The preview guides are coming! The preview guides are coming!
I’ve cut back on what I actually buy in recent years (as oppose to read, scan, peruse at the local B&N). Generally sticking to the Phil Steele and Sporting News previews. I was nearly tempted to buy the Lindy’s guide this year, simply because they did this.
[Related, this puff-piece on Todd Graham energizing the ASU football program is interesting only because it mirrors just about every puff-piece we read last year with Graham at Pitt. Right down to (publicly) saying nice things about the old staff and bringing energy to a fanbase that was growing apathetic.]
Phil Steele came out this past week. After years of picking Pitt to win the Big East, Steele drops them down to 4th. Amusingly/frustratingly enough, he seems to indicate that running his simulations he could envision Pitt winning the Big East. He even lists Pitt as the 15th team on his “Most Improved List,” to suggest higher expectations for a 6-7 team. But burned enough times he’s not taking that chance. Instead he’s going out on a limb with another perennial underachiever: USF. Er, what?
Obviously, Steele is high on the Pitt running backs — Ray Graham is his 4th Team All-American RB — listing them as the 12th best unit nationally. He expects good things from WRs and DBs. Also likes the special teams (listing Kevin Harper as the 14th best kicker) listing them as the 24th best unit in 1-A.
This is why Pitt has confounded a lot of people in recent years. There is talent on this team. There has been talent on this team. Yet, this team in the last decade has perpetually fallen short.
That brings us to the Football Outsiders preview of Pitt. A preview of surprising optimism for Pitt, but for the multiple coaching changes in the past 18 months.
Alas, it does appear that Pitt has made a solid hire this time around, even if one could have said exactly the same thing about Todd Graham. Chryst inherits an offense deep with running backs and enormous linemen; after his time in Madison, he should very much know what to do with that. Despite shifting toward something of a spread offense under Graham, this personnel seems geared more toward power running and deeper pass routes. Of course, the offensive line is not very experienced, and the defense suffered some key losses in the front seven. That probably would have prevented me from doing something rash like picking the Panthers to win the Big East; but the incredibly awkward coaching situation definitely will.
I wonder if we, as Pitt fans, are down-playing how messed up things must be in the Pitt locker room. From the playbook to the kind of strengh and conditioning they do. It has been in constant flux.
Just by virtue of the time frame and number of players there are going to be a minimum of 4 factions. You have Wannstedt loyalists who still are bothered by the firing of Wannstedt. There are the ones who bought in completely to Graham only to see that blow-up — with the sub-group of players who Graham and the old staff recruited. There are the guys who are buying in or trying to buy in to Coach Chyrst and the new staff. Then there are just the guys who no longer let themselves care about the coaches and are just trying to get through without believing.
The problem is we have no way to determine this. To evaluate or fairly judge which players come into which category. Hell, the players themselves may not truly know how they feel at the time. All we can do is hope that the coaches can get enough out of them on the field and that enough of the players on the 2-deep are buying into things.
Lot of good stuff in the Outsiders preview. More stats to review.
Our new coaching staff does not have strong ties to the primary talent pools that are within our geographical area. The loss of Samuelson to Nebraska should send a warning shot to Chryst & Co to be very aware of how important it is to get to know the coaches in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States….not an easy task for a group that for the most part is from outside our region.
Is Benton as good as the article claims??? It would be nice to find out if he is the real deal. A Pitt effort should be made prior to his going to Moo U if he checks out as having Div I talent.
I have no problem whatsoever with recruiting far and away from Pa, however, it is IMPERATIVE that our brand be reestablished within our primary recruiting zone!
York is so Penn State crazy that the reporting by clowns like Cook are almost of Pulitzer Prize quality in comparison to the propaganda fed Central Pa about the Nittany Lions.
Benton is obviously a “playa” and the last place I want him to end up is in Dysfunction State.
Good question Chas. I’m not.
With tino i think we go 7 and 5 if lucky we win 8
but like i said i am a glass half full kind of guy
And i think the HC will get the most out of these players the only way i see them not giveing there
best is if tino keeps makeing the bone head plays of the past then i can see them loseing faith if the coach leaves him in and he screws up there hard work then they might say fuck it.
But i think we have a good team .
Actually, a good article on the kid.
IF espn does not have a deal in 60 days bib east can talk to NBC or comcast i dont think espn will low ball them but cbs and outhers think they will have you read the sites.
As for lindsey, he could be a solid DE in the 4-3-i dont know how hes too small- hes 6’3″ 255. He might have to get to 245 to gain a little quickness for olb but he has the talent to make the team.
Benton is gaining a lot of interest recently. He sounds very Dan Mason-ish to compare him to a current pitt player. It seems like pitt is struggling in recruiting linebackers this year. There are 3 florida linebackers who are interested in pitt but im not sure about the rest.
