So far so good.

No reports of Paul Chryst being arrested for beating his wife. He hasn’t been caught pulling up to an In-and-Out drive through stark naked looking for someone to slather in any special sauce,

Happy New Years everyone.

In something of a surprise, Dave Huxtable declined the opportunity to become the defensive coordinator at Pitt, to instead remain the linebackers coach at Wisconsin.

“I’m very flattered,” Huxtable said. “I’m humbled. I love Paul Chryst, in the short time I’ve been here, I’ve become very, very close with him. I think he’s a tremendous person and a (heck) of a football coach. I wish him nothing but the best and I know he’s going to do a great job and have great success at Pitt.”

Huxtable admitted it was not an easy decision for him to make, but said he is extremely happy at UW under head coach Bret Bielema.

“It’s always a hard decision for me,” Huxtable said. “I love this place, I love the guys I’m coaching. Coach Bielema has been awesome to me.

“It was a great opportunity for me to go to Pitt, to get back to a coordinator position. It was not an easy decision. But right now I’m fixed and I’m focused on playing this game. I’m ready to do that.”

I’m sure Wisconsin sweetened the pot for Huxtable, but it seems Huxtable is just feeling a bit comfortable at the moment.

So, back to the Orlando or Tomsula speculation for the next Pitt DC.

I do believe a good bit about what Khem Birch said to CBSSports.com’s Jeff Goodman about leaving Pitt — well at least the part about not being particularly close to his teammates and feeling isolated. When you look at most of the places Birch cites for potential transfer destinations, they are programs that happen to have a Canadian player on the team. Pitt by the way, has released Birch to transfer to anywhere except Missouri.

Other aspects I’m not so sure about. Check out PittScript for a good running account of everything from yesterday — including the Mizzou tampering allegations. Mizzou has denied any tampering allegations, and it seems Pitt buys it — because the contact appears to have come from some of the people around Birch. And those same people are the reason Mizzou really doesn’t want much to do with Birch.

Birch also insists that he is in no rush to get to the NBA.

(more…)

Just to provide a brief counterpoint to the story I posted yesterday about Wisconsin Linebackers Coach Dave Huxtable coming to Pitt when Paul Chryst takes the reigns. Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema has been vague about much in the change of coaches, including who. He did offer a hint.

A source previously told the State Journal that Chryst had contacted three assistants about going with him: linebackers coach Dave Huxtable, tight ends coach Joe Rudolph and Bostad.

The source said Huxtable was still a possibility, but Bielema might have just firmed up that situation.

“The last 48 hours have been all of that stuff going on,” Bielema said. “It was a good break for our players, because there were some things that needed to get sorted out.

“I know what’s going to happen. I don’t want to release anything. … Definitely going to be transition on my side.”

Bielema was asked if he planned to wait until after the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2 to make the announcement.

“I haven’t talked to those guys specifically,” he said. “It’s just one other guy.”

With Bostad being the confirmed departure, Bielema’s statement could be read as just Bostad going. Or, I suppose it could be taken to mean that “one other guy” means one more besides Bostad.

(more…)

Spitballing a bit here, so bear with the incoherence.

As posted by Reed, SF 49ers defensive line coach and Ron Jeremy non-stunt double, Jim Tomsula appears to be poised to join Paul Chryst’s new staff at Pitt. The initial thought was that he would be the defensive coordinator. He is loved by 49er fans. I am not sure, though, about him becoming the defensive coordinator. Why?

There are reports that Wisconsin Linebacker coach Dave Huxtable will be coming to Pitt.

Pitt: We have learned that Wisconsin linebackers coach Dave Huxtable (2011 Linebackers Coach of the Year) will be joining Paul Chryst’s staff at Pitt. Huxtable coached the linebackers at Wisconsin this season and served as the defensive coordinator at Central Florida prior to that.

Huxtable coming to the Badgers last year, was something of a coup for Wisconsin. Obviously it paid off for both, but if he’s coming to Pitt it would not be to remain the linebacker coach. The guy has been a DC at UCF, UNC and GT. The extra plus side, is in recruiting since he has spent the last 20 years in North Carolina, Georgia and Flordia berfore last year in Madison. Considering the desire to recruit in Florida, plus Pitt heading to the ACC, a coach like Huxtable would be a very good hire. Whether it is real or not, remains to be seen.

(more…)

I just got word from a very reliable source, who learned first hand,  that Jim Tomsula, the Defensive Line coach for the San Francisco 49ers,  will be joining Paul Chryst as an assistant coach at PITT.  I would think that would be as a DC but I’m not sure on that count at all.

Thomsula has a pretty extensive coaching back ground in both football and carpet sales. ..

” Part of his coaching career was spent at his alma mater, Catawba College in North Carolina. He began there as a volunteer defensive line coach in 1997. He also worked part-time as a carpeting salesman and lived out of his car for part of the time while coaching at Catawba.’

Man, you have to just love that after all we’ve been through the last 12 months.

After reading this please understand that this is the first time I’ve every cited a ‘source’ on here and will probably be my last, but this info is too trustworthy not to share with The Blather folks.  If the guy who told me this is wrong I’ll kill him.

The general media response to the Chryst hiring has been positive.

“It sounds like he’s a good man for Pitt,” Dorsett said. “We’ve got to wait and see. I’m not trying to be any way but cautious. The last couple of hires at Pitt, you know how they turned out. … I’m just hoping and praying he can come to Pitt and do some of the wonderful things he’s done in the past.”

National college football analyst Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com gave Pitt “total thumbs up” for hiring Chryst, calling him a “huge upgrade” after it “whiffed” on its past two hires. Sports Illustrated’s Stewart Mandel called Chryst’s hire “encouraging,” especially after what Pitt has endured.

“Obviously, the last 13 months were a mess for everyone involved, but I do feel they got this one right,” Mandel said. “Paul Chryst is very respected in the profession. He’s the opposite of Todd Graham. He’s not going to jump job to job, putting his name out there. … His coaching style will be a better fit than Todd Graham’s was.”

Not a terrible surprise. Only a small number of hirings are ever truly panned. Fraud Graham was considered a good hire at the time.

It’s not that the introductory press conference was spectacular or inspiring. It really was rather standard. Little hints of personality, but otherwise nothing seems overwhelmingly memorable to me nearly a week later. After last year, not standing out at the presser seemed to actually “win the press conference” for people with regards to Chryst.

Chryst also comes across as genuine, no small issue given Pederson’s brutal hires of Mike Haywood and Todd Graham. The son of a high school football coach and father of three, he spoke with a soft but serious tone and sounded anything but self-absorbed.

…

Among Graham’s many missteps at his introductory news conference was that he boasted about the greatness of his system even more than he boasted about grandiose goals.

This was refreshing.

(more…)

The PITT Blather is in the “Dead Period”  where there isn’t much football news to discuss so let’s throw some info around.

There have been some legitimate worries about how Paul Chryst is going to be able to finish off the PITT 2012 recruiting class.  Sometimes you need a Mayan Calendar to know who can do what and when during these last few months.   Here is a good PDF that shows the calendar dates and what recruiters can do during them:   2012 Recruiting Dates.

Now that you have that here are the definitions for what can or can’t be done during those times:  NCAA Definitions.  Here are the three which concern us the most .

Contact Period   During this time, a college coach may have in-person contact with you and/or your parents on or off the college’s campus. The coach may also watch you play or visit your high school. You and your parents may visit a college campus and the coach may write and telephone you during this period.

Quiet Period   The college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents off the college’s campus. The coach may not watch you play or visit your high school during this period. You and your parents may visit a college campus during this time. A coach may write or telephone you or your parents during this time.

Dead Period   The college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents at any time in the dead period. The coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time.

The bottom line is that it is always a “Contact Period” except when it isn’t.

Since there is a Dead Period until Jan 3 anyway he’s not missing much on the recruiting side by being at the Rose Bowl until that date because he can still call the recruits.

But the key for Paul Chryst is going to be the Jan 13-28 Contact Period is when he’s going to do his lion’s share of recruiting as he can host recruits on campus and call them as much as he wants.  That’s 15 days of face to face talks with some of these young players.

Understand that we can only pay for official visits by a recruit but we can meet with anyone who wants to come to campus on their own.

The National LOI (Letter of Intent)  Day is on Feb 3^rd this year.  That is when we’ll find out how well this recruiting class actually stuck together.

(more…)

There has been a prevailing media myth about Pitt basketball the last few years. It has been repeated ad nauseum about how Pitt is a great defensive team, but is offensively challenged. In truth, Pitt has been anywhere from a good to mediocre defensive team with a highly efficient offense.

What has been true about the defense, regardless of the media storyline, has been that Pitt players have taken pride in playing defense. That a strong defensive series tends to energize them and has often fueled their offense. That has not at all been the case this season.

Forget, if you can for the moment, the poor defensive performances this season. What we haven’t seen on the defensive side is enthusiasm to play defense, unless the offense is flowng. When the offense is going, the team’s energy is higher. While there hasn’t been great showings this season, we at least knew the effort on defense was there.

Now, compare that effort over the last couple of games — specifically the second half.

(more…)

Hello, all. Sorry. I have been exceptionally tied-up in the offline world for the last few days. I’m even late to get this out there.

Lots of concerns. Lots of issues. And Pitt starts the Big East play on the road against a team that has seemingly had their number the last few years. Happy fun time.

