At least for the rest of spring practices.
It’s been quite a few months in the offline world. Not necessarily in a good way. That’s really all I want to say about the latest gap in posting.
When last I posted on football it was about the running back position. About how there was depth and lots of good feelings at the spot. Naturally that couldn’t last.
Pitt running backs James Conner and Isaac Bennett will miss the final five practices of the spring session because of injuries suffered Friday, the university announced via social media.
Conner, a rising sophomore, sprained his left knee, while Bennett, a senior, sprained his left shoulder, the team posted on Twitter.
The injuries are not expected to prevent them from being ready for offseason conditioning when it begins in May, the team said.
Bennett and Conner combined for 1,596 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns last season.
Conner left the indoor practice facility on a golf cart with his knee wrapped in ice. He had an MRI, which revealed no structural damage.
Not long after Conner was injured, Bennett injured his shoulder. He watched the remainder of practice with his arm in a sling.
Yes, it could have been worse. Both with sprains. Not tears or breaks or anything else.
Still, for the rest of the spring it will be Rachid Ibrahim and WR Ronald Jones playing the role of emergency back-up running back.
Conner is staying positive and had a chance to meet Dan Marino at a function this past week.
Conner said his “heart dropped” when he saw Marino enter the banquet hall.
“It was a blessing to meet Mr. Marino. He gives you those words of wisdom, and you just take everything in,” he said.
“It was a life-changing experience. I’m trying to follow in his footsteps and be a Pitt great.”
Conner called his injury Friday during spring practice “a freak accident.”
“I was just going out of bounds and stepped on it the wrong way,” he said. “Just a couple weeks. It will be good.”
In other things. Somewhere in this is a tacit acknowledgment that Chad Voytik will be running.
In the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl, Voytik had two rushes for 24 yards and a touchdown.
There is some danger there. Pitt has only two quarterbacks on the roster this spring. While the Panthers have shown a handful of designed quarterback runs in practice, the quarterbacks’ red jerseys keep them off-limits from contact, and Chryst acknowledged it’s important to be careful at a thin position.
“Our job is to make sure we are doing everything we can to use our players’ strengths and help build up their weaknesses,” he said. “At all positions where you don’t have a lot of depth, you have to be smart. There is a balance in everything you do.”
Just not so much for the rest of spring practices.
Dorian Johnson feels like he is getting stronger and smarter.
The battles to be the other starting wide receiver and cornerback continue. I’d say the WR spot has more urgency for the players competing. Simply because there will be additional competition with the incoming freshmen in August.
The secondary is not going to have major challenges coming in this year, so that give the coaches more time to evaluate the players that are competing now and not have to consider additional players who may prove themselves in the fall.
Much of it is not very flattering, probably in large part due to the way our OL was manhandled last year at their place.
Anyway, here is an excerpt, talking about Pitt’s easy early schedule:
I can’t wait to hear the talking heads tout “undefeated” Pitt when they’re 6-0 in mid-October. I swear, though, if they don’t win at least 8 games, I say we vote them out of the ACC, effective immediately. Not kidding. Trade them for ODU. Trade them for Oscar Smith High School. One of the schools on Esquire Network’s “Friday Night Tykes.” Anybody.
The write-up is fascinating in that it shows how Pitt is viewed by others … however, it may not be real valid since Pitt’s best player is not even listed.
Last year it was Conners shoulder, now a knee. He needs reps at both positions he plays. Maybe not a major setback, but a setback none the less.
Nice article about DJ. Again, hope he stays healthy this year. Funny at 290 he is a light weight, but obviously has the frame and strength.
Should also be fast and agile enough to be a great pulling guard if they want to add that to their repertoire.
The reports on the young receivers are encouraging and it looks like we have some quality depth with Challinsworth sounding like a possession guy and Weah a burner. Wuestner has some talent as well. These guys should be pushing Jones and Garner and if Adonis (love the name) is the real deal, opposing backfields are going to be in trouble.
Our young D-backs got a lot of experience last year. With the new coach and a more aggressive style, they should be fun to watch. Hopefully they are getting bigger and stronger as well, especially the safeties. Nice combination of experience and youth.
