Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday with friends and family. I’m still counting down to the end of the year with the same football coach. Don’t want to get cocky, but I think Pitt will make it this year.
You’ll be forgiven for skipping the Kennesaw St.-Pitt game. Even more so, if you watched but didn’t listen closely to the broadcast itself.
During the game, the play-by-play guy, Jeff Hathhorn commented to Julius Page about the injuries to Dante Taylor and Durand Johnson by calling it a concern, because Pitt “only” played 10 players in the rotation. There was a pregnant pause as Page must have been searching for the words. Finally he very gently told Hatthorn that Pitt is playing with some ridiculous depth to go 10-deep.
[As an aside, Julius Page acquitted himself well as color analyst. He just has to drop saying “most definitely” when he agrees with something his booth mate says.]
With a bench that is J.J. Moore, Dante Taylor, Cam Wright, Trey Zeigler and Durand Johnson; Pitt is giving 40% of its available minutes (80 out of 200 minutes) to the bench. No doubt it will shrink during conference play.
Still, Coach Dixon envisions sticking with giving all 10 players time.
Where in years past Dixon has shortened his bench to an eight-man rotation for Big East play, the Pitt coach seems open to the idea of going 10-deep this season.
“Most games, you‘re probably going to see 10 guys out there,” Dixon said, later calling it “a good thing.”
“It gives us some options and keeps guys in the right positions. And I think the versatility of these guys will allow us to do some things, too.”
It’s also given a lot of confidence to the players coming off the bench. Both Durand Johnson and Cam Wright are showing a comfort and confidence level out there. Something that was apparent even with just a handful of games played in November.
Dixon said this is probably the deepest bench, in terms of scoring, that he has coached in his decade at Pitt. What might make or break the season is the development of wings Durand Johnson, Trey Zeigler and Cameron Wright.
Dixon is high on all three, but they are all still trying to find their niche in the rotation.
“Those guys will be key for us,” he said. “They’re right there. They can do some things. It just seems like they need minutes, some confidence. They’ve had some good minutes, some good production at times. Putting it together and being consistent will be the test here as they go forward. ‘Zeig’ is getting more and more comfortable, in better shape. Durand is getting a better understanding of what we’re looking for. We’re excited about those guys.”
The production off the bench is a far cry from what Dixon had to work with last season. Pitt’s reserves are outscoring opponents’ reserves, 174-44, in the first four games. The 174 points represent 45 percent of the team’s points. The reserves last season were not nearly as productive or consistent in their roles.
One of Dixon’s problems is finding enough time to go around and keep all of them happy.
“It’s a nice problem to have and that’s what good teams have,” Dixon said. “I felt at times last year I didn’t know who to put in. This time I have some options. It’s a nice rotation if we can keep everyone on the floor and out of foul trouble.”
Johnson has been developing nicely. The redshirt season helped get him mentally ready to be playing on this team. He’s embracing being a more rounded player.
“Coach Dixon is big on defense, so I focused on the defensive end and let the offense come to me,” Johnson said. “If you’re on the floor, you’ll get looks on the offensive end. Focusing on defense helped me out a lot. I just relax, take my time and let the game come to me. On the offensive end, Dixon talks about not forcing it. I’m not forcing it, playing my game and waiting for my time to come.”
Johnson could turn out to be an important player in the rotation. Dixon has admitted this will not be among his best 3-point shooting teams. Woodall likely is the team’s top perimeter threat, but there aren’t many other options beyond him and junior Lamar Patterson, who led the team with a 41 percent clip from behind the arc a year ago.
Johnson came to Pitt with the reputation as a strong outside shooter, and he has made 2 of his 3 attempts from behind the 3-point line this season. But he knows he won’t be able to win a permanent spot in the rotation unless he continues to contribute in other areas such as defense and rebounding.
“I don’t want to be known just as a shooter,” he said. “I want to be a guy who plays defense, mixes it up on offense, get guys involved and be an all-around player.”
I’ve been impressed with Johnson’s patience on offense. He still has some moments as you would expect, but he really does get it. That the ball will reach you on offense. If you have the best shot, then you can take it. As he develops over the next year or two, I can see him being one of the primary scorers.
It was nice seeing the West Virginia Mountaineers get their butts wipped in te Pinstripe Bowl.
The Ville beat Kentucky.
Future ACC teams looking good so far. Let’s hope Pitt steps up.
I looked at satellite views for the stadium land and it does appear you can wedge it between frick and katz. You may need to buy out some buildings and homes in panther hollow but wouldn’t be many.
Posvar doesn’t have to be razed although that bunker is ugly.
I could argue all your points on why it wouldn’t happen (most I already have but you’ve chosen to ignore them…but I’ll just pick one more since I have a minute..If you know the current state of public transportation in Allegheny county (and believe me I do), the current governor, and the backlash there was for the North Shore connector for the T you would know there is no way any politician is going push to get the T to Oakland..especially for a football stadium for University of Pittsburgh.
We need some money to start flowing to sports. There should be a good balance between sports and academics. And yes I would argue more to academics but I just don’t see the money going to the sports side. Appears most of that money was saved when Pitt decided to rent Heinz. And look at how long it took to raise funds for the new athletic fields. That’s why there needs to be some big money boosters supporting this initiative and Stevie can’t be the one leading the charge. New era with ACC. Interest rates at all time lows. Coming out of recession. Support will climb as Pitt wins. Steelers will quickly become the Bungels of the division…the bad Cincy teams of past. Heinz might not be so attractive to recruits after all.
