Let’s get back to football for a while and turn off the “noises” we fans have been spewing about BB that upset King Scott so much.
Here is the latest video of the practices out of the Southside. We are at the halfway point as we just finished our seventh out of 15 practices allowed which includes the Spring Game – the NCAA counts that as a practice just like the others. That scrimmage BTW will be at Heinz Field on April 16th.
Take a close look at #85 making some nice plays and harder catches. That’s rsJR Jester Weah and the guy who we Pitt fans, and the staffs over the last three years, having been hoping to come around. Would be nice… especially if our new OC wants to open up the passing game with more deep balls.
Notice also that the video below opens up with the player the staff has been building up so far this spring in running back SO Darrin Hall. Hall played in 10 games last season and carried 64 times for 257 yards (4.0 ypc) and 2 TDs. He also caught six passes for 30 yards.
Hall was placed in the games in some strange by our departed OC Jim Chaney situations last year and it seemed like he was never really given a chance to get any momentum going – basically used as a relief back for Ollison… especially if Rachid Ibrahim is 100% by the Villanova opener. Between Ollison, Ibrahim and Conner if healthy there will be few opportunities.
Yes, I know the staff is starting to rave about Hall and that’s all well and good but three years ago 4* RB Chris James absolutely tore up the spring practices and the fall camp and where is he now? I mean everyone was looking at him like he’d be not only a starter but would do very well for us.
So, you never know. I like Darrin Hall – he did very well in that ’15 camp (when Narduzzi built a ‘bigger than Trump’s wall’ around the Southside practices) and is a good player but we are truly stocked at that position for the time being.
Right now we have Conner who has two years to play even though there is a chance he’ll declare for the draft after this year; Ibrahim who is a rsJR now, Hall and true FR Chawntez Moss (5’11 and 202#), who in choosing to enroll in January so as to be able to practice with the team now, got the drop on his recruit classmate ATH George Hill who also may end up at RB as he played that exceedingly well in HS.
Hill was a bona fide star running back as a prep player out of Ohio. He carried the ball 319 times for 3,407 yards and an outstanding 10.7 ypc average and 40 TDs. A legit 4* recruit he had offers from such good schools as MSU, Ohio State, Nebraska, Wisconsin and WVU, all schools known for having great RBs over the years. He’s taller and slimmer than Moss at 6’0 and 185# and will most probably have some more muscle on him by September. Hill may well be one of those players who, when he finally gets some actual practice time against D1 defense in front of the coaching staff’s eyes, could be just too good to keep off the field.
Here, see for yourself:
At any rate jumping ahead to the 2018 season we’ll have Ollison, Hall, Moss, and Hill at the very least and we’re sure to add at least one or two more ball carriers over the next two recruiting classes. Not a bad place to be in, now if we can get a decent QB to hand off to them. 😉
BTW and speaking of Conner – it is no sure thing that he’ll declared for the draft. I believe he is much like Aaron Donald who, while a sure 1st or 2nd round pick after his junior year, stayed for his fourth year at Pitt because he was loyal to the university who gave him and education and a chance to play football 9to paraphrase Donald himself).
If anything Conner has more reasons to stay at Pitt for that 5th year of eligibility even though financially he might be better off going. Conner is a different cat than most college athletes (in any sport) and it wouldn’t shock me one bit if he surprised us and decided to help the team out for another season.
Here is KDKA’s Vukovcan with a piece on Pat Narduzzi.
Since the start of spring practices, has their been much change in the depth chart?
“Yeah, there’s been change everyday. Obviously you guys can’t see if much during the individual drills (which is what the media is permitted to view).
Trib’s Jerry D. writes about the subjcet discussed above and has a video to go along with it.
Here is that bit about Hall at RB and you can see it wasn’t just Narduzzi who twisted the motivational knife into Ollison’s ribs, but RB Coach Andre’ Powell followed suit:
Also among those eager to impress Powell is junior Rachid Ibrahim, almost fully recovered from the torn Achilles that ended his season before it started last year. Consider coach Pat Narduzzi’s comment about Ibrahim, who took snaps for the first time Tuesday.
