There’s always that moment in the narrative of a football player returning from injury. When he takes that first hit, knows his injured limb/tendon/ligament/muscle can take it. When he clears that mental hurdle. There’s something to be said for that.
Still, with Ray Graham it should be more about being able to plant, cut, spin and move. This really is about knowing the physical possibilities. His replaced ACL in his right knee needs to be able to take the stress of that. Graham, his coaches and teammates need to see it. More than any hit, they need to see that happen.
Graham, who participated in every drill today including the team periods, had one play where he planted his foot, made a cut and ran into the open field. As he turned around, he had a huge smile on his face, as if to say “I’m back.”
It was a big step forward from the way he played Monday as he didn’t participate in team drills and was a bit hesitant to make cuts and change direction.
That should be welcome news for Pitt fans as, when healthy, Graham is one of the best running backs in the country, and obviously a very important piece of the Panthers’ offensive puzzle.
After practice, Graham was all smiles and said that he felt a lot better than he did Monday and said he will continue to get stronger and more confident each day.
“I played with more confidence today, I went out there and just didn’t think about things,” Graham said. “The more I stretched, the better I felt and I just went out and played. The first day was a test day, just trying to see how I feel and I feel as though I am progressing as the days go on. And hopefully day three will be even better than day two. I just need to get better.
“I definitely felt a lot better, my knee is going to be sore after practice anyway. But when I made that move, I cut on my leg, it felt good. And I got tripped up earlier and I fell on it but it didn’t hurt at all.
“So this is a confidence thing, it is a mental thing and like I said every time, the more I don’t think about it and just do it, the better I will feel.”
It’s huge. I have no doubt there will be some days in camp where it will seem Graham takes a step back. The knee will hurt more on one day, and worries will flare. He is trying to get back to playing condition. He is trying to shake the rust off to regain the instincts and and knowledge of his body.
But it is a significant step forward. Something his coaches acknowledged, even as they did what they could to down play it.
Running back coach Desmond Robinson liked what he saw from Graham, but he will defer a final evaluation until later in camp. “It’s still early,” Robinson said. “I don’t want to say too much too soon.” Coach Paul Chryst appeared to like what he saw from Graham, but he was reluctant to get too excited. “He made a nice half-speed cut,” he said. Of Graham’s effort, he said: “It is gaining confidence in what you can do and knowing what you can do. If we can just keep moving forward, that will be good.”
Then there is the new toy in the sandbox. Rushel Shell.
During non-contact drills, Shell has caught the eye of running backs coach Desmond Robinson, a former Pitt linebacker who played on the 1976 national championship team with another Hopewell grad, Tony Dorsett. Robinson is understandably reluctant to make the inevitable comparison.
“I don’t know if it’s the same kind of player,” Robinson said. “I just know they are from the same (school) right now.”
After practice Tuesday, Robinson was asked to forget Shell’s past and judge the freshman back just on what he has shown in the first two days.
“I would be very impressed,” Robinson said, “because he understood the offense just in the short period of time we’ve given it to him, better than I expected.
“I would have been impressed no matter what kid it was. The other thing is he has the great work ethic and also he has the skills.”
Sounds like the entire package, but Robinson will wait before nominating Shell for All-American.
“He needs to just learn the full system, and we have to see how it looks like in pads,” he said. “We all look real good in shorts, the whole team we look better in shorts than we do in pads sometimes.”
The theme from the coaching staff does seem to be downplay the individual expectations. Not poor-mouth the kids or say they are not that good. Nor is it to downplay the team expectations or nitpick the problems. It is to keep perspective.
I will say, Shell already has his cliches down cold.
Shell said he knows plenty of expectations have been heaped on his shoulders but doesn’t feel more pressure than any other freshman. He said his focus is on improvement.
“I just have to come out and work hard every day and know that the guys, my teammates, are going to push me to get better every day,” Shell said. “I want to prove to coaches that they can trust me, that I am more mature than other kids my age. Now that I am here, it is all about football.
At the start of camp, at least, Isaac Bennett has become the Jan Brady of the running back corps.
