Nothing particularly illuminating, just stuff.

Both Pat Forde and Ivan Maisel at ESPN.com did chats (Insider Subs.) this week taking similar questions. Forde:

Joe (Dayton): I know everyone is jacked up on Louisville, but am I crazy for seeing Pitt winning the Big East again?

Pat Forde: Joe: No, you’re not crazy. I think Louisville is a deserving favorite, based largely on playing the Pittsburgh game at home on Nov. 3 (on ESPN, network plug), but Pitt has a chance for a great season. If the players connect with what Wannstedt is doing, the Panthers will be a Top 25 team and that game in Louisville will have BCS implications.

Maisel:

Ryan (Philly): Does Pitt have a legitimate shot at repeating their bcs bowl bid. Or are they a few years away from really being competitive in top 25 football

Ivan Maisel: I think Pittsburgh will be better this season. The problem is getting past Louisville. I think the Cardinals can go 11-0 this year. Pitt has to play down there on a Thursday night, and the Backyard Brawl is in Morgantown. That’s difficult.

On the bright side, all the pressure going into the season is really on Louisville.

College Football News has been doing a list thing of “3 Year Program Analysis” based on 8 characteristics. It covers 2002-2004. For whatever it’s worth, Pitt is ranked at #31.

Program Analysis: Nine wins in 2002, eight in 2003 and eight in 2004 (with the one over Furman not counting in the rankings) along with a BCS berth still didn’t make everyone happy with Walt Harris. Winning 70% of Big East games is impressive, as are the eight Quality Wins and ten players drafted. There’s room for big improvements in the attendance and graduation scores.

Okay.

Back to the ESPN Chats. This time with their Scouts, Inc. National Director for Recruiting, Tom Luginbill. If it wasn’t clear before that ESPN has entered the recruiting information market, it is after this.

Josh (San Diego): I was wondering what qualifies you as a recruiting expert.Have you been a coach? Or do you just watch alot of football. Also,what college did you graduate from.

Tom Luginbill: I’ve been in coaching and personnel for eight years at the pro level. I played QB in college, graduated from Eastern Kentucky, got my Masters from Marshall University. My coaching background is primarily on offense. I have been a position coach, coordinator, head coach, director of player personnel, director of football operations throughout the past 8 years of my career. I have not held a position in coaching that has not included direct player personnel responsibilities. Along with myself, our staff has over 120 years combined coaching and scouting experience at either the college or pro level.

Tom Luginbill: I have been through the recruiting process myself and I believe our staff feels we have a good grasp on what takes place throughout the recruiting process.
…
Dan, NY: Tom, besides have players in chat at which point fans can ask for a list of schools, will ESPN be concentrating more on player evaluation rather than following the recruitment of the players?

Tom Luginbill: We will be following the recruitment of players, however we will not be publishing rumors and unconfirmed information. According to NCAA guidelines, a university representative is not allowed to publicly discuss any prospective student athlete that they are recruiting until that player has signed a letter of intent. Much of the information that you have seen through other sources about what school is offereing a scholarship to a certain player is more often than not an inaccurate piece of information. Often times through the recruiting process, the prospective student athlete can inadvertently misconstrue what a scholarship offer actually is. Just because a player may get a letter from a university or is told over the phone that may be receiving a scholarship offer doesn’t necessarily mean that they have or that they will.

Tom Luginbill: I think the best scholarship offer is one that is in writing and those are the ones that truly count. We’re far more concerned with player commitments and what that player’s value is in the recruiting process at a certain school and compared to other players at their respective positions.
…
Josh (San Diego): Your not going to pull a Tom Lemming and start ranking players higher if they commit to your favorite school are you.

Tom Luginbill: Neither ESPN or Scouts, Inc. has any allegiances to any college football program whatsoever. We don’t answer to anyone but ourselves, and as a result, we’re able to remain fair and objective in our evaluations. What good is a ranking if it’s not based on solid football merit?

Tomorrow, they will be releasing their top 25 of their Top-150 high school players. That seems familiar. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck…