Sorry about the paucity of posts. Been a bit under the weather for the last week. Not enough to call off sick, but enough to be low on energy and not nearly enough of a clear head for coherent thoughts to make it to a post.
In the meantime, there have been several more verbals, one that will wait until signing day. And a flip away from Pitt.
Guess I’ll get the flip of TE Nick Bowers from Pitt to Penn State. Sucks to lose a talented TE, even more so to PSU. And with the WR corps thinned out a bit, not having additional depth at TE is a bit of a worry. Still, Pitt has good depth at TE/FB, and that’s not a particularly big loss. Only reason it seems bigger is where he flipped to, not that he flipped.
Meanwhile John Petrishen, a 3-star safety out of Central Catholic is down to Pitt, Penn State and Virginia. He seems legitimately unsure, and won’t make the decision until or just about NLI Day on Wednesday, February 4.
Now for the recruits who have verbaled over the last few days.
Anthony McKee, an Outside Linebacker from Ohio was another huge pick-up. A 3- to 4-star recruit with offers from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Michigan St., WVU and (heh) Wisconsin. More defensive help. More speed.
Another Outside Linebacker. This time from New Jersey, Saleem Brightwell is a consensus 3-star recruit. His decision came down to Pitt or Miami.
For some immediate help, Pitt gained a JUCO DE, Allen Edwards. Assuming Ejuan Price can come back healthy (big if) for 2014, Pitt may actually have some depth at the DE spot.
Then, yesterday the flip from Penn to Pitt by QB Ben DiNucci. The 2- to 3-star ranked QB has scared a lot of other programs with an unorthodox throwing style. Pitt has little interest in changing it.
DiNucci admitted he went on his visit to Pitt with the idea that he was still going to Penn.
But the visit changed things. Still, DiNucci wasn’t sure about his decision when he woke up Monday. Then, Narduzzi and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney called while he was on his way to school. DiNucci came home in the afternoon to talk things over with his parents.
“I can’t even begin to tell you what it was like having so many people on Twitter, in the community, in school telling me to go here, go there, don’t do this, don’t do that, don’t talk to this person and that person,” DiNucci said. “I’m just glad it’s over with and I think I made the right choice.”
DiNucci was the third-leading passer in WPIAL history with 7,619 yards, but major colleges didn’t recruit him much. He has heard knocks about his throwing motion, but said, “The Pitt coaches have told me they’re not going to change my motion at all.”
Justin noted on twitter a week or so back (sorry, working from memory), the college game is much more forgiving of unorthodox throwing motions than in the pros. Given, DiNucci was headed to Penn, he seems to be well aware that his future is not really about going to the NFL.
A week to go and there is a chance for a whirlwind recruiting finish. May have to take a “sick” day next Wednesday.
UPDATE: Whirlwind confirmed. Minutes after finally getting the post up, another verbal. Gentry Ivery, a WR from Texas has verbaled to Pitt.
Hope that is a mistake
PSU tweeting that it maintains control of PA, but they have been recruiting Miller for one year and Bower for half a year; new staff had had 1 week.
Next year will be more indicative
Don’t mind the flips. Players become loyal and close to
coaches. When the coaches bolt players have the right
to change schools and should attend a school where they
feel most comfortable and wanted.
Is it true PC did not meet with the team before running
to the Dairy State???? Nevertheless glad the new staff is in
place and recruiting 2015 style.
recruits, is that they are going to be coached
by this group of coaches!!
H2P
He might be a little faster than 4.77, but not much.
Not to sound like Joe D
Ivery will be a Pitt legacy once he’s done.
Can’t say I ever saw him play. But players are bigger, faster and stronger here in the Lone Star state. 🙂
Same wording that Joe D used for Challingsworth a year and a half ago.
– Ben DiNucci
So there you go.
@Reed
I wish that I could be there. Just too far away and (in theory) I work that day.
Here is what I see as the big difference that the Duzz brings. I grew up in a very WASPish family. Strong work ethic. We all knew our jobs and did them. Conversations at dinner were rather limited. No arguing. Sort of Ozzie and Harriet.
I had many friends who were Italians. When I went to their houses, it was like a different world. Noisy. People arguing. Lots of emotions. Like a night at the Corleones.
I think that Paul Chryst (who I liked) brought to Pitt an atmosphere like my family’s. Let’s get the job done. If something gets screwed up, we will do it better next time.
I am guessing that the Duzz is going to bring much more emotion, excitement, tension, sometimes conflict. The practices and the locker room and the sidelines during games. Just like the players at MSU looked to him to come down to the field in the second half and get them focused, pumped, pissed and ready to kick ass.
I can’t wait to read your comments from practices.
H2Passion
Comment by pmdH2P 01.27.15 @ 1:01 pm
Hope you feel better.
Ivery’s BEST 200 Meter time is more than a SECOND Slower than Adonis Jennings… and Jennings’ is NOT a 4.4 Guy.
Jennings’ BEST 100 in High School was 10.74. That is FAST. But 4.4 Guys run a bit better than that. 10.6 is more like it.
At the RISK of again being accused of being Joe D in disguise… it doesn’t look like Ivery ran the 100. 4-4 Guys run the 100 in High School.
Now, I’m not saying the Kid can’t be a STANDOUT at the Receiver Position… as Joe D probably would say simply because he’s not that fast.
The NFL Combine invites REALLY Good Receivers all the time who end up running 4.6 something or even 4.7.
Maybe Ivery will be one of those. We can only hope.
Don’t know how tough the Kid is or how hard he hits.
But when he has the Ball in his hands, he’s a PRETTY FLUID Athlete who PASSES UP a lot of people on the way to the end zone.
Same height and weight in High School… and a pretty SIMILAR throwing motion.
Kingsbury too got criticized for the way he threw the Ball but put up some GAUDY Numbers in the Spread Offense for Texas Tech.
And yes, Kingsbury did not translate well to the NFL.
@ChrisDokish: Texas CB Obi Eboh is one of the best CBs in the ’16 class. Glad to see Pitt looking far and wide for playmakers.
@DemetricDWarren: #Pitt offers 2016 Stud DB Carlos Becker (Osceola HS, FL) @beckercarlos5 @VarsityPreps @SouthRecruit1
@ChrisDokish: Pitt is offering elite players all over.
@ChrisDokish: I would be surprised if Pitt didn’t end up with at least a top 25 class next year, and very possibly top 20.
That does say something.
Could be that Chryst just didn’t see DiNucci as a Pocket Quarterback… which he obviously was headed toward having recruited Bertke.
By signing DiNucci, it might be that Narduzzi and Chaney are open to running the Spread at some point down the Road.
Personally, I like the Offense the way it is.
However, to me… Ivery just doesn’t look anything close to 4.4. on tape.
If he’s a 4.55 guy, that is often times good enough. AB on the Steelers is one of the best WR in the NFL, and he is not a burner … until he gets the football in his hands. And, he has a knack for getting open.
I agree with you about 4.77 – especially if it is 4.77 lacking quickness, elusiveness and sharp route running. But, I did read the quote from his coach that was alluded to above about him being the best WR he’d coached in his career.
We’ll have to wait and see, just like for all of them.
The more important question is; can this kid catch the ball and can he get open.
But he does add another WR to replace the dearly departed Adonnis.
Who mustn’t have been to enamored with Paulie’s terrible handling of him.
Welcome to Pitt Ivery Gentry !
(this staff could recruit more kids in 2 months than Paulie and the Cheeseheads could in 12 months, and legit D1 recruits to boot)
But I’m not naive .. there is a reason that he’s a 2-star without any offers. Thus, it will be a pleasant surprise to see him contribute, you never know.
DaVon Hamilton was a 3-star DT when he committed to PItt. He made 1st team All-Ohio at top level this year and now has flipped to OSU, who did not offer him in the summer.
But, his coach, Chris Melson, swears by him. He said, @I don’t know how you are going to find many recruits better than this kid.” He emailed new Pitt Asst Tim Salem as he was transitioning from Illinois to Pitt and told him he needed to see Ivery, and that he needed a home. Melson compares him to another of his receivers who is now at TCU – Josh Doctson – who led TCU in receptions last season. Melson said Ivery is better. He can do more things. He’s faster, stronger and more elusive. He’s like a tailback after the catch.
We know some coaches might say anything to help a recruit, but I don’t see how it benefits a coach to not be truthful with schools. But, it could be that he just plain overvalues Ivery. But, there aren’t a lot of 4 star WR left who don’t have big time commitments. Seems to me Pitt needed a WR and took a shot on a guy who is another diamond in the rough. We’ll see how it plays out.
“It was good, I think, for me to have that time because I thought I was also able to, like I said, spend some time with the players at Pitt and keep them abreast of the situation,” Mr. Chryst said.
The delay put Mr. Chryst in the awkward situation of publicly representing Pitt — coaching the Panthers’ practices and attending a news conference in advance of their Jan. 2 bowl game — but also being linked to the Wisconsin job.
Mr. Chryst said he tried to be as honest as he could with his Pitt players about the developing situation, and he received congratulatory texts from some Wednesday evening.
“I was able to be really candid and up front with them,” Mr. Chryst said. “I think it was helpful for me looking back that I was able to talk to coach Alvarez early in it, so I could tell the players exactly what was happening.”
Jake Steinberg @Steiny31
Super Bowl will have ZERO 5-star recruits starting. But there are 20 starters with a 2 star or lower rating. Don’t let a system define you.
There is probably a band with that name that played the Decade or better yet, The Electric Banana.
And highlight tapes are tough to judge, but Ivery does seem to show the ability kick it into high gear on some of those plays.
Go Pitt.
Comment by wbb 01.27.15 @ 3:16 pm
Clearly ‘gaming’ the system
Ohio U<Pitt<Kentucky(in his mind)<OhioFake
Some crazy times in that place.
Although I preferred the Decade with the Iron City House Rockers.
No way No how…..do whatever Jamie to see that this does NOT happen !!!
I get it, it is human nature to participate in such activities but the evolution of expectations pertaining to this coaching staff continues to go through it’s own metamorphosis on a daily basis it seems.
Just take the time to appreciate this newly assembled staff and complement them on their ongoing efforts from time to time. We are lucky to have them IMO.
Comment by :Tony77019 01.27.15 @ 6:41 pm
ESPNU @ 7:00
One thing we should all be happy about is that class will not be a waste and hurt the team down the road. There will actually be upper class players in four years.
Franklinstein moved on for a reason. Interesting he chose to hide in Creepy Valley…
“Melson explained Legacy was primarily a running team in 2013. Then when college coaches visited last year during spring practice, Ivery was out taking his lifeguard certification test, Melson said”
