Here on August 3rd we are a week away from the start of the Fall Training Camp on Monday August 9th. We’ve had all the eight months of the off-season to talk about off-season issues and, if truth be told, we all started repeating ourselves. It has been an interesting and somewhat productive time however. Whereas most ‘downtimes’ between seasons with the same coaching staff is somewhat boring we had the news of a new Chancellor, new AD, new HC and with that a new football staff.
That is a lot to take in and I think we all did a great job of discussing our news, thoughts, opinions and general feelings about the dramatic changes we have seen since Dec ’14.
It’s time to move on though. Real football awaits and we’re anxious to start seeing what transpires as far as the team we’ll filed on game day goes.
First some camp administrative info.
Pitt will have a Media Day early on where we’ll have a chance to observe some practice and ask questions with hopefully a bit more access for that one day.
I’ll drive up for that and couch surf in your homes. Actual fall camp practices begin on Monday August 10th with Sunday August 9th as the reporting day for the players.
In starting on this coming Sunday the staff can use a full three weeks to get in its complement of 29 practices and, by using allotted ‘two-a-days’, can save those precious five days (August 31st to September 4th) to get the game plan inserted and practiced for the Saturday Sept 5th home game against the Youngstown State University Penguins.
There have been questions about the actual NCAA rules and guidelines for D1 practicing from the NCAA standpoint so here are the basics copied from a very good Bleacher Report article looking ‘behind the scenes’ at the camps.:
Team can only have 29 practices before its first contest
No consecutive two-a-day practices
No two-a-days in first five days, also known as the acclimation period
One-a-day practices can be no longer than three hours in length
Two-a-day practices can be no longer than five total hours in length
Walk-through does not count as part of the practice time, following the acclimation period
Freshman must have six hours of academic orientation
To put things in perspective here are the NCAA guidelines for the fall camp and the seasonal time periods
NCAA Preseason practice guidelines:
For days in which institutions schedule a two-a-day practice, live contact practices are only allowed in one practice. A maximum four (4) live contact practices may occur in a given week, and a maximum of 12 total may occur in preseason. Only three practices (scrimmages) would allow for live contact in greater than 50 percent of the practice schedule”
NCAA Inseason practice guidelines:
Inseason is defined as the period between six (6) days prior to the first regular-season game and the final regular-season game or conference championship game (for participating institutions). There may be no more than two (2) live contact practices per week.
That linked Bleacher Report article goes on to cover an important aspect of camp that most fans really don’t think too much about:
“Yet, camp is still so much more than all of those things. It is also about life skills meetings and moving into the dorms. Life skills meetings about compliance, agents, meeting with the local police department, drug policies and such are going on at the same time as camp. Players have a lot of time on their hands, time that coaches and schools fill with helping get them prepared for not just football, but life in general.
That life includes moving into a dorm. For the guys who live off campus, it symbolizes a return to freedom, of sorts. For those who live on campus, it is about figuring out that your alarm clock works and making sure your roommate will look out for you.”
Read that linked article closely and you’ll see and learn just about the same things I’ve seen in the Pitt Fall Camp practices and scrimmages I have attended.
Speaking with E.J. Borghetti I gather that the Fall Camp practices will be run much the same as the Spring Practices were; that is a 30 minute window for the media to observe exercises and warm up drills then the practice is closed until media interviews can take place after the practice session has ended.
Here are some Hors d’oeuvres to get you into the mood this week…
Narduzzi’s latest presser.
Pitt’s advertisement for the 2015 season.
Here is the New Pitt Football South Plaza Champions Club seating for the Pitt Over-Moneyed.
(Note: The Club comes complete with an attached AA Meeting Room for immediate use after each loss! Call 1-Pitt Boozer for Champions Club membership details and our low-cost detox capabilities and the discount for Panther Club members.)
Finally, here is a preview of the New Pitt UPMC LiveWire website.
#H2ChasRich27
#H2Pitt
No exceptional feats are required from him to land some really coveted recruits, just win the games that are winable and don’t embarrass themselves with any Houston type gafts will be enough.
The sweat and efforts begins for real in a week! So Let’s go Pitt!
Thanks for the rundown of how we get in the 29 practices. All of that stuff for incoming freshmen compared to me just moving my gear into a room in Tower A and meeting my roomie.
Please remember to find time to report on this year’s cheerleading squad. As you know, they are important to our fan experience. We need your up close and personal exploration of their higher and lower points.
