To round a crazy two days, Chryst and company added three more verbals today. These are verbals eight through ten for the class of 2014. First up is Staunton, VA DT Mike Herndon. Herndon is a 3 star prospect on Rivals, unrated by Scout, and a 2 star on 247. Most importantly, we beat out Virginia Tech for his services. Mike has had a VT offer since his sophomore year. You may see that he’s listed as an OT on the recruiting sites, but the coaches envision him as a DT and you’ll see why below.
The second verbal came from Fox Chapel LB Quintin Wirginis. He’s unrated by all of the scouting sites at the moment but that will change soon. Wirginis got his Pitt offer on Monday and it didn’t take him long to think it over. After an unofficial visit on Wednesday, he called the coaches to give them his commitment.
Last but not least, as I edited, Center/DT Connor Dintino from Wallingford, Connecticut committed. Dintino is a 3 star prospect on Rivals and 247. He had offers from UConn and Buffalo. Dintino, like many recent verbals, got his offer at a recent prospect camp. He’s a consensus top 3 player in the state of Connecticut.
The recruit I’m most excited about is Herndon. Why you ask? He’s a scary man out there.
Yes, you’ll notice that the 6’4″ 320 pound DT recruit is playing MLB. You can see some explosion in his step and he’s faster than players significantly smaller than him. The background music is “Enter Sandman” by Metallica, which is obviously because of the comas he puts opposing players in.
I read somewhere that Wirginis’ family owns the Gateway Clipper (dinner cruise in Pittsburgh), which would be a great addition to tailgaiting. Wirginis is the teammate of RS Freshman Adam Bisnowaty, who’s penciled in as the starter at LT for the upcoming season. Wirginis certainly felt right at home with a former teammate already on the team.
We will have more later on the new additions.
all year i would not move any one back for him
it would not be fair to the outher RB.
THAT IS IF I TOOK HIM BACK.
RS should put in right now for RMU and be done with it.
Duquesne wont take him, but RMU is just own the street from Hopewell High. RMUS has a solid program and a history of guys making it to the pros.
Funny story from a couple of years back.
The night D. lewis ran all over ND, Duquesne and RMU slugged it out on the RMU campus. I went to that game before going to heinz.
Early in the 4th quarter, an RMU player runs over to the utility shed beneath the scoreboard, opens a door a tiny bit, wips it out and relieves himself for all the world to see as the sun shone that beautiful day.
Gotta love small college football RS.
The Kool-aid may taste a bit sweet at first, but don’t worry…that’s not poison or anything.
That quote…is from…me!!! LOL A few months ago when this was happening or whenever it was!!!
LMAO, I must admit, I meant after a year or two, not a few months.
No way, with what HCPC is supposedly building, that you want him back anywhere near your program, don’t need anymore drama than we’ve allready had. Plus, the message it would send would be baffling.
Hence, the block of those schools. I guess if he sits out a year, he can go anywhere. Whatever, he can be there problem.
I mean, you don’t think for one second the drama with this fella is anywhere close to being done.
That’s if these rumors are any bit true.
And if they’re not now, they will be eventually.
I live and breathe my friends, I live and breathe.
LOL
Hey, I have nothing against the kid. Some people just have a cloud of trouble and nonsense around them.
Maybe he’ll turn himself around, that’s great, just do it somewhere else.
He is exactly what this Pitt program does not need at this time.
Steven Adams is only 6′ 10″
1. You are on probation and will sit out 1 year from playing and during that time you will attend every practice and work hard, every class and maintain at least a B average, and follow the rules to a Tee.
If you miss one, screw up or even get a parking ticket (note – I had 122 and had to go before a judge), you are done at Pitt.
2. While on probation, you will volunteer somewhere for 4 hours each week, in a posiiton to help others. This will help you get over your “it’s all about me” complex.
3. Lastly, we will set you up with a liscensed psychotherapest in Oakland where you will meet weekly initially to fix some of the deep issues that are obiously troubling you.
All this plus taking care of your kids/mom should leave you little time for trouble.
Those are our terms. There is no negotiation.
Take em or leave em!
Alex Bookser
Brock BOXEN
Dravon Henry
Jaleel Fields
Elijah Zeise
Shai Mckenzie
and then we can be done for the year them plus
what have is 18 we can stop i would be ok with that as a class.
However, if we knew for a fact, his return would jeopardize our change of getting McKensie, may we should reconsider … although Shai should realize that he is going to run into more overall competition at FSU
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
I agree with your parable, however the main key point is the “prodigal” son had learned his lesson due to tremendous hardship and basically falling on his ass. He came home and asked his dad for forgiveness and told his dad I don’t need any special favors. He even told his dad that he would work as a farm hand for him. So I ask had RS learned his lesson or not? If he has I say welcome him back. If not then he can watch the games from the stands. This will prove how good of a judge of character PC is, and go a long way in telling if PC stink at Pitt will be one of celebration or dispair.
Or, is he still lost??
Note from the parable- the son admitted his mistakes and humbled himself, willing to go home to work like one of his father’s servants…
Boy there are so many Dan’s on here.
Couldn’t do it legally. But he’d also have to make a public announcement and pledge to his family, his teammates, and to Pitt,
that he would be staying and playing for Pitt for 3 years and would get his degree.
(not to the media public, or us, but at least to the groups I mentioned above.)
If he has so called “grown up” and become a new person, this is what he should be wanting to do.
I mean, if he really, deeply, has changed.
If he’s just looking to pick up 1000 yards and head to the NFL, then, again, go do it somewhere else. Not fair to the team, especially the offense, and even more so to the RB’s who have been busting their butts.
