Here is the 2013 Spring PITT Football Prospectus. Granted it is about as vanilla as it gets but it is interesting to read and keep on hand as we discuss spring training, which starts tomorrow by the way.

Note that Savage is battling Trey Anderson for the starting job…

“Anderson’s most experienced competition will come from senior Tom Savage, who was inactive last season as a transfer. Savage played two seasons at Rutgers (2009- 10) and was a Freshman All-American after throwing for 2,211 yards and 14 touchdowns in his initial collegiate campaign. He was a scholarship player at Arizona in 2011 but did not play in any contests.” 

Of course they have to take that party line that the guy on the roster the longest is the frontrunner but that was just a bit shocking to read.

For the sake of following and discussing after the practices here is the schedule:

Tuesday March 5 – 2-4:45 pm
Wedneday March 6 – Pitt Pro Day
Thursday March 7 – 2-4:45 pm
Friday March 8 – 2-4:45 pm

Tuesday March 19 – 2-4:45 pm
Thursday March 21 – 2-4:45 pm
Friday March 22 – 2-4:45 pm

Tuesday March 26 – 2-4:45 pm
Thursday March 28 – 2-4:45 pm
Friday March 29 – 2-4:45 pm

Tuesday April 2 – 2-4:45 pm
Thursday April 4 – 2-4:45 pm
Friday April 5 – 2-4:45 pm

Tuesday April 9 – 2-4:45 pm
Thursday April 11 – 2-4:45 pm
Friday April 12 – Pitt Spring Game 7 pm at Bethel Park High School

Notice the Spring Break between March 8th and March 19th.

We’ve all seen the schedule and it’s a good one.  I hold off on any two deep and won-loss predictions until at least after the Spring Game but I’ll say now that I think it will be an uphill battle for this 2013 team to get to a 7-5 regular season record.  My opinion might change if Savage comes out of the gate strong and wins the starting QB position early but until then I’m not overly hopeful.

For those that still think the screaming, chest-pounding and raw emotions from Dante Taylor are about selfish, me-first attitude; please watch him break down in the post-game while talking about his teammates and Pitt. Taylor wears his emotions on his sleeve. He could never match the expectations, but he has loved being a Pitt Panther and he loves the school and his teammates. If you don’t get that. If your reaction still begins with, “Yeah, but…” Just go away for a few days. This was Senior Day. His moment, and he earned it now and for the 3+ previous years.

We knew this was going to be a rough game for Pitt. With Adams out for the game. Villanova really, really needed the win. Oh, and Karl Hess was lording over the officiating crew.

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I really don’t see Pitt and Nova playing any time soon. The last thing the Wildcats want is for Pitt to have more opportunities to recruit in the Philly area. For all that talk about how Pitt has that connection for NY/NJ, Pitt has been doing rather well grabbing kids in or connected to the Philly area in recent years. Both Gil Brown and Lamar Patterson may have been from Central PA, but their AAU teams were in Philly. Wanamaker, Robinson, Malcolm Gilbert and others were taken from the area. Hopefully Pitt finds a some willing partners in the rest of the Big 5 for home-and-homes to Philly.

The big concern is the status of Steven Adams’ ankle.

Pitt freshman center Steven Adams injured an ankle in practice Saturday, according to a university source. The severity of the injury was not immediately known and it was unclear Saturday night if he would be able to play in the game today against Villanova.

Early reports are that he is out for warm-ups but limping noticeably. Perfect timing since there is even media from New Zealand at the Pete for the game. He’s going to be a game time decision.

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Want to know why the Big Ten is actively discussing 9 or even 10 conference games? Why the ACC may have reversed course for now on 9 games, but may revisit in the future? Why the Pac-12 and Big 12 are already at 9 conference games?

It simply is not cheap to rent-a-patsy any longer.

Pitt will pay ODU $375,000 to play at Heinz Field next season, but that’s not as much as both North Carolina ($450,000) and ECU ($430,000) are paying. ECU’s is paying out $250,000 in cash and giving ODU 4,000 tickets with a face value of $180,000.

Maryland is paying ODU $350,000.

Idaho will pay ODU $150,000, but the Monarchs are scheduled to give that same amount back in 2019 when the Vandals play a return game to Norfolk.

In all, ODU is raking in almost $1.8 million in guarantees, which [ODU AD Wood] Selig said would go toward paying FCS opponents to come to Norfolk and for travel expenses.

It’s getting expensive just to buy a 1-AA team. Now imagine how much it costs for a guarantee game from the MAC or Sun Belt. Those are seven-figure games if you don’t make it a 2-for-1 (Hello, Akron road trip in 2015). Sure most of the SEC and Big 10 can afford it, and have stadiums they fill that more than cover the cost. Still, there are reasons 106 out of 125 1-A programs  have a 1-AA team on their schedule. And only 9 schools in a BCS conference don’t have a 1-AA opponent.

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Oh, god. It’s the end of conference play. Big East Tourney — for the final time — looms. Then seeding and the actual NCAA Tournament. Spring practice for football starts on Tuesday. The kids start going a little crazier as Spring Break gets closer. Traveling at the end of the month. Add in doubling the off-line workload. I’ve already got a pile of links and less and less time to filter.

Time to clear the excess basketball stuff.

Hey, Ron Cook had another radio topic column on Pitt. This one on how the losses in the NCAA Tournament bug Jamie Dixon, but he is proud of what these teams keep accomplishing.

Joe Starkey with his own topic for the radio his column, on figuring out Pitt. Have you seen the rest of college basketball this year? Pitt is hardly the only top-25 quality team, heading to  the NCAA Tournament with some headscratching losses, inconsistent play/effort, and has the pundits and fans absolutely unsure what will happen in March. I realize it isn’t something we’ve seen much from Pitt in the last ten years, but it is far more common than some seem to realize.

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