Pitt is failing to be aggressive as far as getting out there and actually selling. From what I see, the approach is advertise and sit back and wait for fans to come to us. They need to hire some people to go out and sell.
No we have diluted the brand and our product.
There was no need to sacrifice the brand name.
for nearly 50 years I resent the attitude of some who suggest that I remain home if I am unable to stand at a game. There is something to be said for
fan loyalty. I’ve witnessed my share of losses and believe me there were many. When I was a student at Pitt our football team had a grand total of 3 wins (Dave Hart/Carl DePasqua era). Regardless I attended all of them! So my reward for loyalty is a slap in the face??
UMD football is barely in the top ten of sports interests in the Baltimore-Washington area. In Pittsburgh, what is Pitt football, maybe fifth in the pecking order?
Same in any pro-sports town. It won’t change, that’s just the way it is. There are other things to do.
So no point in stressing. Given the recent doings at State Penn, maybe it’s for the best. It’s called having a sense of perspective.
So I totally agree, just “win baby win” and watch those ugly yellow seats fill up.
Now if you additionally enter beer into the equation, well sir, that becomes even a more enticing premise for those marginal type fans to come out to Heinz Field, especially if the beer is preceeded by the word “cheap”. I sure don’t have any problem with that concept. Beer was included in my diet as a basic food group when I was a student at Pitt so it’s a fit for me while attending the Pitt games. I don’t see it happening though with this current Pitt administration.
Selling Pitt Football to the unwashed masses is kind of like selling a Volt.. Last year it was new and shiny.. It goes really fast, and we want it to go fast. At least the salesman said so! But it only goes fast until the battery runs out. Yeah, but we saw that the battery runs out in 45 minutes, and we need it to go 60 minutes. But the salesman says, but thats what the gas is for. Yeah, but the car HESITATES on gas! The salesman says – You need HIGHER OCTANE! and the gas pedal needs changed and everyone who has one just doesn’t know how to drive it, they’re too slow!
Then everyone says.. this isn’t what it’s cracked up to be, or at least not what we were promised! Let’s ask the salesman… What saleman? He’s sellin’ something else now. But he promised us, Didn’t he?
So now we’ve got a new redesigned vehicle to sell, not dependent on High Octane fuel, hot air and we’ve lost some of that ELECTRICITY.
No one is looking for a salesman now. They are looking for evidence that the redesigned car is not built on smoke and mirrors, but really can take us ‘down the road’. When it proves itself, like Pitt Basketball, then it will become a destination on Saturday. Nothing really can be done to pack them in until the fan “Wants To Be There”.
He was gone just long enough for Jeff Long to hire Wanny who insisted we are PITT, not Pittsburgh.
Just as Justinian mentioned would anyone have the gall to change UCLA to Los Angeles or Cal to Berkely or the University of California. Or more locally how about the Pennsylvania State University.
That was just incredible that Smiley was allowed to do that all by himself !! The hell with Mike Ditka, Joe Schmidt, Fred Cox, Marty Shottenheimer, Johnny Majors,Rod Kirby,Tom Perko, Larry Swider,Billy Daniels, Bruce Murphy,Gary Burley, Carson Long, Karl Farmer, Gordon Jones, Tony Dorsett, Matt Cavanaugh, Al Romano, Jim Corbett, Dave Logan, Tom Yewcic, Don Parrish, Elliot Walker, Bobby Haygood, Randy Holloway, Jackie Sherrill, Bob Jury, Randy Ruetershan, Rick Trocano, JoJo Heath, Rooster Jones, Willie Taylor, Larry Sims, David Trout, Hugh Green, Al Chesley, Ricky Jackson, Bill Mass, Carlton Williamson, Lynn Thomas, Dan Marino, etc., etc.
(this only represents players who played for PITT not Pittsburgh until roughly 1979) (the list for the great players of the 80’s is 2 times as long btw)
Yes the hell with all these players & coaches who played with PITT on their helmets and 95% of the ones mentioned Pitt Script and the Royal Blue & Mustard Yellow/Gold uniforms.
Just incredible that anyone would be stupid enough to throw away all this past glory because “I” knew better. Yes a enlarged groundhog on the helmet and PITTSBURGH across the front of the shirts.
