Positionally speaking, not geographically. We already covered that.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure that Coach Paul Chryst is looking to stock the lines with this recruiting class. Chris Dokish has a rundown on the recruiting targets for the entire offense and defense. He highlights specific players Pitt is or should be looking to get.
A good compliment to work with that, PantherLair (Rivals.com) has the scholarship board showing how many and what level of eligibility is at each position for Pitt. Chris Peak offers some thoughts on what the board shows.
By the numbers, Pitt’s deepest position is the offensive line with 14 players, but there are qualifiers that go with that figure.
The offensive line is front-loaded with upperclassmen; seven of the 14 linemen are juniors or seniors, and four more are sophomores. There is one redshirt freshman (center Artie Rowell) and two true freshmen (Adam Bisnowaty and Gabe Roberts) joining this summer. That leaves Pitt dangerously low at a position where it’s ideal to have numbers in every class, thus making the offensive line a recruiting priority in both quality and quantity.
The defensive line is also in need of prioritizing, especially at defensive tackle where the coaching upheaval of the past year plus has screwed the recruiting for that position (i.e., decommits).
I think the WR spot is disturbing. It’s a bit of a make-or-break year for a lot of players. Technically, Pitt will have 13 WRs on the team in 2012, with only 3 seniors (Brinson, Shanahan and Saddler). Yet outside of Devin Street, we have yet to see much from any other WR. Yes for some there were mitigating reasons of position switching (Ifill) or injury (Williams) or transfer (Felder). But at the same time, the other WRs haven’t been much of a factor despite the depth. (Please refrain from Sunseri comments, the WRs deserve some blame for their insignificant impact.)
Even if Chryst wasn’t a fan of multiple TE sets, I think he’d end up going that way. The depth at TE isn’t great, but the potential talent is excellent. Hubie Graham, Drew Carswell and incoming freshman J.P. Holtz very good. And the lack of depth at the spot seems to make it more likely that Anthony Gonzalez ends back here if not as a straight TE, then as a Dorin Dickerson style TE-halfback.
Kind of the same issue at linebacker. 11 players at the spot (excluding Carl Fleming) and yet not a lot that makes you feel really confident once you get past Todd Thomas, Ejuan Price and Dan Mason.
Looking at the QB spot and well, yeesh.
Oh, and Kevin Harper is a senior. A kicker and/or punter might be needed.
He will turn out to be the best coach Pitt has had in years. Only thing that worries is the AD at Wisconsin farmed him out to get some head coaching expercinse not in the BIG-PRE10. I wonder if he is rehired when the job opens up again.
If he does what I and a lot of others here believe he is capable of… he will have it made.
The only caveat is Rudolph with his local ties.
I could see Chryst moving on ONLY if it were to open an opportunity for Rudolph to become Head Coach in his hometown area.
Chryst is that kind of guy.
Bielema has a pretty good gig there right now.
Certainly changes can always happen, (alma mater Iowa, NFL etc. etc), but he’s got to be pretty comfy at this time.
And, as “tackle made by hugh” said, if our head coach is a hot commodity in 5 years, we could only hope!
Hopefully he’s not forgotten about in the college football world in 3 years, the last thing Pitt needs!!!!
get a grip the wisconsin coach is not goin ing any were any way
lets talk of recrutng that is more real what goes on there not if this if that if pigs could fly get a grip.
That elitest Pittsburgh standoffishness spoiled our opportunity to keep Coach Graham here remember. LOL
I for one am going to try my best to make him feel right at home by wearing a yellow cheesehead to our home opener against Younstown State.
Carswell and Street are two big targets, Shanahan will round back into form and the staff is going to use Saddler in a big way – he probably got more passes thrown his way in the spring than any other receiver.
Both Ifill and Felder are speed burners and they get action.
If it isn’t paranoia, it is insecurity.
Neither is the least bit attractive.
Pitt will have 100 players dress for the home opener and Chryst has already proven himself under pressure…any O coordinator can call a set of 3 and outs..try calling plays on the clock.
As far as recruiting goes, again, Chryst exudes quiet confidence and not bravado. We should welcome that after fluff (fraud) and flubbed (Wanny).
I’ll take my chances with PC.
I like him alot for his intangibles, not much on his 40 time or his shuttle. I do think he is very good at recruiting and I expect him to best relate to parents and coaches. Oh, and the players. At the end of the day, they do sign the LOI.
Two queries for the group
1. Going to the ACC, would you give up “Sweet Caroline, if you could bring back the mustard, blue and script.
2. Can Pitt put a clause in their LOI that if a coach leaves during the athletes tenure, they will let the athlete transfer to any school he desires. I would counsel my kids to sign an agreement with something similar in it to protect the player. That would help PC recruit the higher ranked kids, promote trust with HSCoaches and show everyone that he is different (for the better). Just sayin…
I think number 2 is governed by the ncaa but I am all for allowing athletes to transfer to any school and be eligible to play right away if their coach leaves assuming certain guidelines are met. But all schools would probably have to follow or the ncaa would probably lay down the hammer.
Everything is cool.
This is what blogs are. We’re just b.s.ing at the beginning of may.
Joel, made an innocent enough comment about Chryst being farmed out.
People commented about that, that comments were made about those comments.