No way to ever enforce it, but if I was the coaching staff, I would at least make him pledge it to his parents, his teammates, the coaches etc. etc.
If he’s had a true epiphany, and the posse and handlers are not involved, getting his degree should easily be his number one priority.
Again, that’s if he’s really changed.
Average life span of an NFL RB is about 2.7 years.
A degree would help him take care of his kids and family for a lifetime. Maybe not as lavishly as those first couple years, but for his whole life.
If he’s really changed, then he would see that.
If he’s really changed, he would embrace the whole degree thing, and be proud to show everyone that he means business and he would vow to get his degree above everything else.
Sorry, I’m cynical on this one. I would think he’s looking for a place to grab a quick 1000 yds and move on.
If that’s the case, as much as a talent that he is, we have backs that will get 500, 700, even 1000 yds. Names we’ve never even heard of.
No one knew who Dion Lewis was, or Ray Graham. I’m sure we have backs, that will line up, and get yards.
Hey, maybe he did have an epiphany. I don’t know. Maybe he said, “holy sh*t, what have I done?”
That’s for the coaching staff and HCPC to find out and decide.
I think he had to sit out. But, if it wasn’t one of the schools we blocked, was he eligible right away.
All these rules confuse me anymore. He can go, he can’t go, he can go but has to pay on his own etc. etc.
Humility works. He must work to get back in the lineup, that is for sure. PC stays true to his disciplinary ways. Buckle em up Mr. Shell and get working as hard as you can. Be true to yourself and to your teammates. Forget the people that want to “hang on” you. They have to leave and Pitt will help you keep them off your back!
Shell also needs to speak with his teammates and explain why he wants to come back. Shell was already close to home so I don’t buy his change of heart to stay close to home. Whatever coach Chryst’s decides on Shell is I support.
That would be a quick, easy way, to at least see if it’s not just about football, and you’ve changed.
First off, you will be sitting out a year, and will not be playing this fall.
See what his reaction is to that. That would say a lot right there.
1. with total humility, “sure coach, whatever you say, just glad to be back with you and my teammates and happy to be back home.”
2. “huh, what, sit out a year?? ah, I don’t know about that, let me let you know in a couple days, I have some people to talk to. I’ll get back to ya”.
I’ve two minds about it. He’s burnt bridges with the staff when he left but more importantly he was very arrogant and condescending with his teammates. That might be the obstacle for him returning to PITT, especially with this current coaching staff.
I’m a firm believer that young men get leeway to make mistakes in their youth, but what some PITT fans don’ realize is that he was making mistakes from the time he first set foot on the PITT campus. His leaving was the cherry on the cake as far as his poor decisions and bad attitude went.
That said – his actions really only hurt himself, and his teammates to some extent, but were not illegal nor violent. Its sad to say but lately that has become a benchmark with PITT football. I wouldn’t be shocked if PITT takes him back with a very short leash but on the other hand I wouldn’t be surprised on bit were PITT to say “Take your act elsewhere””.
Its been pretty evident that Chryst is trying to change the culture at PITT football and he’s made some hard decisions. He may well make another one and tell Shell to bag it.
Please take your head out of your ass every once in a while. Your overwhelming negativity and skepticism towards all things PITT football has become a jaded act.
This wasn’t a ‘rumor’ but information that was realized over the course of the last few day.
He’s a validation of the Shell topic if that what you need…
“Ahhhh – the old “it happened once so let’s let it happen again” way of thinking.
Heywood kept his problems either to himself or to the kid he whacked over the head with a crutch. Things which aren’t acceptable for sure but were also outside of the football program and isolated to Heywood.
Shell’s case is different. He basically told his teammates to “f*ck off” through the 2012 season, then during the off season voluntary drills and was arrogant enough to take himself out of practices and scrimmages… to the extent that he didn’t even show up some days.
That is what Chryst has to weigh in order to decide to reinstate Shell or not.
What message does it send to the other 100+ kids on the roster? That you can jerk around the coaching staff and your teammates at your whim?
Forget about whatever talent he has – and the jury is still out on that really. The fact is that the impact of his reinstatement may be a negative thing all around.
I believe in second and even third chances. But what most PITT fans don’t realize is that Shell’s finally leaving the program this last Spring wasn’t the first time the admin has had problems with Shell. It goes back to the day he suited up for summer training camp last season.
While the NCAA would honor a legit claim for an exemption to move closer to home for an ailing father …. I don’t think it would work for moving as far away from your twin daughters as possible
RS can play at a high level at RMU, which is far better equipped and more practiced in the art of taking D1 transfers than is Pitt.
RS returning in a Pitt uniform will tell the Pitt players that their hard work is relative to their star power or lack of it.
RS can not wear Pitt colors again. Were I his teammate I wouldn’t believe anything he said to me. And I wouldnt believe the coaches either.
Shell is of age and he has options available to him. Pitt is not among them.
We are treating Shell like he’s some sort of knocked kneed virgin when the exact opposite is true – he was playing the PITT coaching staff like a fiddle before he left the program.
Nobody knows the situation better than Chryst – and though he has not yet won me over with his on-the-field coaching ability, he has with his management skills. I guess what I am saying is that I trust Chryst to make the right decision with Shell. Whew. There, I’ve said it…
They know the situation firsthand and personally so I trust them to make the right decision and will support either way.
you want to help people move forward, and you want to help your team (and other players on it).
Tough call… would be a great story if this kid has finally, really, ‘got it’…. unfortunately that almost never happens…