“Good to see he’s just about back. He can bring a lot. I’m guessing he probably would have been the starting tailback (last year), and we wouldn’t know who Qadree Ollison is if (Ibrahim) hadn’t got hurt,” Narduzzi said, exaggerating to make a point.
Then, sophomore Darrin Hall, who might be atop the depth chart halfway through spring drills. “If we had to play today, he might be ahead of Qadree,” Powell said.
The P-G’s Sam Werner has another bit about the RBs (see this is what you get when you restrict media access and have limited interviews – every beat writer writing almost the exact same thing – at least about the same, and only, subjects presented) accompanied by a video of Powell after practice:
Here is the standard Pitt Media Dept. press release on yesterday’s practice:
PDF LINK: 2016 Pitt Spring Football Guide
Coach Pat Narduzzi Quote Sheet
Opening statement:
“Great work today, great practice, maybe the best enthusiasm of the spring so far today. They really got after it. Intensity was good, the competition was good and we stayed healthy.”
“The goal today was to have the best practice yet and I think we did. Guys are fighting out there, not literally fighting, but arguing. They want to win a [practice] period. They want to win their battle and it’s good stuff.”
On what point in the spring starting positions earned:
“It starts with the first practice. The first practice we’re putting it together. We’re constantly looking to put that puzzle together in regards to where they are. When we walk out on that field it changes. The first practice we have an idea of where these guys are, but then the competition begins. It already started, a long time ago.”
On how often the depth chart changes throughout the spring:
“Every day. Every day it changes. Maybe not the first two shorts practices, just because you can’t play football without pads. You can’t tell who made the play and who didn’t. The depth chart, as a staff we talk about every day, and who’s doing what. We’ll talk about where we are, and go through offensive depth, defensive depth, and special teams as a staff. These players need to be great every day, and know where they are. If you have a bad day, you move down. If you have a good day, you move up.”
On some of the ongoing position battles right now:
“There’s good competition in the backfield. Darrin Hall, Qadree Ollison and Chawntez Moss are having a day back there and receivers are battling. Those are some of the spots where there are obviously some issues there. There’s the linebacker play. Saleem Brightwell is in there fighting at the linebacker spot and doing a nice job. We’ve already talked the past couple times about Elijah Zeise, Jalen Williams and Oluwaseun Idowu fighting it out at that outside linebacker spot. Matt Galambos has a good hold inside. In the secondary, Reggie Mitchell and Terrish Webb continue to battle. So, there’s a couple of them. Every day, if a guy has a bad day you can move down. That’s just the reality of college football.”
On using the spring to identify leaders for the fall:
“Yeah, no doubt about it. We talk about it with our leadership counsel and what they do. We voted about a month ago on who those guys are—there’s about 12 of them right now. We’ll vote again once spring ball is done. Those are generated during ‘fourth quarter’ workouts, generated during spring ball, generated during the offseason program. We’ve let our kids vote and will continue to let them voice who they want their leaders to be. There’s four seniors and about two in each class after that, and they vote on them. We don’t just have senior leaders because then those younger guys don’t learn how to be leaders. We have, probably for the first time since I’ve been here, a walk-on on our leadership council in Jim Medure. That’s something the kids voted on, not just the freshmen but the upperclassmen too. He got a lot of votes.”
On depth at running back:
“Right now we only have three out there. Rachid Ibrahim got some snaps today so it’s good to see he’s just about back. We’re taking it slow with him and being careful. We’d like to play three or four tailbacks for sure. We have some sets where there might be three tailbacks out there. We want to play our best players. If we have five good tailbacks in our personnel group then we’ll put five out there on the field.”
On the next step for running back Qadree Ollison:
“The same step for everybody: just to get better every day. He had a good year last year, but he has to worry about James Conner being the starting running back and he has to fight through that. It will be a battle. It’s like anybody, the same thing with Jordan Whitehead. That was last year for those two rookies (Ollison and Whitehead). They don’t give you a sophomore all-conference player award. That was a year ago. They need to stay humble and really prepare every day like they did to get where they are. Never forget how you got where you were last year.”