I know better and I will remake Pitt’s image in my image. And my image includes a Groundhog helmet and insisting the media call us Pittsburgh.
Give anyone a $100 million dollar gift, and yes an incredibly nice basketball arena can be built.
Albeit at the expense of the on campus football stadium. Because if the PITT brand means nothing to me (SP), than who cares about a place called PITT stadium.
And in fact if we’re going to rename, rebrand the whole sports program to Pittsburgh, we have to demolish anything with PItt on it. Including Pitt Stadium !!
Because I know better !
P.S. It’s Hail to Pitt ! (not Pittsburgh)
P.S. Again thank you Wanny for Bringing PITT back to PITT and exterminating the Groundhog, to bad you lost out in the power struggle with the idiot.
I wasn’t in Pittsburgh in the mid 90’s when this crap went down and never got to vent/opine about the above issue.
It just blows my mind that this clown we have as an AD still has a job. (not to even mention the last 18 months coaching circus and all the incredibly bad decisions made there.) Other than some bureaucrat would anyone still have their job after all that !
Veritas et Virtus !
“Anybody who went to Pitt, grew up in the city, or lived within a 100 miles, never called it anything but Pitt.”
Tino more accurate
Ray more limber
Chryst more involved
Linebackers more athletic (code word for, the white guys are gone)
Harper more length
Huxtable more excited
WR’s more experienced
O-line more of the same
Zeise’s kid got an offer
More at 11
(can’t believe it’s Friday already, it must really go fast when ur ……say 70)
I’m getting out the scotch.
Hail to Pitt!
Since Tino is a senior with 2 years experience a new coach who intends to run the ball would lean toward him over Myers even though Myers’s spring equalled to or surpassed Tino.
As for Myers not being qualified for a division I schloarship that’s nuts:High School: Lauded by Rivals as the top quarterback prospect in the state of Ohio following an exceptional senior year at St. Ignatius…arm strength earned national recognition by the scouting services…was rated No. 4 on Rivals’ “country’s strongest arm” list…named the No. 11 pro-style quarterback in the country by Rivals…threw for 2,127 yards and 20 touchdowns with only eight interceptions during his final season at St. Ignatius…completed 54% of his passes (140 of 261)…selected first team All-Ohio Division I (largest classification)… Northeast Lakes District Co-Offensive Player of the Year…led St. Ignatius to an 11-1 record and the regional semifinals of the Ohio Division I playoffs…played under Coach Chuck Kyle…selected to play in USA Football’s “Team USA vs. The World” game, which matched USA Football’s 2010 Junior National team (45 of the country’s top high school seniors) against a world team comprised of 45 of the best players aged 19 and under from eight other countries…also selected to play in the Big 33 Football Classic…a letterman in basketball and track and field. Top Qb in Ohio no schlorlarship offers?
Now thanks to Fraud we have Tiny as a backup. Stay healthy Tino make us proud; turn left and right and hand off
He didn’t and doesn’t have what it takes to play at the D1 level.
Others knew that before PITT did.
so he will not be asked to do mutch more then throw short. And some med but no long passes he still has no arm.
So what do we have a QB who cant pass and a QB
who is to short to see over the line men.
I sure hope chryst is a genius and that the RB
are great.
Hail to Pitt!
Considering Wannstedt’s hisotry in evaluating QB’s, thinking that Todd Graham broke Myers’ is comical.
To paraphrase Reed, give it a rest….
Well word had it 3 yeasr ago that Tino was outplaying Stull. The fact is that Savage is not outplaying Tino or any other QB because he is not taking meanngful snaps … all he is doing is looking good with his strong arm and great height (a la Myers) in passing drills. Remember, he wowed eveyone as a freshman at Rutgers but was beaten out the next year by 6′ Chas Dodd who was much less heralded who in turn was beat out by less hearlded Gary Nova (a one-time Pitt commit) last year.
And BTW, Kyle Bollar who could throw 60 yards from his knees and Raiders’ 1st round pick of about 6 years ago, JaMarcus Russell, are the two most most heralded QBs this millennium when it comes to arm strength …. BFD!