H2P
Naverick Rowan made the paper today, heading to NCSt. Winning certainly didn’t help Jamie get many high profile players. While I still think the guy can coach, unfortunately kids do not want to play for him. Maybe his style, but for whatever reason, he hasn’t been able to close any deals on top kids. Does not bode well.
Narduzzi also needs to be able to sign some guys even with a 6-6 record, based on the strength of his personality. Franklin has done it, Charley Strong did it. The guy is supposed to be a recruiter. Wanny did it even after poor showings.
Like some of the guys are saying, No Excuses.
Temple, Buffalo and Army. Temple is part of the whole “We have alumni in Philly area also” but I think the other two games piggy back on that for recruiting tools. It used to be that PSU played almost all east coast games but not so much with the B11.
gc – not disagreeing but where do you get that Narduzzi is ‘supposed to be a great recruiter’? He was probably more effective as a coordinator doing recruiting than was Chryst when he was OC at UW, but looking back from 2008 to 2014, he didn’t recruit anyone in ’15, I see this: (only counted the players that Narduzzi alone recruited.)
5* – 1
4* – 2
3* – 12
2* – 2
So, total average per player is 3.2* which is an average recruiting record. That’s why I am not surprised that he’s right on track with that as a HC with a 2.8* average now. Yes, we’ll pick up in star quality if we get a winning season but really, nothing in his track record shows me he’s any better or worse that any other recruiter in college football.
EDIT: Of course that doesn’t take into account how those recruits actually turned out at MSU so his recruiting may be better than is numerically evident.
The Lords of Discipline.
The “right” thing is subjective. I also think that from a cultural standpoint, Pitt does not have a problem with player digressions nor do I think two isolated incidents hint at a larger problem on the horizon.
Pitt’s problem from a cultural standpoint is winning. BTW, there is some recent precedent with the University not suspending someone over a DUI. Derrick Randall got a DUI in the offseason and did not miss any game time. Zeigler got a DUI in season and missed what looks like the two games immedieatel after it.
Perhaps with some input from the A.D., I would not have a problem with that.
Whatever he does, will be fine with me. That’s why we hired an A.D. and head coach.
Whatever he does, or does not do, should not be to appease Bob Pompeani, Ron Cook or Stan Savran.
If they are appalled that someone didn’t get suspended for a game, who really gives a flying…..
If some Penn State fan says “look at Pitt, they didn’t even suspend so and so”, I could care less.
I have no problem if they suspend someone for a game, or if they say the punishment has been handled in house.
If you really feel suspending someone for a game is a punishment, then so be it. Just don’t do it to appease some media type because they might be taken aback.
Use to get the Sporting News when I was a kid.
Think I still have the edition with either Roberto Clemente or Willie Stargell on the Cover.
I sure hope football turns the corner soon because I think basketball is headed for a period of darkness.
You want to punish him? Take away his phone for a week.
Especially since I have a very good friend who is….wait for it…..a Wolfpack alum.
It’s bad enough we keep losing recruits, it’s doubly bad when you lose them to a conf. foe who we’ve been playing twice a year
NC State is an urban campus and Raleigh doesn’t hold a candle to Pittsburgh. I mean come on !!!
Pittsburgh is a world class city, Raleigh is a decade removed from being the capital of tobacco road. I use to go there for business meetings once a month, the downtown area rolls up their sidewalks at 6 pm.
Please get someone, anyone that can recruit !!!
Excellent point about Pedo State and those that still shout their virtues.
America has truly lost it’s way.
David Hale ?@DavidHaleESPN
56 seconds ago
Most losses since 2010 when out-gaining opponent, P5:
#UVA – 14
#Miami – 12
#Pitt – 12
WashSt – 11
#VaTech – 11
#Cuse – 11
Texas – 11
#GoACC
Found in interesting that most recent loss at 19 decided to reclassify an graduate now. How many years was he held back?
Nordenberg was his typical turd self.
You are wrong about Raleigh. Must have been a while since you’ve been there. I work there and it certainly doesn’t close down at 6. It has a vibrant night life. Also, TT, I’ve been to The Pit…not bad.
Despite the misinformation about Raleigh, I still despise losing recruits to them…I work with many NC State alumnni.
H2P
8/3/2015 – 2016 PG Tony Carr (6-4, 185, 3.5*) | Overall Rank: 88 | Position Rank: 38 committed to Penn State.