On James Conner’s progress:
“I don’t have an update on him, I’m not a doctor. I think he’s doing great. He had his ninth chemo yesterday and he has two more to go. So over a football season he’s going into the fourth quarter of his chemotherapy, and you know what we do in the fourth quarter. He’ll win the fourth quarter there’s no question about it. He has a few more treatments to go. He had some after-effects yesterday, which is common. He didn’t run around today, but he’s out here supporting his teammates.”
On what a healthy return for Rachid Ibrahim would bring to the backfield:
“He can bring a lot. We didn’t have him all last season, but we had him last camp and last spring. I know he’s tough, I know he’s athletic, and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. I’m guessing he probably would have been the starting tailback and we wouldn’t of even known who Qadree Ollison is if he hadn’t gotten hurt. I’ve got a lot of faith in what he can do.”
On running back Darrin Hall:
“His leap from last year is something you’ll seen on April 16 [at the spring game]. That’s the great thing about a spring game. I think he’s made some major improvements and looks confident out there. We need to keep those tailbacks healthy, but I believe he’s had a great spring so far.”
Running Backs Coach Andre Powell Quote Sheet
On freshman Chawntez Moss:
“Moss has some good qualities. He’s smart, he’s tough and he’s competitive. Those are three pretty good ingredients. He’ll be able to help us.”
On determining playing time for Chawntez Moss:
“You get them [the running backs] all ready. You go into camp thinking they’re all going to play. That will take care of itself, probably by game four. I think Moss is probably a good enough player where he’ll play some and then be able to help us on special teams. I would anticipate that he will play.”
On Moss enrolling early:
“If you’ve done enough work to put yourself in the position to graduate early, that says something about you—you’re smart, you’re a self-starter and a worker. He just has to get a good handle on the offense and it’ll take some time for him to get sharp with his fundamentals. It’ll also take some time for him to understand it overall and he knows what to do, but I’m not sure he understands all the concepts. We call certain things and he knows where he is supposed to be, but I don’t know if he knows where the other ten guys are supposed to be. He’ll understand what we’re trying to do conceptually, but that will take some time.”
On where Darrin Hall stands on the depth chart:
“I’d say if we had to play today he might be ahead of Qadree [Ollison], right now as of today.”
“None of them have done anything that would say they aren’t good players, but the one thing that we are always gauging is what do you do when you get to the guy we couldn’t block or didn’t block. Right now, Darrin has done a little bit better in that category. As far as pass protection they’re both pretty good at pass protection in terms of hitting the right hole. They both do a pretty good job there, but there is always that guy that we can’t block. What can you do? Can you make a play? Do we block a four-yard play and you get four yards? Sometimes we block a four-yard play and you have to make a play [by yourself]. Right now, Darrin might be a little ahead.”
Running Back Darrin Hall Quote Sheet
On what he hopes to do during spring practice:
“It’s a competition and we all want to play. We’re all just out here trying to do our best.”
“I definitely wanted to work on fundamentals. I have to stay a little lower and work on some juke moves and spin moves. I have to compete and try to win a spot.”
On beating the unblocked defender:
“That’s all we’re working on right now. If we’re doing an inside run, we’re out here making moves, working to be better backs.”
On his rise on the depth chart from last season:
“I always come in with the same mindset, compete, but now I’m right there. Now, I just have to take it over the edge and get the spot.”
On the kind of back he is:
“I believe I am a balanced back, I have a little bit of speed and power. If I stay low and make people miss then I will be good.”
Running Back Chawntez Moss Quote Sheet
On the adjustment from high school to college:
“It’s coming along well, I’m just getting used to the school, the workouts and practice every day.”
“The biggest part of the experience to me was the workouts, the strain of the workouts. When I was in high school the workouts were never this hard. I understand all the preparation that goes into this, because it’s big-time football now so it’s a lot of preparation.”