Haven’t we learned anything? Quit living and dying on every sentence you read about presaseason camp
While i love your posts, I was looking for a little more. Maybe a new posting? Where the hell is Reed? Thought he was “going up there”? Love the banter.
Anyone that is in front of or behind Tiny Tino will out play him.
Youngstown State W
Cincinnati W
Virginia Tech L
Gardner-Webb W
Syracuse W
Louisville L
Buffalo W
Temple W
Notre Dame L
Connecticut W
Rutgers L
South Florida L
7-5
Now my prediction if everything goes right (little luck)
Youngstown State W
Cincinnati W
Virginia Tech L
Gardner-Webb W
Syracuse W
Louisville L
Buffalo W
Temple W
Notre Dame L
Connecticut W
Rutgers W
South Florida W
9-3
even with tino as QB becuse chryst can coach.
But it could be 10 and 2 i think we beat louisville.
link to blogs.sites.post-gazette.com
Looks like it’s Sam Werner with some help from Ray Fittipaldo.
Comment by LUV PITTBULLS 08.11.12 @ 7:42 am
Pittbulls, while I think bourbon is a fine option for watching Pitt football games, you need MUCH
MORE Proofage (might not be a word, but it is now) lol…. I say again: you need much more Proofage to watch Tiny play(don’t know if PLAY is the right word for what he does, but we’ll go with it).
Makers Mark is only 80 proof, I would recommend at least 100 proof (knob creek) or optimally a far greater proofage….just to play it safe. Say for example Baker’s at 107 proof or Rare Breed at 115 proof. Both should have you well oiled by Halftime, if you drink fast, end of the 1rst quarter!
And if you really want to make sure ur really inebriated, I highly recommend Bookers at 127 proof or thereabouts. In most games over the last 2 years, the Bookers option works best.
**This has been another in a series of PITT Service Announcements, on how to make games bearable to watch with Sir Tino at QB**
P.S. (watch the complete series on Youtube)
Sounds like the most important need is staying healthy.
should we send out a search team may be they found some of EMels 127 proof bookers.
and knowing tino was are best chance to win said fuck it and got drunk cant blame them.
Stars will win you a few games, but good defense will keep you in most games (unless your QB throws pick 6’s).
Our D key is staying healthy thru camp and building depth. Every team has some kind of injury attrition, but luck can play a role. Staying healthy thru camp is pure luck.
Once our season starts, a thin D line can rely on good LB’s and DB’s, but that don’t last forever.
On offense, I see a game plan designed to reduce the possibility of turnovers…called a running attack.
By comparison, it is easier to run block than pass block.
Finally, our kicking game must be superior if we have any hope of winning the BIG EASY. Kicks and coverage both.
Not worried about the DL if no one gets hurt. Be nice if a couple highly touted players that are currently backups finally live to their billing.
I’ll go with 9-3 for the season. If I have to guess individual results, I’ll go with losses to Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, and Syracuse (just a hunch on that one). Should be enough for a BCS bid unless Syracuse really surprises.
Agree with whomever here though keeps saying one game at a time.
Reed posted here Friday night, within 2 hours of DRW. I’d wager he’s fine.
Chas, I’d lay even odds he’s been barred from the internet for the weekend.
Sorry about not getting anything posted sooner but I drove up & down same day (9 hrs) and was burn out when I got home…
appreciate the tasting report on the small batch bourbons. I was thinking starting with the new Makers Mark 86, very tasty. Lower proof for the early hotter part of the season. I’ve been a member of the Rare Breed Society for over a dozen yrs, the one thing about Rare Breed is some batches are amazing, even at high proof while some other are merely good/great. Have yet to try Bookers. Late season cooler weather, I will consider a good single malt, heavily peated. I expect Tino ball to extremely challenging so I’m stocking up now. And a public service announcement remember to drink irresponsibly when Tino is playing.
Disclaimer: when watching Tino and drinking irresponsibly, stay safely at home with friends, never drive or operate heavy machinery, or be in the presence of sharp objects or firearms, tasers, bats, etc. that could lead to injuring oneself or others in a fit of Tino frustration. Thank You.
Given the description of Shell’s running style, maybe he will play some FB this year?