247 has him ranked as #1 PG in PA. #9 in Nation.
Rivals has him as a 4 star.
Espn has him as a 4 star. #1 in Pa
Scout is also 4 star.
Kid went to Philly Roman Catholic ( Wannamaker)
This sucks !
In a sh*t program like Pedo State is for hoops.
They nabbed two other kids from Roman Catholic.
And they’re grabbing the #1 PG in PA and possibly the whole NorthEast.
While we get some schmoe from the MEAC conf. who’s injured. And two stiffs from low-level basketball conf’s who hardly even dominated there, among weak competition.
You have got to be kidding me !
Is 56 wins and 75 losses. And he is outselling you.
smh
1. Who can we get any better?
2. We should be grateful and he is on the cusp.
3. It took Boeheim 28 years to start winning.
Archie Miller would smoke Dixon in all facets of game.
Just remember though, everything we want from Pitt football, Dixon has done. #1 ranked team – check. #1 seed in tourney – check. Beating #1 ranked teams – check. Consistent top 25 team – check. Class-act student athletes – check.
He’s earned a few bad seasons but that grace period is about to expire. Time to raise expectations again and get back to competing for conference titles and high tourney seeds.
Love Jimbo’s comment about Raleigh getting sunny days. And this place is like Mordor in the winter.
After you’re down here for awhile, you pray for cloudy days. I kid you not.
Raleigh has had 43 days 90 degrees or above.
Charlotte has had 50 days of 90 or above in the last 63 days(about 60% of those above 95) Including 5 days we reached 100 degrees.
There is like no one out doing anything, but rushing from AC in car to AC in building. No one sets on their porch the whole summer. Except maybe late at nite.
It’s a joke.
And forget it if you play golf or tennis.
Have no idea how people lived here BEFORE AC.
Well that and the fact that they shifted so many jobs to the Southeast.
To many you either moved….or you lost your job.
Play slog ball, have to learn defense ad nauseum , etc. etc..
Kids talk. Now, kids from Minnesota can talk to a kid in South Carolina, can talk to a kid in Maryland, can talk to a kid in Cali.
All within seconds.
Used to be, if you were on a baseball travelling team, you got to know the kids during the summer, wouldn’t see or hear from them until next summer.
Now, these kids exchange numbers, they’re texting each other like they’re neighbors.
Something’s going on, because I haven’t seen one good thing going on for hoops recruiting.
The two biggest items in the past 5 months, have been Rowan and Heron de-committing.
Jamie has a bunch of offers out they say. Reminds me of Seinfeld. “Anyone can take a reservation, that’s the easy part”.
Anyone can offer. Big deal.
Any and all pipelines have closed.
The only 4 year player they’ve recruited lately (like in the last 3-4 months) is the Manigault kid(of course he’s a verbal atm).
Really don’t know what to think of him, for a large kid like him….avg’g 11 ppg in HS…is shall we say….not very impressive.
It would appear the ‘magic’ of winning with less talented players is over.
I lose. Reed is off the hook for dinner. Lol.
Blair, 1 game, thought he might get a couple more.
But, Narduzzi is the coach, it’s his call and I’m good with both.
Let’s hope the results are different than last time we had players suspended vs YSU…
Missing star players from a game with the Penguins.
Should do wonders for recruiting as well.
This isn’t the 1950’s when everyone had 2 parent families and they were of the opposite sex. 🙂
What’s the difference ?
And he was a scrub !
1. Air conditioning
2. Automatic choke
Someone in the WR corps or one or two TE’s need to step up and have a big game.
I personally hope to see Jordan Whitehead split wide – he is a difference maker and needs to be on the field.
No more errors fellas – we can’t afford one moe starter to be suspended for the opener.
OC Cheney will be on the hot seat in game one – geez!
Pitt beats YSU 13-10
Oh my!!!
Makes it a much tougher win though.
Emel, don’t let the Global warming get you down, lol. The monsoon season finally ended a couple weeks ago here and the golf weather has been perfect. Balls are rolling again. Only trouble is a few leaves are starting to fall and summer is too short.
I’m going to change my 13-10 prediction to 13-0
HCPN devices a D that shuts down the Penguins. Nard Dog makes a statement on two fronts – D and discipline…
Nope. Our boy Paulie is under the lights. Prime time. 8 PM
Went to see grandkids and only had my smartphone.
