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December 15, 2011

I’ll get to some media stuff in a bit. Right now I’m waiting for some new tires to be put on my car. Yeah, on top of Graham bolting yesterday, in-laws came for a visit through the end of the week and I got a flat. Yesterday was just so much fun.

So while I’m killing time, I might as well list the coaches I would be pleased to see Pitt hire and the ones that there is no way in hell they will touch.

It isn’t detailed. I just haven’t had a chance to go deep into guys yet.

1. Mario Cristobal, HC FIU: Solid coach. Excellent recruiter. Kind of surprised he didn’t get/take a better gig last year. That alone, suggests a coach that thinks longer term than merely the next payday. He might not be a long-term coach at Pitt, but he would be the type that would leave only for a seriously bigger job.

2. Paul Chryst, OC Wisconsin: Never given consideration last year, despite many hoping he would at least interview.

3. K.C. Keeler, HC Delaware: I don’t have a problem with him being a 1-AA coach. He is one of the brighter coaches out there. It’s just a question of whether he would leave.

4. Chad Morris, OC Auburn Clemson: Say this for Todd Graham. He did recognize talented offensive minds. This might be more of a leap of faith that Morris is ready to lead a program. I have a feeling the Pitt administration isn’t ready to make that kind of leap. Especially when you factor in the Graham ties.

5. Mark Stoops, DC FSU: I’m a little wary about another Stoops boy after seeing Arizona. But he is a well-regarded DC, and most believe he is ready. Plus he has the local ties as a Youngstown, Ohio native

6. Teryl Austin, DB Coach Baltimore Ravens: I’m really afraid of NFL guys, but Austin might be the exception. He’s got plenty of experience as a coach in college. He’s a Pitt guy, so there is that.

Not happening:

1. Tom Bradley: A team hiring him as a DC would be taking a huge leap of faith until the Jerry Sandusky/Penn State molestation scandal is resolved. The earliest his toxicity might start to come off is sometime in May assuming the PSU-sponsored investigation is finished and released then.  Forget the idea of him getting hired as a head coach anywhere but at Penn State.

2. Jim Tressel: Show cause penalty should be enough. But, let’s be real. Pitt is not hiring this guy.

3. Sal Sunseri: Really?

4. Randy Shannon: Just what we need, a Wannstedt disciple who couldn’t win consistently with Florida-talent.

No, you don’t see Paul Rhoads on this list. I’m not sold on Rhoads, but sadly he is a real possibility. Still trying to process that.





Oh boo hooo you play out of position for a while to help your TEAM, which is what you are there for, to win games for your TEAM.

Sam Young played out of position for awhile and he may have pouted but he didn’t leave. And look where it got him. If he quit and transferred or left he wouldn’t be in the NBA right now.

Comment by OntarioLett'sGoPitt 12.15.11 @ 7:32 pm

Talked to a very successful DII coach today. He says Rhoads is the right guy for the job. Didn’t have time to ask for details.

Comment by Stfan 12.15.11 @ 7:36 pm

not to mention Birch looked far better when he was at the 5 this year than at the 4. He’s starting over a former McD’s AA also, who has been more productive than him the last few games. What more can you ask for?

Comment by OntarioLett'sGoPitt 12.15.11 @ 7:36 pm

And Chas, I just noticed that you lumped your in-laws visit with Graham leaving and a flat tire. Does your wife read this?

Comment by Stfan 12.15.11 @ 7:38 pm

Actually, now is a good time to transfer. He will have to sit the first semester only next year. He will be eligible for conference play. Dixon cancelled a call on Sirius/XM at 10AM today.

Comment by jw in Raleigh 12.15.11 @ 7:55 pm

Birch sees Adams coming in next year and knows that he will not be the center. So, he thinks that he is God’s gift to basketball and would rather sit out a year in exciting Lexington watching the horses instead of playing what he considers to be out of position.
A very immature young man.

Comment by isnore 12.15.11 @ 8:00 pm

Even if he has to sit out only a half year Birch will have missed a season of strong competition.
Kentucky has tons of talent and it is possible that he will have problems fitting in to Calipari’s system.

Comment by isnore 12.15.11 @ 8:03 pm

apparently Birch practiced today though so not sure Dixon canceling a call had anything to do with that.

Comment by OntarioLett'sGoPitt 12.15.11 @ 8:03 pm

Just playing Devil’s advocate here…

If you are 18 and have aspirations of NBA (one and done) and you are pretty up front with your coach who is recruiting you and he says sure I see you as our 4.

Does it make him wrong? Yeah I get it’s a team sport…but where does a promise turn into a lie?

Especially when you are a young guy who needs to grow up.

DaveD

Comment by DaveD 12.15.11 @ 8:07 pm

DaveD. I/we would need to know a lot more information. I’ll error on Jamie Dixon’s side and past track record.

Maybe he did, who knows, but I can’t believe Jamie Dixon would tell any player…..

“yes, you will play “x” position”, “no matter what, you will be playing “x” position”

I find that hard to believe.

Maybe something along the lines “yes, you’re a “4”, ideally, that’s where i’d like you and probably where you’re gonna be. At Pitt, we play different positions at different times, so you could play “5” sometime. I see you though as a “4”.

Did he interpret something like that as a God’s word promise???

Again, just speculating, but, it would seem silly to me for Jamie to ever do that for anyone. I can’t believe he would put himself in that position.

If the twitter is true about Birch saying “everyone lies”, and that’s not true, I’d like Dixon to take the low road and come out and say exactly what he told him.

Jamie would never do that, too much class. Would anything suprise any of us anymore after the Graham debacle, no…….

but, Jamie now has a pretty good track record of being a pretty good guy??????

