In case you missed it, the already thin and questionable linebacking corps got a bit thinner with the news of Ejuan Price.
Linebacker Ejuan Price tweeted that he will take a medical redshirt after undergoing pectoral surgery in the spring.
In the long-run, it is probably good for Pitt. The linebackers will be stronger, and Price will have an extra year.
But this year? With Todd Thomas still a big question mark when he is getting all the way back from his ACL surgery? Not so much.
Dan Mason may see more action than anyone really wanted that surgically repaired foot to ever see at this rate. Or maybe Pitt pioneers a 4-2-3-2 defense as a more general defensive look. There is going to be a lot of trial by fire for some of the underclassmen.
One thing I’m feeling sure of: there won’t be a label on Coach Paul Chryst about how he doesn’t play freshmen.
I see TT getting one too btw.
Not good news at all !
49 Eric Williams | 6-3, 215, RS SO
8 Todd Thomas | 6-2, 215, RS SO
26 Jason Frimpong | 5-11, 205, RS FR
11 Deaysean Rippy | 6-2, 200, FR
36 Manny Williams | 6-1, 235, RS SR
3 Nicholas Grigsby | 6-1, 220, RS FR
5 Ejuan Price | 6-0, 235, SO
47 Devon Porchia | 6-2, 225, FR
44 Shane Gordon | 6-1, 220, RS JR
53 Joe Trebitz | 6-3, 220, RS SR
40 Dan Mason | 6-0, 240, RS JR
Not much experience at all but defiinitely some potential
“He’s very gifted. He’s very fast,” Bielema said after Garner recorded three tackles on kickoff coverage in a victory against Ohio State in 2010. “He’s got a little bit of understanding of ball awareness, football IQ. He’s played a lot of football at different positions, so I think his general football awareness is really good.
Garner also played defensive end in that game.
“There at the end of the game, when we’re running out of guys to rush (quarterback) Terrelle Pryor, I about subbed (Garner) in without checking with our defensive coaches,” Bielema said. “Just because I knew it would be a guy that had a fresh set of legs, that could go out there and run people down.”
But this post is about unis. I love the big, bold W on Wisconsin’s helmets. It says, well, big and bold.
Hail to Pitt!
according to the above our second string is Grigsby, Frimpong and Trebitz. Exactly where is the talent there?
Two of our best and experienced LBs won’t play much at all this year Price is out for the season and Thomas will be a long time coming. Dan Mason is an afterthought.
One of our starting LBs, Manny Williams, is a rsSR. So five years in the program and he has eight tackles from three year ago. Last year he was on special teams only in only half the games.
Starter Eric Williams has mop up duty in three games under his belt.
I’m sorry, but outside of starter Shane Gordon I do see where this is a ‘function of lack of talent’ because it certainty is, at least as far as returning talent. Any other talent is pure conjecture.
Granted anything can happen out on the field but we may very well have to play former walk-ons and true freshmen perhaps even early on in the season.
Had Todd Thomas and Ejuan Price been ready to go, hell – even if LaQuentin Smith hadn’t changed positions I’d feel much better about this. But those are three talented experienced guys who are not in the mix at LB.
Put it this way. If our DEs don’t live up to the billing, which isn’t hard to fathom given the starters are Clemmings, who hasn’t shown anything in a game yet, and Jack Lippert (!) our LBs are going to be run ragged out there.
Personally, I think the LBs are our biggest concern this season, even bigger than QB play.
Only Gordon with 2 starts(I believe) under his belt has ANY significant playing time at all.
We’re all going to be wishing Max Gruder (there I said it) was still on the team I’m afraid.
No doubt these guys are going to have a learning curve. Any smart OC is going to exploit their lack of experience, which is why I see Cincy as a a loss. Unless this offense can really score some points !
But looking closer at the D-Line, we’re going to have 2 new guys with very limited playing time on there (Clemmings & Lippert) and the 3rd (Ezell) has never started or played that much either.
So now all of a sudden in the starting front 7 on Defense, you have one (1) guy, Aaron Donald who has started more than 2 games and actually was a playmaker and an impact player. Good defenses are built on cohesion and experience playing together.
No matter the talent level.
Huxtable is going to earn his pay this year, for sure !
HTP !
RB cory clement decommits from pitt it will be a big loss if he does.
What when he commits he’s a 3 star and when he de-commits he’s a 4 star. come on Frank !
No he was more than not bad, he led the entire nation in tackles one year. I’d say he was pretty good. If we had him & Gruder now we wouldn’t be in this predicament. Would we ?
But I do agree with you, lots of Nickel D with a hybrid Pantherback. (a mean and nasty one)