With regard to Pitt not having anyone drafted, several left early because of the coaching change and it often takes time to fill those holes, unless you are alabama, but i digress. The SEC has lower entrance and playing requirements so to compare programs is wrong. Some of those SEC and Big12 teams have a drug policy that if you get busted even after four or five times, you can still play! Sometimes with just a one game suspension if the team has an easy opponent scheduled. What a farce!
I believe they beat Washington.
I remember sitting on that nuggest, just waiting for Penn St nieces and nephews and friends to go to their first Rose Bowl, and win one.
I waited for someones b-day party, or family get together, knew they’d be mouthing off about it, and I delivered the classic, “ya, nice win, you’re about 50 years behind Pitt”.
They went running for the record books, and I can still see my nieces face coming down the steps, “damn it, Uncle Dan wasn’t kidding”.
Which teams in the BE have more talent throughout the roster than the Panthers? Maybe Louisville? Bridgewater at QB is going to help them a lot. But who else? USF? Temple? Cincinnati?
So when I read that somebody thinks Pitt has “talent” I take that as they have the tools to win the BE – which I think they do.
Some good game-day coaching may bring out the best in the talent we have.
“Make a federal case out of something:
to exaggerate the seriousness of something. For example: Come on. It was nothing! Don’t make a federal case out of it. I only stepped on your toe.”
My take: Out of LegalZoom’s league.
For Chryst’s sake!!!! Win damn games. Unless and until we do respect will always elude us…most importantly SELF RESPECT. Circle the wagons; we all we got: whatever it takes to develop better self esteem it starts and ends on the field and in the classroom!
Kick ass Panthers!
Their breaking news at 6 pm tells the reader that the suit by Pitt has been moved to federal court..they don’t say which federal court and therein lies a clue.
IT IS A MOTION TO MOVE THE CASE…nothing more. Defendants file motions to transfer everyday PAST GAZETTE…it does not mean it is granted.
wRONg Cook move over…you have a companion on the lightly populated row of those making the BE look good.
Dear PG, please go out of business.
And save for Sunseri, Nix, and Shanahan, the rest of players improved throughout the season.
Anyways, I’ve said before, if last year’s Pitt team had this years schedule, they’d have gone 8-4. And that’s dealing with the injuries and the system change.
So 8-4 is the benchmark. Anything less – barring some other circumstances – is a bad, bad sign.
My vote is for 9-3.
I have thought about the locker room issue. I suppose if a lot of the players lack pride, that could be an issue. Personally, I think they have a chip on their shoulders, given the way Graham blamed them early on, and then left them.
If Pitt goes into the tank next season and Arizona State does well, that pretty much proves Graham right. Think the players want that to happen?
They can’t control what goes on in the desert, but they can control what goes on at Pitt.
Just win, baby!!
Pitt’s first 4 bowl games were the Rose Bowl.
Nice recall on the record and the victory!
L, 01-02-1928 6 Stanford (CA) 7
Rose Bowl
L, 01-01-1930 14 Southern California 47
Rose Bowl
L, 01-02-1933 0 Southern California 35
Rose Bowl
W 01-01-1937 21 Washington 0
Rose Bowl
Ya, I’d been sitting on that one, as soon as PSU went to the Big Ten. I knew the day would come!!!! LOL
You have to understand, there’s about 4 of us who are Pitt, and about 10 Penn Staters!!
Yep, sat on that gem, kept my mouth closed, and sure enough, popped it on all of them!!!
None of them had any idea Pitt had been to Rose Bowls.
Again, great link!!!
by Paola Boivin, columnist on Jun. 02, 2012, under Arizona Republic Sports
Who the, WTF is Paola Boivin… boy, likely girl?
Thanks for this one, Chas… (lmao while simultaneously administering a healthy dose of sarcasm). Really cannot believe I overlooked the ASU as preferential frontrunner in my choice for awe inspiring grid iron play and undisputed academics. Admittedly, though, the bikini-clad b*tches & big *ssed hoes propositioning me poolside — Teddy Graham made a fuss over this fact that his new AZ dream job houses young nubile coeds on campus to for recruits to f*ck around with in his completely absurd exchange resulting in a likewise ivan M. piece. I can only assume for what purposes this good old-fashioned, family value obsessed, God fearing Christian, would find it absolute necessity to observe and reaffirm the obvious in order to lure age 18 recruits? Pardon my rant, but can this guy demonstrate the self control necessary of his 2 million HC salary? I’m guessing a resounding f*ck no. Once a p*ssy f*ck f*ggot, always a a p*ssy f*ck f*ggot. (AZ Repub Sport office ‘journalists’ seem pretty much okay to write for written publication purposes.)