If Bisno gets healthy or Jaryd Jones can play, we won’t get manhandled any more. If not, they will have to move DJ back to tackle and that could be trouble, unless one of the incoming freshmen is ready.
They also didn’t account for the fact of just how much instability the program has gone thru since 2010. For example, they question how we could be so thin at QB … (actually, a good question.)
But the only way to counteract this is to play well on the field …. I really think Pitt is due for an improvement this year (as long as Voytik is not injured)
One can look at the returning starting OL and be somewhat nervous due to their 2013 track record. It wasn’t a very good showing at all, but that is on the surface for now.
One thing about Paul Chryst is that he doesn’t hesitate to go with youth when he feels it is necessary. That was very evident last season. So, I think he’ll take the same stance with the younger OL guys who he has recruited. IMO we’ll see some more speed guys on the OL (DJ for one) who will be able to pull and get in front of Conner and Voytik when their numbers are called to rush the ball.
I’m looking forward to see how Voytik does. As you all know I have not been the biggest Voytik fan but I’ve always recognized that his ability to tuck and run is impressive and will be a weapon at QB that we haven’t seen since Pat Bostick…. or maybe Bill Stull who out gained Greg Cross when he ran the ball.
Anyway, I have a feeling the offense will improve from 2013 to 2014. I know PITT fans like what Savage did but I think a lot of that was a perception because he followed everyone’s least favorite QB in Sunseri. 59th in passing can be improved upon and certainly 102nd in rushing will be bettered, at least I think so. Savage was OK, certainly not irreplaceable.
One thing – let’s not confuse the issue with any QB controversy as I have done in the past. Last year I knew that the staff didn’t feel Voytik had a lock on the ’14 QB spot. This year is different given the fact that he had all the QB2 snaps last season and his good work in the bowl game.
New players, new starters, new schedule, new season – looking forward to it (even if I bagged on the season tickets this year).
On the defensive side, I think there are 2 critical areas ….. DE and MLB, and Pitt cannot absorbe injuries at these two poitions.
Despite the loss of Donald, there are 4 players with talent for the 2 middle DL slots, our OLBs and their replacements return, and have no doubt that the DB will be better this year.
BTW, Reed, you may want to check out the 3-game plan, which me and my buddies chose. I think it is a good option for us guys with long commutes.
Herndon is natural frosh … as far as newcomers to the DL, my eyes are on redshirts, Moody and Jarrett, who is already getting some notice (and not only because he is 340 lbs)
Would I watch every event, of course not. But, I know I would start following ACC baseball. I would also follow the softball. Before my Dad passed, we started watching the girls softball world series, back in 2005 or so. He used to be in fast pitch leagues back in the 40’s and 50’s.
Gotta say, after awhile, really enjoy it. The girls really show emotion and don’t care, slappin’ hands and screamin.
Runs are at a premium though, as the pitchers are so good.
Probably watch some soccer too. The other sports, eh??
I would watch though………as long as it didn’t interfere with Gilligans Island and Hogan’s Heroes!!
You do mean the team, that we beat 4 times in a row before last year??
They’re making jokes???
But I missed the part of Bostik being a running threat … no way! What Bostik had in his brief career (mainly as a freshman) was an ability to play well late in the game, although it seemed it took him a while to warm up. Pitt could have easily won 3 more games that year … Louisville, Rutgers and Navy, but fell just short.
But then this Dick has the attitude that if Pitt isn’t 6-0 going into their nationally televised game against the Hokies, that they should be thrown out of the ACC. Give me a break already!?!? 6-0 would mean that we would have penciled in a win against the BC Eagles at their own place by then, while last season VT lost to BC themselves, BTW. Also, last season, we beat the eventual division champs which the Gobblers failed to do as well, losing to Duke too.
Trash talk is fine, IF you can back it up with the facts as well as some wins, but last time I checked, Pitt has kicked your butts 4 out of the last 5 times that we’ve played you and we’re going to do it again this season too to push our record to 7-0 at your expense $hit for brains!
I’m starting to hate these guys, which is a good thing.
Hail to Pitt!
Does anybody have an idea as to how Winslow has been doing this spring?
Pitt program/ needs to learn how to win.