(more…)

I read a poll the other day which showed that the Green Bay Packers were now “America’s Team” beating out the Steelers in popularity across the U.S.  I bah humbug that.  However, I can say without hesitation that the University of Wisconsin’s football team just picked up thousands of new fans prior to their bowl game.  As our AD said “On Wisconsin, baby”

The reason for that is our hiring of Paul Chryst, ex- Wisconsin Offensive Coordinator.

Pitt fans seem to have feelings ranging from “like but will withhold judgment” to being ecstatic that PITT hired him as the Panther’s new head coach.  I haven’t read or heard one negative thought about him since his initial press conference when he was introduced as the HC.  On paper it looks like a good hire and Paul Chryst himself looks to be the type of guy we want leading the football program.  He’s got some real work ahead of him though.

First off, he must reassure his returning players that he is both sincere about his wanting to be their coach and secondly he must allay their worries about the effects of what has hit them like a runaway freight train over the last 12 months.

Any change in a coaching staff is tough to deal with but these players are experiencing a string of events which may be unprecedented in college football.  The current roster members, less true freshman, have had, in essence, six head coaches in the last 384 days.  Unfreakinbelivable!

Wannstedt, Bennett, Haywood, Graham, Patterson and now Chryst.  I’d call in a Murder’s Row but the first five couldn’t shoot straight and the jury is out on the sixth.

Chryst has to be able to convince the players that things are going to be different going forward.  He has to be honest with them and with himself in acknowledging that it isn’t going to be either smooth or easy.  We PITT fans need to acknowledge that also else we set ourselves up for a big disappointment.

(more…)

On this morning let me say, from the bottom of my heart, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays in any way you celebrate.

The PITT Blather has been a part of my life for years first as a reader, then as a commenter and now as a contributor.  The most important thing to me is all of the other people on here who take the time to discuss one of our favorite things – PITT sports.  We are a unique breed I believe and I’ve met all kinds.

We will rejoice when good things happen, commiserate when bad things do and debate issues with vigor and respect.  Who else does those things you may ask?  Good friends do.  That is what I consider all of you to be, no matter how emotionally we may argue about a subject.

In my opinion it is better for us to not have the type of football team that does nothing but win all the time with a coach who stays for 800 years and that has a fan base which is so completely aligned with one another that they march in lockstep.  Wins are great and I do want as many as we can get, but as a fan I enjoy the reality and drama of the 360 degrees of our football program because it gets all of us much more involved in conversation.

I think we all got a holiday gift with Paul Chryst and while results will be measured over the course of next season it feels right to me… regardless of how well we do in his first year.  We will be involved emotionally, excited and apprehensive, disappointed and content.  In other words, we will be fans.

I wake every morning, get a big cup o’ joe, settle behind the computer and start going down my routine football sites, always saving The PITT Blather for last in case I may find something interesting to share with you.  It is a routine I have and one I like.  Then we start talking, all of us.

To me that is a Christmas gift each and every day and I thank you.

So, on this special morning let me pass my best wishes to all of you and my hope that you and yours are safe, happy and healthy this holiday season and that you enjoy life as much as I.  To our friends in the military, here and deployed, let me stand and salute you on this day as I do on every day, look you in the eye and tell you that my respect for you has no bounds.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Some weak-ass Haiku in what I hope will be a very peaceful weekend.

(more…)

Okay, DVR delay it is.

8pm

ESPNU

Adam Amin and Tim Welsh (he’s the ex-Providence head coach… the one before Keno Davis’ disastrous run).

Briefly, at least.

There is a game at the Pete against Wagner tonight. Given the time of year — plenty of good seats still available.  For those of us not in the Burgh, the game is on ESPNU at 8pm.

I may have to go with an open thread for tonight, because it is a better than 50% chance that I will have to resort to DVR delay. Only way out is if my wife is let out of work early so I can take care of my last minute errands. Ah, Christmas time. The moments of personal inconvenience when I think I should have have listened to my grandfather and found a nice Jewish girl. But I digress.

Ashton Gibbs is on the verge of some nice statistical accomplishments.

And in the next few games, beginning Friday night against Wagner at Petersen Events Center, Ashton Gibbs likely will move past Brandin Knight and into 15th place on the Pitt all-time scoring list. Gibbs has 1,417 points, and Knight, now an assistant on Panthers coach Jamie Dixon’s staff, totaled 1,440 from 1999-2003.

Gibbs, who’s averaging a team-high 17.5 points, said reaching performance standards doesn’t excite him. When he was close to setting a Pitt record for consecutive made free throws in 2009-10, he said he didn’t know it until his father told him.

“No clue,” said Gibbs, who set the mark at 46. “That’s one thing about me nobody really knows. I never look at stats. I don’t want it to get in my head like how many points I need to keep up my average. I just keep on playing and just win games.”

But he is pleased to be so close to Knight.

“Just to pass someone who is a great player, great coach, great person, it’s definitely an honor,” he said.

There’s a little more.

(more…)