On coming into college behind established backs:
“I knew I was coming into a good situation with Darrin Hall, Qadree [Ollison], a Rookie of the Year, and James [Conner], the possibly returning ACC Player of the Year. I just wanted to come prove that I can hang with them and that I can produce too.”
On pass and run blocking:
“Blocking is a mindset; that’s what my coach told me. It’s a mindset of being tough. Coach [Andre] Powell tells our running back room about being tough dudes. We come out for the pass block and it’s whether you’re tough or not. I feel like I’m a tough guy so when we do the pass blocking, I just barrel down. They’re older than me and they might be stronger than me, but it’s about heart on the field.”
Running Back Qadree Ollison Quote Sheet
On his daily approach:
“I approach every day differently. Last year I was trying to find my spot in the offense. This spring I’m going in with the same mindset that I had last year. I try to stay as humble and hungry as possible. I work every day to get better because that’s the next step for me as an individual—to get better every day, work on my game, my craft, and clean up the little things that will make me into a much better football player in the end.”
On making improvements from the fall:
That’s what spring ball is, it’s fifteen practices to get better as a team. As an offense, we have a new offensive coordinator so we’re learning his new offense and his schemes. That’s why we have spring ball. We have fifteen practices to do that.”
On staying hungry since winning the starting job last season:
“Coach [Andre] Powell tells us never to be satisfied. I always tell myself that, never get complacent. You can always do more. I had eleven-hundred yards last year, but there was stuff I could have done to get twelve-hundred yards or even more. You’re always trying to get better and there is always room for improvement. Nobody has a perfect season or a perfect game. There is always stuff you can clean up and get better at. You can always get better and develop as a player on the field.”
My daughter and I go on Writer’s Retreats where we get a cabin somewhere for a night or two and just write and eat good food (and drink on my part). She’s a stern taskmaster and is way more knowledgeable about the actual craft of writing so that’s a huge help.
Interestingly enough because the book is set in Shadyside/Oakland in 1973 and the protaginist is a Pitt grad I have just been researching some Pitt football stuff from then. It was Year 1 of Majors so at 6-5-1 not a great season but a much better than in the past.
Get to write about Dorsett and his 1973 Lincoln Continental with those $1500+ parking fines as a true FR though (Gee – just try to tell me Pitt was on the up & up back then!)
Thanks for asking – I’ll be asking some background questions for research on here when things on the BB side slow down a bit.
Note:I just looked in the official Pitt records – in 1973 Bill Daniels threw 176 times completing 84 for 1170 yards. That is an outstanding 13.9 (!) ypc rate and also 3 TDs and 14 INTs. What a weird box score.
H2P
Commented in the previous BB post on the Trib article re. RBs… We potentially could have 4 really good backs ready to go not counting the stud freshman from Ohio … Not enough carries to go around to satisfy.. any potential linebackers in this group… who transfer for PT?
He once had a little get together with some old time Pirates at the club which included Blass, Bob Robertson, ElRoy Face, Nellie King and a few others that I can’t remember.
You know where I stand on this.
But I can still see Hill being used somewhat like Whitehead
Steve Blass Disease[edit]
See also: Yips
Besides his Series performance, Blass is best known for his sudden and inexplicable loss of control after the 1972 season.[1] His ERA climbed to 9.85 in the 1973 season. He walked 84 batters in 88 2?3 innings, and struck out only 27, laboring through the 1973 season; his -4.0 WAR that year still stands as the worst single-season WAR for a pitcher since 1901.[2] After spending most of 1974 in the minor leagues, he retired from baseball in March 1975. Two months later writer Roger Angell chronicled Blass’s travails in an essay in The New Yorker.[3]
A condition referred to as “Steve Blass disease” has become a part of baseball lexicon. The “diagnosis” is applied to talented players who inexplicably and permanently seem to lose their ability to throw a baseball accurately.[1][4][5][6] The fielder’s variant of “Steve Blass disease” is sometimes referred to in baseball terminology as “Steve Sax syndrome”.