Don’t care that non-non schedule next
season is soft. Let’s win 10 games and go
to a major bowl. Winning breeds success
in all aspects of the program including
Recruiting. Also we haven’t had a dual
threat since Palko. Voytik’s ability
to scramble will keep opposing defenses
honest
Nice to see Ibrahim getting some reps. I hope he doesn’t sprain anything.
To suggest that Pitt be replaced by ODU is quite funny, expecially since Pitt had beaten them 4 times in a row before last year.
Not to mention their basketball team. Maybe Tech should be replaced in the ACC by Gannon??
Actually, Sunseri wasn’t given enough credit for when he actually took off with the ball – he could pick up some good yardage that way. However, we all see his turtling and getting sacked in our mind’s eye and that blocks the memory of his better runes.
Good news this year is if Conner is hurt or ‘spits the bit’ as Steinbrenner liked to say, maybe James can come in and relieve him. Bennett is a good kid and pretty quick, but just got dropped way too often on first contact, after only 1-2 yards.
Just another way to frustrate us Pitt fans. Scramble on 3rd down needing 6 yards and sliding home with five and a half! PUNT! Awwwww, memories of the good old days.
Despite everything Chryst is saying about why the Spring Game was cancelled… having just TWO QBs on the Roster had to be a big part of it, if not all.
No EXCUSE for the QB shortage. Poor Planning.
And yes, I realize losing Tra’Von Chapman was something not expected a year ago.
and on the QB who could know chapmen would screw up if not we would still have 4.
and when conner hurt his knee you do know he was tackled out of bonds if it was up to me who ever did it would run laps for ever.
Here’s hoping that Voytik stripes a few out of the park early season. Our fate rests in the hands of our depleted QB corps this season for sure.
Lots of folks are wringing their hands over our defense, especially with the loss of AD. Forget about those issues. The QB situation is the #1 issue to concern ourselves with this season.
The Panthers fortunes are tied directly to both the success and health of our starting QB this season.
RB depth is another issue. We have two solid RB’s coming in with the potential for a third. Therefore, I feel good with the running back position, especially with our maturing offensive line.
What I am most excited about is the progression of Jarret on the dline. He reminds me of Poe at Memphis a couple of years ago. If he is smart, he applies himself really hard this year. Works super hard next year and becomes a high draft pick. He has the size set to make a difference in the big league, but before that he needs to control the feeder league. What a great set up for him. He can either embrace it and prosper or waste away. I go with the former! Let’s go sign up a qb or something PC.
Tech was a pretty sorry team in their own right last year, I’ll volunteer to write my thoughts if they will post them on how they need to get their s** together.
Thus we have Voytik, backed up by senior who was a walk-on, then a natural freshman, followed by a natural freshman walk-on … although, I would expect Ronald Jones (or somebody would fit in somewhere.)
The fact is that unexpected things do happen… thus to be expected.
Chryst should have recruited more than just TWO QBs if “TWO” was the Number he wanted.
Duh. Of course, there was no way to see Chapman getting arrested and charged and then pleading guilty.
The point is that it was a year ago this month that Chapman got arrested. That was plenty of time to go after another QB… JC or otherwise… to help build a BUFFER in case Chapman were to be lost.
Chryst did exactly that now by bringing in the QB from Upper St. Clair. But a year too late and still one QB short.
However, no question that Chryst has misplayed things as far as the position of Quarterback goes.
You desperately need to add Quarterbacks to your roster and you place all of your faith in two 18-year-olds NOT CHANGING THEIR MINDS.
That is a little less than BRILLIANT.
PITT has TWO.
Savage could take a beating however, and turtling Tino saved himself from a similar fate, so should be interesting to see how much abuse Voytik and Anderson can bear, as neither is very large. My guess is a pretty highly regarded recruit from somewhere else might look to transfer this year to Pitt if Voytik has a rocky summer camp and doesn’t look like three year starter material.
I’m sorry, but you could say this about every recruit at every position. Don’t see how this firms up your argument.
Conner and Bennett are now the 2 most experienced RBs so it doesn’t disturb me at all that they are sitting, just wish there was a little more depth right now, like there will be this fall.