Over the past ten years Pitt has had a nice run of really good tight ends. Or at least potentially good tight ends. Not necessarily amazing, high NFL talent tight ends — Kris Wilson excepted — but really, really good college tight ends. Some high-end recruts like Mike Cruz, Brock DeCicco and Andrew Devlin didn’t pan out for various reasons (desire, system change, injury).
Darrell Strong should have been great with his size, strength and speed, but never got out of the doghouse or showed the fire to match the potential. Nate Byham and even Eric Gill were solid all-around players at the position who could block and catch. Dorin Dickerson exploded at the TE/H-back spot.
There has been the potential for something great at that position every year. This year, though, may have Pitt with its best group of TE’s since the Byham and Dickerson tandem. Actually, the potential is even higher when you consider that they may get used much more.
Hubie Graham, Drew Carswell and J.P. Holtz are all expected to thrive this year with Coach Chryst’s system. (and with Carswell and Holtz into the future).
Redshirt senior Hubie Graham and redshirt sophomore Drew Carswell figure to be the top two at the position. Both said preseason camp is more physical than a year ago.
“We want to instill that toughness,” Graham said. “We want to get Pitt back to where it used to be, known in the country as a tough, hard-nosed, run-the-ball football team.”
Graham figures to be more of a prototypical tight end, lining up on the line and doing a mix of run blocking, pass blocking and pass catching.
Graham caught 28 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns in 2011. He was one of 33 players named to a watch list for the Mackey Award, given annually to the best tight end in Division I-A.
“I’m excited for [the new offense],” he said. “I’m really excited to play that role as a true ‘Y’ and run blocker and a pass catcher. I really feel that my run-blocking abilities have gotten much better, much improved.”
Carswell will be in more of the H-Back role, but he showed a lot of potential last year. He’s strong, has sure hands and has some deceptive speed. J.P. Holtz will be a true freshman, but he has already been impressive in camp. Plus the expectations are that Coach Chryst will utilize multiple TE sets.
When you add in the fact that they will be running relatively short to medium routes at all times, they are a practical outlet when Sunseri passes. The real question is, how many passes actually get thrown? We are talking seriously of a possible 65-70% to 35-30% run to pass play calling.
Will there be enough passes tossed towards the TEs in a game or will it be shades of 2003? When if it wasn’t being thrown to Fitzgerald, I was screaming to get the ball to Wilson — and getting pissed when they didn’t.
I like Hubie Brown with the only thing holding him back at the next level will be his speed and run blocking. He is football smart and catches most everything thrown his way. The question is whether he can get separation from a defender. I like Carswell if he would commit himself to becoming an above average blocker.
If Carswell took the Hines Ward approach to blocking, he would be a second round pick at the latest. Blocking is commitment to winning at all cost. Man v. Man. Physically, he has the rest of the tools. Noone can do it for him so it is all on him to aspire to greatness. It’s in front of him. He either seizes the opportunity, or remains a serviceable tight end. His call! PJ appears to have the work ethic and Hines mentality. Let’s see how that develops.
my grand son in his senior year in high school
in bama rushed for 1796 yards and scored 19 td.
he had offers to 3 very small schools but did not want to go to school at that time dumb kids
but he is in pittsburgh with his dad now and thinking he is ready to go to school i am trying
to talk him into going to pitt and hopeing he can be a walk on,
the reason his offers were from small schools was he has a slow 40 time but he was quick and shiffty
and he is only 5 foot 8 but it would be nice to have a grand son on the team even if he is a walk on who knows it could happen.
or a soph,
and you are right he would see playing time at some were else like slippy rock or some school like that.
but it would mean a lot to me if he went to pitt
even pitt needs a scout team.
and he did not say he was going there i just said i was trying to talk him into it.
and i dont think i was talking him up before just ststeing the facts would you not be proud of your grand son if he rushed for 1796 yd and 19 td
and dont forget he was in bama so i did not find out abought the 40 time that year till the end of year he was liveing with his mom and the dad was here you know how that can be.
and i just want to see him get into school and play ball he is still young enough only just had his 19th birthday in may.
That’s great buddy, I hope he makes some college team and plays somewhere ! Pitt would be an added bonus. Almost 2000 yards and 20 TD’s is very impressive. I don’t think Dion’s 40yd time was great either, too much is made of that stuff, imo.
