While not as disastrous as the Dave Hart era of Pitt football, the Carl DePasqua period that came right before Johnny Majors I was hardly stellar. A 13-29 record over 4 years and only one season at .500. Pitt under DePasqua effectively peaked halfway through the second season. Pitt had reached 5-1, before riding a 4 game losing streak to 5-5. Those were followed up with 3-8 and 1-10 seasons and Pitt’s 3d coach in 7 years.
Still, if there is one thing that lingers — and vaguely redeems — from the DePasqua era, it is the 1970 Backyard Brawl which also served as Pitt’s homecoming. A game that saw Pitt come back from 35-8 to win 36-35 (hat tip to EDSBS).
In two parts. Part One:
Here’s Part 2
You may notice, Pitt had no decal on the helmets. The cheerleaders just had a block P on their sweaters. The script was still a few years away.
One final note on the Backyard Brawl. Todd Graham goes down as the first Pitt coach to face and not beat WVU at least once since Fred Crolius coached one year in 1902. Even Paul Hackett did it once.
Es-posit-o? Wasn’t it Es-poseet-o?
Thanks, Chas…great stuff.
…Wow…I am honestly in awe of this (mind you, for me, Pitt history begins when I was 8, or the 1991 😛 cause that’s the oldest I can remember being and watching Pitt FB for the first time.)
Facts are important. Was his nephew worth having? Because as per the protocol, you can’t diss Chryst if the nephew is a 2 star or below.
Give us all the facts please.
Name, rank and serial number please.
Me…I would have a hard time choosing a program with our recent history, but having 4 head coaches in 13 months can happen to anyone.
I got Strauser as NR from ESPN and 2 star from Scout.com. So maybe not a big loss.
Just came home from the Steve Adams show in Greentree tonight. Legit, legit, legit, legit, legit. The kid was amazing tonight. And the best part, he made it look easy.
He totally dominated Jakim Donaldson, the former edinboro star who plays professionally in europe now. He was the MVP of the league last summer. He was the one who used his quickness and guile to get the best of an admittedly rusty Dejuan Blair last year. Donalson could do nothing tonight against Adams. Adams caught at least two of his shots and blocked a couple more.
Talib Zanna fared no better. Like Donaldson, he called for the ball in the post only to kick it back out when he realized there was no where to go.
Adams had a nice pick and roll dunk. Had a nice offensive rebound dunk. Blocked a ton of shots and altered two for every one he blocked. He grabbed a bunch of boards and tipped/kept alive a bunch more. He showed a nice (aleit goofy looking) jump hook. He has a nice touch with his right hand. And he has great hands.
I think he had a triple double or darn close to it (points, rebounds, blocks).
His team was losing most of the game and put on a nice push at the end to the get win.
Zeigler played well. He is lightning quick. Goes to the basket strong/well and can finish. He is a good rebounder and plays good defense. He has a good mid range game, but his jumper is lacking. He missed a couple free throws late that would have sealed the game.
Patterson was OK, but as overshadowed by Adams and to a lesser degree Zeigler.
Robinson played. About what we expected, big, solid physical, smart but not overly athletic without a great shot. He had a real hard time staying in front of John Johnson. But when the game was on the line, he forced Johnson to take a contested three. My initial impression is that he is 10 minute a game guy next year, starting PG for three years after that. Low risk, but not a high reward kind of guy, perfect for Dixon.
Watched a little of the third game. Gilbert looked good, in shape, fast, strong. Same with Cam Wright. But Adams and Zeigler are obviously/significantly better.
Chris Jones surprised me. He is a fluid, agile nice looking player. Probably a redshirt this year but has serious potential, better athlete than Durand Johnson. Not a slasher like Moore or Gilbert Brown, more smooth like Jeremy Lamb. Can’t think of a good comparison.
But Adams was the show tonight. Jamie was there and watched it. Can’t imagine he saw it any differently.
The next year we won almost an exact replay coming from behind to beat Navy.
Hail to PITT!
-al-
HTP
1. Johnson thought PSU athletic facilities were better than Pitt’s.
2. He liked the PSU coaching staff better.
3. The Sandusky trial was not a factor–Johnson stated he believes it will have no effect on PSU’s program going forward.
On the last item–this plus the quality of the other recruits PSU has committed so far–would indicate that, contrary to popular belief among Pitt fans, HS kids really don’t care about the Sandusky thing.
So, for those among us who thought it would matter in recruiting, it clearly doesn’t and will not matter unless the NCAA does come in with sanctions.
Such NCAA sanctions are only a very remote possiblity, IMO, because the Sandusky thing, as horrific as it was/is, had nothing to do with gaining an unfair advantage in recruiting (PSU cover-up only tried to avoid a possible disadvantage). Gaining that unfair advantage is all the NCAA really cares about so sanctions are unlikely.
#2 Comes down to personalities and what they ‘promise’ you.
#3 For most parents it does matter. Recruits may see it as State Penn takes their football seriously. But that is a flawed view since the football program was placed above protecting children from a Pedophile.
HS kids should care. What happened in Creepy Valley is sick and inexcusable. And, two of State Penn’s ace recruiters from the Poopy Pants regime are still on the staff. But, the healing has begun. What BS!
Not the kind of program that I would want to be involved with, but I guess my values are different than Dorian’s and all their other recruits.
2. What kid wouldn’t like the PSU culture of athletes can do anything with no consequences over a place where there are consequences? Wanny isn’t coach anymore, look at how well no consequences worked out then…
3. True, kids don’t care.
