It was just a small bit at the end, unrelated to the article (which I will get to in another post), but it is significant for the upcoming years.
Cornerback E.J. Banks, a 2009 Montour High School graduate, has left Notre Dame and enrolled at Pitt where he will sit out the 2011 season in compliance with NCAA transfer rules. Banks was a four-year starter at quarterback and safety at Montour. … Backup center Brandon Sacco, who would have been a redshirt freshman, has left the Pitt football team. He joined the Panthers last season from Don Bosco (N.J.) Prep.
My first impulse on seeing that Pitt was losing a very promising offensive lineman who plays at a position of definite need for Pitt and picking up yet another transfer for the secondary. Not the trade I would like to see.
It was, however, pointed out to me that Sacco had academic issues last season — including being academically ineligible for the MBVA Bowl. So, it isn’t entirely clear why Sacco left the team. The only certainty is that he isn’t going to be heading to Rutgers as Big East rules do not allow transfers between member schools.
At the same time, Banks has hardly been the model student. He left ND in August, and it appeared to concern academics. He returned to ND (after some rumors swirled he would be transferring to Pitt), but left South Bend for good in December without even finishing the semester.
Well, at least Banks will have a year to get his academics fully squared.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Fralic is gone considering how critical he was at Pederson for firing Wannstedt … although right now, I’m not sure if the above action is due to Fralic walking away or Pitt Admin pushing him out.
Not sure how Bostick will do with very little experience but he seems to be very knowledgeable and certainly appeared (according to Reed) to have done his homework on the new Pitt offense (and defense) during spring drills.
Bostick announcement in P-G; note the positive words from Fralic.
Bostick was just interviewed on The Fan and, as you would expect, said all the right things including saying ‘Mr. Hillgrove was the best there is’ .. how about that, TX Panther? (just kidding)
The one thing I wish he was asked is that he sees the media as his longterm vocation ir would want to eventually get into coaching (Paul Zeise on a few occasions thought that he would be a natural)