I would like to hear your arguements against
The mass transit is the biggest hurdle to me.
Tailgating spots would be limited but Pitts bars would benefit and I would rather give money to an Oakland bar than a chain on the north shore.
I‘m not sure. It‘s Pitt, Michigan State, Rutgers, Tennessee and West Virginia. That‘s it. Penn State would be sixth. I‘ve got kind of an idea where I want to go, but I want to see what else happens, which new schools I get offers from
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not sure if this is good or bad
Too bad; that 70-63 game was the worst thing that could have happened to them.
Well, the worst thing that could have happened is just starting to take hold. They are a million miles from everywhere.
It does look like birch is a four year player and by his senior year could be very good.
Very disappointed that Gilbert is leaving. Jamie could have turned him into a decent player, defender, rebounder in a few years. You can’t teach 6’11 and athletic. Adams better stay 1 more year or Pitt is going to be really small next year.
No offense, but if everyone thought like you, we’d still be waiting for America to be discovered!
From the way your posts sound Milo, are you sure you aren’t really Steve Pederson? (That’s sarcasm)
I also added a commments/messageboard section so the conversation can continue or die on it’s own. Not trying to steal any of Chas’s thunder (I’m only a small dark cloud), but would like to keep the conversation going without hijacking The Blather.
First of all, be original.
Second… who is contending that a new as in NEW Pit Stadium as conceived by CompLit and others here would draw only as well as the OLD Pitt Stadium.
I can understand why you came to milobloom’s defense.
Then why did you do it. Your response here fits with what appears to be your personal challenge in making a convincing argument.
Still waiting for something of substance rather than simple generalties. (See Dr. Tom above)
New Pitt Stadium could be a rectangular design like Heinz Field and most new football stadiums these days.
You build up, not out, thereby making a pit at PITT.
That design could make a very advantageous home field and most importantly be built in a smaller footprint. Also if you start off with say 50K seats, thereby limiting supply, PITT gets much better, ie. like the bball team, demand increases, necessitating a stadium addition of seating (L-Ville & Rutgers just went thru this)at some point in the future.
So the design concept must incorporate the idea of building additional seating fairly easily.
@CompLit. Can you give us an idea of how a rectangular stadium fits in that area of Panther Hollow and Frick Fine Arts Bldg.? Perhaps the Bldg doesn’t have to be moved, existing housing purchased, streets rerouted. Or at least to a lesser extent.
Heinz complete footprint 745′ x 745′
Heinz w/o upper deck 570′ x 640′
Pitt Stadium 617′ x 791′
Moving Frick over has width from Frick to Forbes Field Wall 530′ at 50 yd line width is at little over 600′
Distance from Schenley Fountain to Joncaire St. at Isis Way 640′
Just in case you were wondering about Joncaire:
Major Washington left Williamsburg the day after his appointment by Dinwiddie and headed for Fredricksburg and Winchester to get supplies. He appointed Jacob Van Braam as his French interpreter. Then he took the “new road” from Winchester to Cumberland following a northwest route that Gen. Braddock would make famous two years later. This took him through the northeast corner of Hampshire County crossing the Potomac at the Little Cacapon.
At Cumberland, Washington engaged Christopher Gist to be his chief guide. Again we see how the Ohio Company becomes engaged in politics as several of its members or employees end up in important jobs for the colony. He also hired Barnaby Currin, John MacQuire, Henry Steward, and William Jenkins to accompany him.
On the way Washington fulfilled two important duties assigned by Dinwiddie. First, he made every effort to gain the support of the Indians. He arrived at Logstown November 23rd to meet with the Half King and other leaders and he employed several as scouts and allies. Secondly, the Major took every opportunity to view the terrain and assess its military advantages. The Indians wanted a fort 3 miles downstream of the forks south of the Ohio, but the site did not please Washington as much as the forks did. He fully expected to return soon either with settlers or with soldiers. Winter was coming early, and the small band now including Half King and three other Iroquois quickly headed into the wilderness toward the French. The party arrived at Venango on December 4th. Washington took notes as the French and Indians became intoxicated a talked freely of their ability to descent the river in the spring and take possession of the entire valley. Joncaire was among the party, partially occupying Washington’s focus, as he kept the Indians interested in liquor and the benefits of the French. The party left Venango on the 7th and arrived at Fort Le Boeuf four days later.
Why limit the potential of a New Pitt Stadium Plaza by feeling compelled to keep Frick at or near its current site?
you think republicans and democrats can’t get along? Try Art people and athletic people! Maybe the Frick Fine Arts could be rebuilt as the Taj Mahal.
I’m anxiously awaiting your first rendition of what that might look like.
Nice ending for Gino who proved he can’t play in a cold weather city, talk about a fall from the Heisman heavens. Must be one of the all-time Heisman flops after the Sept & Oct buildup.
Maybe he was on crack, lol
The campers are not happy in Morganhole for they couldn’t ignite any couches tonight after that beatdown by Syracuse. 38-14 ouch
Lots of wife(gf) beatings and a Holgy bender is in the air.