I specifically enjoyed the contrast to spoken hoe bikini clad b*tches for recruits whilst stressing/ expressing the values of this nonsensical hypocrisy, as follows:
“Even an hour with Graham in his office Thursday shed light on who he is.Quarterback Mike Bercovici popped by to say hi, his cap tucked in the back of his pants, a nod to the coach’s rule of no hats, earrings and headphones in the Carson Student-Athlete Center.”
Let’s guess what happens here aside from shaming, manipulating, and double standardizing Bercovici? Actually, nothing, it is the same Teddy Graham…
“…Bercovici smiled and immediately apologized to Graham for his-out-of-control ‘do.“I thought you were going to give me crap about my hair. I’m getting a haircut,” Bercovici said. “Geez, almighty,” Graham said.
As found by Pitt ball players, too:
“The coach insists players have been respectful of his rules because they know he has their best interests at heart.”
Conclusively I’d like thank this p*ssy fck tool Paola Boivin, columnist, for presenting TG as TG, and being impressed with TG for being TG.
This story will not end soon, gentlemen. Pray the worst for this squeezer.
By FRANK BODANI
Daily Record/Sunday News
Updated: 06/03/2012 11:53:55 PM EDT
Talk to Frank
York Daily Record/Sunday News reporter Frank Bodani talks Penn State football with readers every week throughout the season.
We’ll take a week off for Memorial Day, so the next chat is at 8 p.m. Monday, June 4, at The Nittany Nation blog.
Email Frank your Penn State questions at fbodani (at) ydr.com for inclusion in the weekly chats.
And follow Frank on Twitter at @YDRPennState.
He’s the type of under-the-radar kid you want to sign up as soon as possible.
At least before the Ohio States and Alabamas figure out exactly who he is.
And who he can become.
Al-Rasheed Benton is an elite athlete at a forgotten high school in a not-so-nice part of Newark, N.J.
He changed football schools because his parents moved. And he doesn’t attend many of the publicity-driven college combines and camps.
So most of his scholarship offers still are of the Temple and Toledo variety.
But Penn State knows about him. And wants him at linebacker.
One recruiting expert says Benton resembles former Penn State star NaVorro Bowman.
Another expert: “He’s a big kid who really is explosive and just needs to slow himself down a little. When he arrives at the football, he really hits people. He’s a head hunter,” Rivals.com’s Mike Farrell said to compliment, not criticize.
Benton’s New Jersey trainer says he will immediately enter college the physical equal of most at his position, even at a place like Penn State.
His high school coach has known him since he was old enough to walk.
“From 5 years old playing around he’s always been hitting guys in the mouth,” said Shabazz High’s Darnell Grant. “It’s in his DNA.
“When he gets to you he always has bad intentions.”
That means Benton is a wonderfully unique combination: He’s the nastiest, hardest-hitting and yet most respectful, caring and well-spoken kid Penn State will recruit this year.
Consider that just getting to his vocational school takes him two bus rides, a train transfer and nearly 90 minutes each way.
He wants to be an electrical engineer.
“I always wanted to be hands-on,” he said. “With electrical, even if I don’t get into it as a career, it’s something you can always use. Like when you’re buying a house, you don’t want to get cheated. If I have a background in electrical I know how long it takes someone to do the work and what it takes to do the work.”
He also has his younger siblings to look after. He has twin 14-year-old sisters and brothers who are 7 and 5.
He watches over them. He lectures them and instructs them in staying away from everything wrong with his neighborhood.
“I actually do not like living here and yet I’m glad I do. I’m glad I live in a place like this because it opens your eyes to so much stuff. Living here I see stuff that makes you grow up faster.
“Too much violence, ignorance, negligence.”
That is why he’s thrown himself into working out under Jim Waldron at the Powerhouse Gym in South Hackensack, N.J.
Waldron trains a variety of college and NFL players.
“Training for me is my safe haven,” Benton said. “Training is my way to block out the rest of the world and just focus on me. And the fact that I love training.
“We do exotic training. Some MMA, a lot of cardio. We do things regular people wouldn’t be able to do. We have a room in the back where nobody can see us because people would try this stuff and hurt themselves.”
They do exercises with ropes, sledgehammers, sleds and boxes.
Benton says he is 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds and “nothing shakes on him. He’s all muscle,” Coach Grant said. “He’s 230, but you would never guess.”
Again, all of that is only part of the package, though.
Benton wants to attend one of Penn State’s summer camps but is unsure because he helps care for his mother, who just had knee replacement surgery.
He also has those little brothers.
“I’m their biggest role model. I don’t want them to hide from stuff around here, but I want to put them in the opportunity where they don’t have to look over their shoulder after school.”
Soon, he will be a high school senior with his college chosen. Always, he will be the kind of player expected to use football to accomplish so much more.
Someone a lot of coaches just don’t know about yet.
“He’s a steal for any school that gets him,” Waldron said. “If this kid goes to Penn State everybody will be asking about where they found him.”
Also of interest: Meet Penn State’s 2013