I know Rocky Bleier’s 40yd time wasn’t great either!
Also since the O-line is somewhat inexperienced, especially at the crucial Tackle positions, I would think shorter pass routes to the TE’s are going to play in big, and yes that means the QB needs to get the ball out….QUICK!
Dare I say 1,2 3 Out ! haha
🙂
i was just thinging of a scout team walk on i just thought he might be good enough for that i did not think he would play
just would like to see him go to pitt even if he cant play ball.
That’s exactly what I posted before Training camp started. Maybe I should move there !
Think I said 7-4 though, somehow I missed a game.
I had losses to VT, ND, L-Ville & USF
YSU, GW, Cuse, Cincy, Temple, UConn, Rutgers, Buffalo are W’s so that’s 8-4.
So it’s 8-4 or 7-5, the Cincy game could be a L.
Munchie outplays Tino ! Plus 2nd game of the year, the LB’s could be out of sorts to an extent.
Bottom line either record gets u back to Birmingham or some other dreadful bowl.
Can we fast forward to January?? lol
🙂
Paul Chryst – PITT (1rst yr)
Somebody @ Rutgers (1rst yr)
Paul Pasqualoni @ Uconn (2nd yr)
the Italian guy @ Temple (2nd yr)
Skip Holtz @ USF (2nd yr)
Charlie Strong @ L-Ville (3rd yr)
Butch Jones @ UC (3rd yr)
The old man of the group as far as time on the job is….drum roll…please………
Doug Marrone @ Cuse (4rth yr)
You wonder why the BigLeast stinks, look no farther, the longest tenured coach is entering his 4rth yr as HC. And he’s got be on shaky ground as Cuse stumbled badly last year after making a bowl appearance (albeit the PinStripe Bowl) the year before.
**Note; this is PITT’s last opportunity (yikes) to play in the beloved and tradition laden PinStripe Bowl before moving on to the ACC.**
bye chryst will it will be done hallelujah amen
they will be blinded bye the light 10 and 2
fear not brothers for it shall be done.
I am shocked and truly amazed.
Seriously though, that would be fantastic if we could somehow win the BigLeast, in this our last & FINAL year in it !!!!!
The football Gods would have behooved on PITT and our long suffering alumni a truly great honor. ha
And besides that, a trip to Miami Beach for the Holidays would be awesome !!!!!!
Veritas et Virtus !
HTP !
Penn State to host national child sex-abuse panel
By KATHY MATHESON (ap)
link to sportsillustrated.cnn.com
I heard the guest speaker will be Sandusky.
Will the hypocrisy ever end in Creepy Valley !!
Disgusting aren’t they, classless and tasteless too !
mine eyes have seen the glory of the comeing of chryst.
He shall smite the big east though he walks thru the valley of there shadows fear not the big east for pitts fate is cast .
and that fate is the orange bowl are time has come
glory to pitt fear not brothers for this shall come to pass EMel in miami beach prase to chryst
hallelujah amen.
Haven’t been to Miami Beach since the late 80’s, and I know it’s changed alot since then. South Beach was a retirement place filled with old art deco hotels/apts. And the places too stay were the Fountainebleu or the Doral Hotel on Collins Ave.
link to doralresort.com
(at that time the Doral CC had an amazing hotel on Collins as well)
So I indeed hope your vision comes true. Cause we all want to see Frankcan on Miami Beach in a Speedo. haha
That would be a great entry for us into the ACC, playing their champion in the Orange Bowl (and winning !)
HTP !
XZAVIER MCALLISTER 6 foot 5 310 pounds.
his offers are kent state akron western michigon
and pitt , i dont know why he has not commited we are his best offer.
i found him on scout but not rival
he is a OG not a OT . MY BAD.
Tolzien was not ready for prime time but PC created an offense that utilized the TE’s, Fullbacks, and Wr’s which allowed Tolzien to manage games with very few Int’s. The badgers threw the ball as many times as ran it when it mattered.
The O Line was an important part of the game. Hueber built the line Ron Dayne broke the NCAA record with as well as created the pipeline and tradition of UW O Line recruitment.
I’m excited to see what success this staff has and I believe they will compete for the Big East title. Depth will be an issue.
what a way to end are time in the big east
10 and 2 orange bowl here we come.