Comment by Dan 12.15.11 @ 8:21 pm

Birch should see Adams as his opportunity to move to SF. Birch is not an NBA center. If he works on his game although he will never play the 3 at Pitt that would be his best position for his size in the NBA. Young played played 4 and then 3 at Pitt and worked hard on his game and often plays the 2 at Memphis.

Birch would be a far greater loss than Graham. Graham’s loss is a plus to Pitt football I cringe thinking of what he would have done in three years at Pitt. Remember Trey Anderson and count our blessings.

Although I doubt if he would leave Northwestern unless for a prestigous big-ten school, Pat Fitzgerald is a young coach whose integrity can not be questioned. It appears that he gets alot out his team that is usually overmatched.

Comment by DRW 12.15.11 @ 8:26 pm

Yeah Dan,

Don’t get wrong I agree whole-heartedly with your assessment. I was playing Devil’s advocate just to discuss.

I would think that Birch likely mis-interpreted Jamie’s comments as a promise just as you have stated–as a promise.

I guess the reason I am getting uncomfortable with this is I believe Dante Taylor was having some similar issues when he first started out playing at Pitt.

I believe that a lot of this kids let the McDonald’s thing get to their heads….

DaveD

Comment by DaveD 12.15.11 @ 8:27 pm

Oh no, not questioning you DaveD, good points, just playing along.

With all that’s happened, seems like we do have one of the really good guys as a hoops coach.

Kinda shown that on the court, and in his private life.

That’s all we have to go on, peoples track records, he’s got a pretty good one.

Taking my Pitt fandom out of it, he’s one of the guys you hope gets a final four, for him and his family, just because he is a good guy.

Comment by Dan 12.15.11 @ 8:41 pm

@DRW, you are right. As you stated all along, you didn’t like him.

Not so much on the football field, but, the person that he showed himself to actually be, and as hard as this is to believe right now, at this time of chaos, him revealing his true colors and getting out of here, just may well be a blessing for Pitt football.

Your point on hoops is well taken also, just by the line “Young worked hard”!!!

Someone might want to introduce Birch to Young!!

Comment by Dan 12.15.11 @ 8:45 pm

As an Iowa Hawkeye fan, not familiar with Paul Rhoads’ defensive coach history at Pitt, I can tell you this, he is one helluva HEAD coach. Iowa State had little talent when he arrived and the program was pissed off about Chizek leaving after only 2 years at Iowa State(sound familiar?) He has good coaches — his O-coordinator was just pilfered by Urban Meyer — and his players play WAY over their ability with passion and loyalty…including road wins at Nebraska & Texas, and #2 Oklahoma State in just the past 2 years. You’d be lucky to get him. Oh yea, the previous coach who left Iowa State won a national title his first year.

Comment by Grady 12.15.11 @ 9:00 pm

First name given on Zeise blog is Fickell. Have hardly heard any comments/thoughts about him. Anyone?

Comment by JW 12.15.11 @ 9:33 pm

Birch should talk to Charles Smith. He played center for Pitt and then the 4 in the NBA. The games are not the same and I think that Smith was better prepared for the NBA for it.

Comment by jim 12.15.11 @ 9:36 pm

Dan things have changed a little bit paul rhoads is still at the top of pitts list but the ohio state coach luke fickell has been put on the list with stoops and hold on to your seat
smiling stevie pedersons best frend and bud RON ZOOK told you stevie was a snake

Comment by FRANKCAN 12.15.11 @ 9:43 pm

Pitt should not overlook Randy Shannon ! He got fired for winning 8 games while drastically improving the academic performance of Miami’s football scholars. In addition Shannon has the high school contacts in Florida and with our move to the ACC he has the knowledge of the ACC opponents.
Shannon was a winning coach while having to tame the outlaw reputation that is Miami football. He improved the academic standing of the football team, has Fl high school contacts, and is familiar with the ACC.
I would go one step further to suggest Shannon hire Tom Bradley as his asst head coach to cover Pa recruiting.

Comment by Spindler's Spirit 12.15.11 @ 9:56 pm

I like Luke Fickell a lot. He is from Ohio and has a strong defensive background. He is young and energetic.
I was talking to a friend that happens to be a Buckeye fan and he loves Luke. Great person too!

Comment by QuipScript 12.15.11 @ 11:11 pm

Fickel was widely regarded by Buckeye insiders and the national media as being in way over his head as a HC this season. He was placed in a bad situation, but it cannot be said that he made the best of it. Scandal or not, Fickel coached a collection of four straight top 5national recruiting classes to a 6-6 record. He isn’t ready for a HC job. He also is not known for his innovative football mind. Not saying that he doesn’t know his stuff, but he just does not have a rep for being a difference-making Defensive mind. He is known as a relentless recruitor and an energetic guy, but that is at Ohio ST, his alma mater and all-consuming passion. No sure thing that he could bring that passion somewhere else.

Comment by brett97 12.16.11 @ 12:53 am

Yogi is doing color commentary for Big 12 games on fox and does some stuff for ESPN like hosting the Elite 11 show

Comment by CJK 12.16.11 @ 7:53 am

Fickel was handed a bad card….players suspended, then suspended some more. No one at QB (could not recruit one once Pryor was stuck with 4 years)…a losing hand all around.

6-6 record under those cuircumstances with a starting QB for half of those games who made anyone of Pitt’s look like a Heisman winner.

Fickel would work very well in Pittsburgh…he has Mike Tomlin’s demeanor…he does not get rattled…he is not one to give quips…tireless recruiter…and frankly his days at OSU are numbered. I am an OSU grad and would love him to work here…

Comment by SFPitt 12.16.11 @ 11:22 am

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