Is it just me or does the Big 33 game seem to to go in spurts where Ohio or Pennsylvania dominates for a stretch and then it switches to the other side. I don’t feel like looking it up to confirm or not. Just noting that Ohio has now won four straight.
The most important thing is that none of the incoming Pitt players were injured in the game or practices leading up to it. Though, Rushel Shell gave some a scare (check the 8:55 time stamp) when he was tackled during the game. Rushel Shell was contained most of the game. J.P. Holtz had a touchdown catch, and Mike Capara recovered a fumble on defense.
Before the game there was a selection of key college coaches in attendance that took part in the press conference. This included OSU’s Urban Meyer, PSU’s Bill O’Brien, Paul Chryst and Temple’s Steve Addazio. (Cinci continues to get no respect.) Amazingly it seems they got through it without a question about the Pitt-Penn State game.
Sticking with the Ohio theme, Pitt continued its run of snagging sleepers from MAC schools. Zach Challingsworth went to one of the Pitt camps. Wanted an offer. Didn’t get one, so he picked Toledo over his other MAC suitors. Then Pitt came through with the offer and Challingsworth switched to Pitt. The wide receiver is a 2- to 3-star prospect with decent size — 6-2, 190 pounds.
Coming on the heels of getting Tony Harper out of Toledo — and his slew of MAC offers — I was getting ready to post something about ruling the MAC in recruiting to this point. Then Pitt got the commit from Corey Clement, which kind of changed the whole feeling of malaise that was starting to descend on how Pitt’s recruiting was going.
Then you couple that with the expectation that Pitt will get a very important verbal in a couple weeks from Ohio.
One other recruiting note from the prospect camps – Theodore Roosevelt (Kent, Ohio) standout quarterback Tra’von Chapman has attended Pitt’s prospect camp both last Saturday and today and is expected to make a commitment to the Panthers on July 1st. If Chapman, who has more than a dozen offers, does commit to the Panthers, it would be a big boost to the recruiting class as he is the top quarterback target from the class of 2013 on Pitt’s recruiting board.
Now, I don’t know why Chapman is waiting. I know it makes some nervous, and others just don’t want to wait to get the news. I am really okay with this. It’s hard to spread out posting. By the time we reach July, it is usually they bottom of the barrel. His waiting until then, helps.
Unlike some others, also not buying into his recruitment being such a major predictor on the future for Chryst and his staff.
Foster is a big time talent for sure. But he’s one kid being wooed in every different direction.
Based upon comments coming from some other key players targeted by Pitt, there’s little to worry about given the real impact Chryst and his staff are already having.
“They make it feel like a home environment. I feel like I can trust those guys the most.”
Travon Chapman – Tribune Review
I’m sure he is hearing about playing in a half-filled stadium versus crows of 90,000+, etc. Obviously, the only reason Pitt is in the final grouping is because it is home … hope it is enough.
Foster just has that special elite ability to make plays and make it look easy.
If I had to compare him to someone, it would be a young Michael Irvin.
On the other hand, Shell has some limitations in terms of speed. Not top end like a true breakaway back.
If I had to compare him to someone it would be Maurice Clarett. Same size, runs strong, more quick than fast.
I think most would be thrilled to see Shell have the kind of performance on the field as Clarett did at Ohio State.
A perfect back for Chryst’s system… and PC knows it.
On the other hand, I would love to see a northern team host a playoff game against Florida, Alabama or USC in early December.
Grew up in OH, work there many days and lived in Chester & Montco in the east.
Football is much more popular in Ohio than Pa. It is quite popular in western Pa and declines as you head east. Eastern pa football is very very good.
Ohio has 6 divisions and Pa four. The number of participants doesn’t surprise me either.
Ohio football is super popular in urban areas. Akron/Canton, Cleveland, Toledo, Youngstown, Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati…all have huge followings and they play each other because their playoff system is based on computerized rankings.
Competition is better there and so too the exposure. Teams from the above areas travel to the other cities all the time, not just the first game of the season. The much better interstate highway system and generally flat terrain allow for that.
Like most Ohio guys, the ritual for me in the fall is to check the Ohio HS scores on JJHuddle every Sat and Sun morning.
This feeds the MAC as someone pointed out so the system is in place.
Lots of reasons for the disparity in numbers.
For me, I just wish PA teams would step out of their comfort zone sometimes. In Ohio, schools play larger schools all the time…it ain’t a big deal. In Pa, it is treated like the birth of quintuplets. Pa seems to me to be just a bit incestuous….they rarely leave the same small area and frankly, aren’t exposed to better competition. Check the scores from these first game “special” matchups played over the last few years…Pa has been getting crushed intakes against Ohio foes.
Pa has Philly, PGH Erie and Harrisburg.
Teams from Ohio play
Teams in PA have much further to go to do that and thus, they don’t and since playlets aren’t based on computerized rankings, you don’t have to beat good teams to make the playoffs.
Note that Ohio starts 1 week earler than PA, thus, it is the 1st game for the PA team but the 2nd game for the Ohio team .. and that can be very significant. It’s a long known FB axiom that usually the greatest improvement is from the 1st to the 2nd game (especially for high school and colleges which don’t have the pre-season games like the NFL)
Good point about improvement between games 1 and 2.
Sadly, PA ends up playing championship games 2 weeks later. I still think that cost Woody High a championship when Breaston was a senior.
Late commitment announcements make for good blog postings. I for one, could care less when anyone commits as long as they commit to Pitt and are the type of players we want. I must admit, I like reading everyone’s comments when there is good news on the board. Take care and……….. Hail to Pitt!