Minor stuff men, just guys b.s.ing, everyone here realizes he hasn’t coached a game.
Most of us just killing a few moments during the day at work.
When a subject gets started, it goes on for a bit.
And I respect your opinions and comments about these comments.
Remember though, just a little b.s. during down time, that’s all.
May I make a suggestion for a topic that you were requesting a few days ago. I meant to put it in, but forgot. It’s my main one.
Now, some are going to say, “oh no, not this crap again”.
That’s fine, and understandable, and you certainly have a right to comment, but, please read what I’m saying and hear me out.
I believe we Reed could have a good, thoughtful discussion on Pitt Script.
To some of you, it should be put to bed. I understand that. To many, it’s one of the few things we could always hang our hat on.
I also realize, some younger people the past 10 years or so, like the blue and gold now, and the block Pitt. Full disclosure (I actually like the block lettering Pitt, it is very collegiate). I don’t like it as much as the script, but, better than that monster thing we had for a few years.
Now, this is where I ask you to hear me out, and not just toss me aside as a “Pitt script” die hard.
It’s not just Pitt script, for Pitt scripts sake.
I will make a couple points, and Reed, you can decide whether it is worthy of a discussion.
1. Die hard, want Pitt script and colors back, it made the univ. unique. “Bring it back now”.
2. People that say, let it go, it’s a dead issue, move on.
3. And the biggest portion. The casual fan, the walk up ticket buyers, etc. etc.
They don’t have a big opinion, but when presented to them as an issue, almost everyone I spoke to said, “well, no big deal, but if I had a choice, the Pitt script was always nice, and unique”.
I believe this to be a reason, that we could never get a groundswell going. 5 or 10k die hards of us wanted it, but if the admin ever asked anyone that was a so-so fan, they probably just as easily told them
“ya, whatever you want to do, really just want to watch football and have a hot dog, whatever you think is good”.
“I like the script, what whatever you think”.
Now, my couple points, that are not just “Pitt script die hard stuff”
1. The obvious, a lot of us would like it back, and I feel and overwhelming majority would like it back, even if it’s not a big deal to them.
A. Not a big deal, but, if given the choice, they would like the script and colors. Not gonna get upset over it, but, given the choice.
2. Marketing (Hello Steve!!!) There are 4 or 5 teams with almost the exact same colors. Notre Dame, Navy, Georgia Tech off the top of my head, I mean, almost identical.
A. Unique ourselves for lack of a better word.
B. STEVE, isn’t it about time for you to change the uniforms anyhow????
3. Marketing again, marketing and money. We’re going to be going to a new conference next year.
A. I’m not in marketing, but, I would have to believe this would be a huge bullseye to do something. Perfect timing no???
B. What a time to make ourselves and logo and colors unique with our new friends??
4. The change is not that old. Allthough it has been 15 years, it’s not like we want a uniform back from the 1940’s or 1950’s.
A. It was one of the most recognizable uniforms in college, it screams Pitt-Penn State, it screams Dorsett, Marino, Green, and people today still know who those people are.
Anyhow, obviously, I’m passionate about this. Not young, not old, 45, right in the middle, but in the middle enough to know, that for 25 years, or so, it was Pitt football.
Steve, I beg of you, please put your pride aside, even laugh about it, and come out and make things right. You can do it, and you’ll be loved for doing it.
Perfect timing is coming up next year!!!!
Anyhow Reed, my suggestion for a topic.
Real ideas, real discussion of how we could approach this idea, in a mannerly fashion to suggest to Steve and the administration.
Also, if someone is personal friends with Steve and have been told “over my dead body”, please let me know and I’ll go back into my hole.
Aside from that …. “well, no big deal, but if I had a choice, the Pitt script was always nice, and unique”.
“haven’t thought about it, but if I had my choice”
I think for the marketing aspect alone, new conference, stand out from the other 4 or 5 same gold helmet color that are allready in the ACC.
Well, out of my hands. Very happy with the Pitt program right now, and where we are with both coaches.
Good day all, on the road!
It’s not much, but I put up a facebook page dedicated to the subject.
I’m sure it won’t go anywhere, but a good place to put some good photos up.
Allready generated a phone call from my nephew, “what’s Bobby’s picture doin’ on there?”, told him, “he’s a Pitt coach now brother”.
Allready got two “likes” overnight!!! LOL
Good day guys!!
Given what we know about “Football Life Expectancy” on the field and off it makes perfect sense. I regret that it will happen but I will be shocked if Aaron does not declare for the draft. I can’t believe people are not talking about the possibility, other than the fact he’s a lineman.
Donald could play pro ball NOW; I only hope he stays healthy, has a great junior year, and becomes another great PITT footballer in the NFL. The fact that he is around six feet tall doesn’t mean a thing in his case. Christ better prepare now for this eventuality.
I found an old copy of SI with TD on the cover with the caption ‘Heading for the Heisman’. Damn those colors were great and indeed screamed ‘PITT’.
Cooper – Great point. But depressing if it becomes reality.
I made a fb page. friend it. who knows, get enough “likes”, I’ll fire off an email to the ath dept.
Let other Pitt people know. I have that pic you’re talking about, up on the page’s photos.
remember, this isn’t a net web page, it’s a facebook page. so, if you’re searching for it, use your facebook search.
Chryst has a plan and he’s working it.