So I’m at work this evening, and I decide to run through some messages and check the twitter feed for any news of interest. And what do I find but Villanova fans freaking out and blaming Pitt. Betrayal! Backstabbing! Such scum!

Over what you ask. Well, it seems that a Temple message board thread claimed that Pitt was trying to get Temple back in the Big East for football instead of Villanova. Not just for football, but as a full Big East member. Not UCF. Not Houston. Temple.

Let me repeat the salient part again, so it can fully sink in:

Temple message board.

Wow.

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I hate the trend especially in football to control information. Usually in the Parcells/Belichek “one voice” mantra that has increasingly spilled into college football. The stated reason is that it prevents mixed messages to the media/fans and keeps the assistants focused on their jobs. The reality is it chokes off a lot of information fans crave and makes programs and franchises joyless operations creating unnecessary tensions.

That said, maybe the Gibbs family should at least conference call to coordinate what the hell the plan actually is. Really. Temple and his son Ashton Gibbs keeps putting conflicting/unclarified information out to whoever gets in touch with them. I will say, though, they have created more buzz and conversation for a borderline, possible 2d round pick than you would expect.

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As we continue our look at the past spring practice and at our team’s future, let’s discuss the offseason and what to look for from now until the team is in summer camp…

How did the offseason go?

This is crucial IMO.  First off, let’s hope Coach Graham doesn’t have to deal with any disciplinary issues at all, but if he does, how he applies his decision making is going to be critical.  It’s no secret that I believe this exact issue was a major contributing factor in the team’s lackluster play and Dave Wannstedt’s removal last year.  What I do know is that there was a strong mandate from PITT to Graham as a condition of his hire that the program get straightened out.  How he handles any infractions from now on will set the tone for his tenure at PITT.

We have seen some of his application of discipline in action already.  Diaz stepped over the line and was gone before he sobered up.  While no one has uttered the words “Zero Tolerance” that is what it has been so far.  That may be hard to sustain and unrealistic given the nature of the organization, but fairness and consistency has to be the goal.

Where there any transfers after spring camp? We have gone over this in numerous articles but it may be a big issue.  Some kids may go solely on the strength of not seeing themselves fitting into Graham’s new systems.  That would be understandable.  If we see kids leaving for other reasons that may indicate there were cracks in the façade, but I don’t think we’ll see that happen.  At least I really hope not.  IMO whoever may have been thinking about leaving before spring camp also may have a different point of view after it finished.

How did the players take care of themselves? As far as actual football goes, it will be important for the players to get into the shape they need to be to execute the No-Huddle offense.  It takes a different level of stamina than they needed under Wannstedt.  Believe me, if any players do nothing but drink beer and gain weight from now until August they will drop in the depth chart like a rock.  Graham isn’t going to allow anyone to treat summer camp as a time to diet.  It looked like the kids adapted mentally and emotionally to the changes required; will they have and apply the discipline to do the same physically”?

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