Training camp for Pitt opened today. Optimism abounds.
Oh? What’s that? One of the top local recruits just happened to be at the camp today?
Was I just on TV!?!?!? ?? pic.twitter.com/HzcNBuUIeV
— DAMAR HAMLIN (@HamlinIsland) August 10, 2015
Nice.
No. We aren’t going to read anything into that. The young man, is going to make up his own mind, in his own time.
Oh? You mean a teammate and friend of his gave his verbal this evening?
Beyond Blessed to say that I have officially committed to my hometown school Pitt!!! ???? #H2P #Hometownhero pic.twitter.com/L3RRDFbU4g
— ??Rashad Wheeler?? (@ShadWheeler_12) August 10, 2015
The second of his teammates to choose Pitt. Nope. Not reading anything further than that. Can’t make me.
Well, I mean beyond the obvious assumption that some “james from state college” will be just happen to call into Pittsburgh sports talk radio tomorrow. Just a coincidence in timing. Nothing more. Really.
Back to Rashad Wheeler. This is a very good verbal. The uniformly ranked 3-star DT picked Pitt from his top-3 that included Maryland and Penn State. He also held offers from Virginia, WVU and Tennessee.
He’s the fourth verbal for the defense, yet only the third local commit to this point.
Nice to get Hamlin in the backfield with Whitehead.
This is just what the Dr. ordered. You build a defense with linemen.
H2P!
I remember him well, detention during the week consisted of writing out your multiplication tables and weekend detention usually were cleaning up around the school. Those were the days!!
They track all the hits. Would be nice to land Damar Hamlin too. He and Wheeler seem to be real close as does Bricen. Therran woud be the next one to come to Pitt and Khalekeshould follow. I don’t get how these kids would want to go to WVU. One more 6-7 season and Holgy is gone. Plus, why would you go someplace and not be coached by the best defensive mind in college football. Tony Gibson has been getting undressed by opponents offenses for years. He is terrible as a coach. Sorry, he has no pull in the coaching oommunity. Coach Duzz, is highly resected.
Nard pus his kids in the league if they do what he says! The proof is in the draft.
Anyway, congrats again Rashad and let’s get us to the next level! Have a great senior season.
Paul Chryst, as. Narduzzi was, we’re both hired in late December. From that time until their 1st opening camp, I am leaps and bounds more impressed with the latter. From Duzz’s staff, to his interviews, recruiting, and selling the program, it blows Chryst’s 1st 8+months out of the water.
Chryst did good things and left the program better than he inherited it. Especially on offense, 2 ACC player of the year candidates, strong line, deep backfield. QB and receiver depth not as much, but still plenty to work with.
The talent on D is better than some of the epic meltdowns, and with a defensive minded head coach, we should see improvements.
8 wins seems like a reasonable expectation from this staff, with a much higher upside overall than the previous staff. As I believe Alvarez and the Badger nation shall soon see.
Now hoops…been a bad few months. Hell,hasn’t been a real good last few years.
But Jamie has coached and won on big stages in big games. It seems some of us in here almost want him to fail, so Pitt can move on. I got to that point with Willard. By the end of his era I wanted them to lose, to ensure he would be canned. I am not there with Jamie yet, Pitt has several years and several millions invested in him, I’m still holding out hope(albeit fading) that he can right the ship.
Anyways, as always Hail to Pitt, and if you read my rants thank you, I love reading your guys posts. We are a passionate bunch, for sure…
But, we need to play a game or two to see what we really have. If 2-0, I think we start landing the others from the 412Crew. Hamlin would be a fantastic committ. I’d also like to get Therran, Hudson, Pugh, Shaw and Mathews. Outside of 412, Gilbert is another fantastic get, along with Polite on the DLine. There are a few LB’s that need to be gotten (Ferns from OH).
If that plays out, I don’t care what the recruiting rankings are, Pitt will carry momentum forward and HCPN will begin a run in the ACC that could rival what Jackie Sherrill did in his short time at Pitt. I’d like to see another Major 1, but I think I need stronger Kool-aid.
HTP!
HTP!
There was a Pat Signal at about 6:13PM. The Panther Pitt retweeted. Check tweets from about 13 hours ago.
The position battle at linebacker should be the most interesting, hopefully the second and third string are pushing real hard.
We’ll also see real soon if DK’s QB battle is for real, or just a bat dream.
Jamie Dixon is calling bb season ticket holders to renew. He’s concerned because season ticket sales are flat.
least Arkansas is a Power 5 conference team.
Sounds great!!
The issue is injury. For instance, if a kid were to blow out his ACL, many schools may back off (that’s how we got Shady McCoy (ankle)). Pitt should honor the verbal acceptance in case a kid gets hurt. A quid pro quo if you will. Pitt gets a verbal. The athlete gets an assurance that if he is injured during his senior season, Pitt will step up and honor the verbal. Just another way to separate yourself from the other coaches/programs.
I may have mentioned that I like this verbal from Wheeler. We need local stars to stay home. Study the two deep fellas and the best opportunity is with PITT!!
@gc “bat dream”.. good one- laffed my a$$ off!!!
@tedsptman – he missed time during the spring and didn’t play in the spring game because of “an undisclosed personal medical issue” that has never been disclosed. I’ve seen speculation that it relates to his rough upbringing but beyond that I haven’t heard. Sounds like he’s a maybe for this camp.
There is a nice yellow hat with Royal blue Script lettering from the Pitt Panthers online store. I got one before my vacation last week and it helped me to run into some nice fellow Panther fans in Bermuda.
Central’s old Prefect of Discipline was named Mr. Wheeler.
Reed is our…..Prefect of Discipline.