you’re right!
There are some things that to a father with a family are more important than PITT football.
Nosovitch is most certainly a HIGH D-1 prospect. I watched every CCHH game this year, its my almamater. He is more advanced than Pryor was at any point in his highschool career and is almost as physically talented. Nosovitch has D-1 size , about 6-2 210lbs, D-1 speed in the 4.5-4.6 range. He is the only QB in PA history to Throw for over 3000 and run for over 1000. Considering the quality of QB’s this state has produced that is a remarkable feat. Furthermore he can make all the throws, 10-15 yard outs, deep seam passes, slants, deep posts etc.
Interestingly, my mom actually teaches him, he gets a stack of recruiting mail every morning and he has been visited by a few SEC teams and Many Big Ten teams already.
The coaching staff must have heard what you said about QB’s! A kid is coming in this weekend for an official visit, but with no offer.
QB PG NR Cormac Craigie
(Trinity-Pawling School)
Pawling, NY 6-2.5/214/4.58
Visit 1/21/2011 Pittsburgh
I think he can possibly sign 15 players this year, but when he settles in and is able to spend time with potential recruits and high school coaches look out! The guy has tons of charisma and charm.
Whoever has any info on today, please keep us posted. Thanks.
Agree with JCE– it seems very petty.
Well said. No, this isn’t going to be the biggest and baddest recruiting class known to man that will rival that of Texas or Florida. However, I am already more than happy with what Graham has done. From what I’ve read, he has spent day and night selling the University with enthusiasm and charisma. If we can lock a nice class (albeit likely small) that plays with fire and fits into Graham’s systems then that is fine by me. Next year Graham will have a ton of scholarships to work with and an entire year to build relationships. Hopefully we can have a successful year next year so the perception doesn’t get twisted that Graham’s system will not work at Pitt. On the other hand, if we have a nice year next year, perception may be along the lines of “just imagine what Graham can do with a couple of his own recruiting classes.” Time will tell but there is a lot to be excited about.
H2P
[EDITOR NOTE: Since the e-mail addresses appear invalid, I have to do this publicly, rather than e-mail a private warning.
“waxonwaxoff” and “Steve Hill” share the same IP address and are offering similar comments in the same thread. Sock puppetry is not permitted on this site. I do not care what the reason is/was. Knock it off.
This appears to be happening more frequently, along with trolls on the site.
I dislike commenting registration systems, but if I have to spend more time policing comments, then I may have no choice.]
And it’s better for all concerned that you don’t hang around.
