When Jameel Poteat decommitted from Pitt during the Wannstedtian upheaval of 2010-11, it was a difficult but understandable action. Difficult because the 4-star, Bishop-McDevitt kid was also relative of one of the few standout Panthers from the late 90s. He attended the same high school LeSean McCoy did, and was talking of following his path. Difficult because Pitt had done so well in mining Bishop-McDevitt up to that point and getting some very good players.
At the same time it was understandable. Poteat didn’t know the new coaching staff. The offensive system did not seem to fit him well. And he was hardly the only decommit from that group, that he almost got lost in the volume. He switched to Cinci and Malcolm Crockett went from being a Cinci verbal to coming to Pitt.
Things did not work out the way anyone expected. Poteat did not develop as his star ranking suggested. Eventually transferring from Cinci down to Stony Brook.
Now Poteat is coming to Pitt as a walk-on for his final year in 2015. The move has been in the works for weeks, but only became public this week.
“I really should have gone there when I left Cincinnati,” Poteat told Panther-Lair.com. “Pitt was where my heart always was, but things were always up in the air. Throughout my college career, I would talk to my mom and she always wanted me to go to Pitt. And I felt like I should have gone there, too; I always wondered about it.
“It’s crazy; me and Terrell Chestnut” – the current West Virginia safety who also committed to Pitt in 2010 but decommitted during the coaching change – “I still talk to him and sometimes we say, ‘What if we had gone to Pitt?’ I don’t want to always say that and always wonder, so I’m going there now and I thank the coaches because they didn’t have to give me a chance. I’m going to earn it.”
Poteat has kept in touch with more players from the recruiting process than just Chestnut. Players like Tom Savage, Pitt’s quarterback in 2013 who was at Rutgers when Poteat was getting recruited, or redshirt junior defensive tackle Khaynin Mosley-Smith, who was a member of the 2011 recruiting class and stuck with Pitt through the coaching changes.
“I was talking to Tom Savage because I hung out with him during the recruiting process, and he’s like me: he had been through a lot,” Poteat said. “So I talked to him and he said the coaches were great at Pitt and he told me how they all accepted him and it was a good place.
“I’ve been talking to K.K. (Mosley-Smith) and those guys for a long time, and we would joke around about it, about me going back to Pitt one day. So one time I said, ‘I’m going to do it; I’ll go in and work to earn it.’ It’s a big decision, and a lot of people will say I should have gone there from the jump, but everything happens for a reason.”
Once Poteat decided to make Pitt his final stop, he had to find out if it would be the right fit. That meant meeting a new coaching staff – technically, the fourth Pitt staff he interacted with – and building a relationship with Paul Chryst and the rest of the coaches.
I had completely forgotten about Chestnut. Playing defense for West Virginia can have that effect.
It’s hard to imagine Poteat cracking the 2-deep offense in 2015. Maybe he will have an impact on special teams. Still, he will have a full year to prepare. And keeping running backs healthy has been a bit of a chore for the last year.
The other way to view this is hopefully another step in reestablishing a solid relationship with Bishop McDevitt and the kids that come from that program.
You get the one last shot and make the most of it !
Work on your pass catching ability and maybe we’ll make you an H back/RB type.
The two stories completely different tales.
For Savage it was truly a matter of being in the wrong place and the wrong program… TWICE. For Poteat… it’s simply a LACK of talent.
Wish the kid well, but see him being a VERY AVERAGE Back at this level. Fourth or Fifth in line for the Ball.
It’s little mystery to the Great Gil Brandt what made the difference with Savage.
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I’ve known Paul Chryst forever,” (Gil) Brandt said. “We don’t have many true quarterback coaches anymore. Paul is as good as any. Whatever signing bonus Savage gets, Chryst should get half of it.”
Trib Review
As for Poteat great to hear from a human interest side and again shows the quality of the Pitt staff and how that is paying off for them in that people sense this and thus want to be at Pitt for the right reasons…. NOT because 15 hot chicks were recruited by Chryst to “show you around campus”.
Not sure how 1 year translates though because with the new RBs this year and Connor… he is not really going to get a chance to shine unless injury and/or the really do move Connor out of the RB position more completely…. but as a contributor in different ways that is always great to have good players and the story of helping to get this kid graduated and off on his “life’s work” in the right way says all the right things about Pitt Football.
If Savage gets drafted in the 1st round all the drinks are on me prior to the Delaware Opener. Hope he does well and has a nice career but I’m just very skeptical that he’s anyone’s 1st round pick.
Re: Poteet, one never knows what can happen when a RB gets a 2nd chance behind a good OL, which I very much believe we will have in 2015 (especially since by that time Conner will be the team’s placekicker so that he can have played on all three sides of the game and thus more attractive as a draft pick)
Savage will be drafted, but just too many good QBs in the mix in the 14 draft for Tom to go any higher than the third round, IMO.
Steve Adams invokes another suspension — Zach Randolph will miss game 7 for throwing a punch at him. People have been taking shots at him all year but de doesn’t reciprocate
On the Flip Side… what are you expecting in return if Savage goes Second Round or later?
Rule No. 1… NEVER draft a guy named Clown’.
Rule No. 2… NEVER PASS on a guy with the last name “Football.”
For that to happen, it’s likely that TWO other Quarterbacks get called ahead of Johnny Football… Bortles, and one other.
Have a feeling that Derek Carr could be the BIG SURPRISE of the 1st Round. Although no one has made the comparison, Carr has a similar release and is about the same size as Aaron Rodgers.
Yes, I have Manziel going to Minnesota. But actually on paper the Vikings would be a BETTER FIT for a Big Strong-Armed Pocket Quarterback.
Tom Savage fits that bill.
Because no one on here suggested Savage go in the 1rst round, but I did post that several NFL people suggested that Tom might go in the 2nd.
Just wonderful news, cause we all just enjoy watching overrated Big Joke teams on New Year’s day.
Come on the Gator Bowl is no more, give me a break.
The Taxslayer Bowl…..oy vey !!! 🙂
Who’s gonna be the sponsor….the IRS 🙂
Here’s the facts boy, listen up son, I say here’s the facts.
Appears no one is interested in securing the starting QB position @ VT! All 3 roster QB’s have failed to impress Frankie and Co. and RB isn’t exactly stocked with talent. Hokies who couldn’t wait for an inconsistent Logan Thomas to leave town may regret his departure!
News out of WaHoo-land is that TE Jake McGee is graduating and headed to Florida to play his final year with the Gators. McGee had career numbers of 71 catches for 769 yards & 7 TDs @ UVa. Clearly he would have been their #1 receiver this season! Mike London can start getting the suitcases out to pack early this Fall! Talk about a coach on the hot seat! Hail to Pitt! UPone
Tonight already?? Quick turn around.
Seems like PITT can never get one up on Villimanilli.
Every coach on that panel has been to the Final 4 but JD.
When will it be our time ? Help Pentagram.
We are now 11-13 in the ACC. Not bad for the 1rst season. 21-24 overall, Ohio U, this evening.
We have a better record than; VPi, NCSU, BC & ND.
Our division (Coastal) appears better than the Atlantic. As we’d only be a game or two behind 2nd place Clemson in the Atlantic.
I don’t have to tell you though, still a long way to go. I expect the Rangers to come out smoking next game!!
Shit, now the name escapes me. Rafeal something??
Anyhow, was his first game, looks like a real nice player. Quick shot, very confident.
Rookie call up, or been injured??
And Sid the Kid finally scored a goal in the playoffs. If he can get going……..
Let’s hope !
Now he is walking on at Pitt.
Hope he does something good here and Chryst does not leave. For himself and for us.