Notable victims of “Steve Blass disease” include Rick Ankiel,[5][7][8] Mark Wohlers,[9] Dontrelle Willis,[10] Ricky Romero,[11][12] and Daniel Bard.[13]
In an interview years later, Blass mentioned that he was content with how his career panned out, mentioning that he had gotten ten good years with the Pirates, won 100 games, and appeared in a World Series.[14] He did mention that the sudden death of teammate and close friend Roberto Clemente in the offseason before he lost control – and the associated grief related to losing someone so close suddenly – did not play a factor in him losing his control.
And yes, Narduzzi is stubborn… but to a point.
A year ago he was giving no thought to playing Whitehead on Offense.
He would later admit to having been wrong for failing to get the Ball into Whitehead’s hands sooner.
About once a year up until my dad died when I was 13 I’d get a chance to sit with Mr Prince while he called a game… and he’d drink, a lot, from his ‘sipping cup’ he’d put under the radio counter. He was pretty stoned when he came to my Dad’s funeral.
Read the book written about him and his famous dive out the window of a hotel 12 stories up into the pool. In my 40,s I stayed at that hotel in St Louis many times and no matter how many scotches I’d had, I would not make that dive!!
Cannot remember the hotel name. To me, Bob Prince was always bigger than life.
I’m thrilled Connor is tossing out pitch one for the Bucs but hope he is not overdoing it. That disease he has is no walk in the park!
As for George Hill, we’re pretty set at RB this year IMO and Narduzzi can always switch him over next year or if (when) someone gets hurt this year.
It could be that Narduzzi wants a good competition for that other CB spot and for the nickel back position, so he’s throwing Hill into the mix early.
Same Hotel around the same years I remember taking time off from looking at the books ( yeah, I know books!!) and feeling flush from winning some Abe Lincolns in poker seeing the great Smokey Burgess drinking milk in the coffee
The coffee shop was really expensive $3.00 for a cheeseburger, fries and a Coke.
Burgess had an ulcer and as far as I know he abstained from adult beverages,
Now we are recognizing sporting figures drinking prowess. I hear Babe Ruth was a Champ. lol
A good story to read is the “Mick” he and his cronies were legendary.
But no one else but Doc Ellis through a no no on LSD, so Pgh has that going for it.
PoD, give it a rest, Conner, Ibrahim, Ollison, Hall and Moss should be able to get it done, unless they start dropping like last year.
We need a defensive backfield in the worst way.
Reed, are you hearing anything about the defensive line? My guess is it will make us or break us.
When Chryst first recruited James and Ollison, it was my belief that Ollison would ultimately prove to be the one capable of being a Breakaway Back.
However, with Hill… it’s pretty obvious that he has an EXTRA GEAR that Ollison doesn’t have… and the ability to get to it VERY quickly.
I think you might have been one of them.
Good day today. Only had one freese up.
We need to be suspicious of the Administration propaganda on this site and elsewhere. They want Stallings a hero and he is a low life. Remember poor Jeter.
My dad played football in the 1930s at Miami (OH). Graduated with a Phys Ed.degree and was a Phys Ed teacher at Penninsula, HS when WWII broke out.
Just curious.
–Reed – a most excellent call by you regarding my man Jester Weah. I continue to hold out hope for this kid. I too have noticed that he has made a number of catches on the short spring-ball video clips we have seen. If he can learn to confidently catch the ball, he would be a game-changer with his size and speed.
–I think it’s a good call that the speedy George Hill will likely see spot duty on offense like Jordan Whitehead last season – and he would be awesome as a kickoff returner. If GH gets an opening, he’s definitely off to the races and has a faster gear than anyone else on the roster.
–I would like to see a race between Jordon W. and George H.
Go Pitt.
Tons of funny stories about those teams. Spent alot of time in the pirate locker room from the late 80’s to mid90’s. Great group of core guys. Would be great to meet you some time on a return trip. Family still in usc and peters.
Reed… VERY well and EVERY one is probably stretching it just a bit.
Akron-Peninsula Rd is on the northwest side of Akron and if you take it north to 303, there is a small town named Peninsula. Real small town – didn’t even know it had a high school.
H2P