I know, football practices start in a couple days. But I have to do this one first, because it’s been turning over in my head for a while and then there was  great piece in The Athletic yesterday that put a bit of a bow on it.

Over last summer and fall, there were some pieces about the rebuild for Pitt under Jeff Capel. The stressed point was that the wins probably weren’t going to be there. The key was to see improvement.

With all of the potential difficulties this team may encounter, fans may wonder exactly what they should want from Capel’s first season as coach.

The answer is relatively simple. Pitt fans should just expect growth and improvement. They should root for a team that is tough, competitive and getting better each week, crafting the foundation of a culture that will pay off down the road.

I thought that was about right — even if changing/creating/crafting a “culture” is kind of a stock thing when a new coach takes over — for expectations. Maybe a few more wins in ACC play was presumed, but the season was about what could be expected.

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Hey, team basketball practices started yesterday. No, I’m not trying to change the subject. Stop questioning such things.

MMMMmmmm. That new coach smell is still there. Everything is upbeat and positive. There’s energy and good vibes (no, not that one, but now I’m thinking about it) around the players, the coaches and fans.

Pitt’s website has videos of the interviews with Head Coach Jeff Capel, senior Jared Wilson-Frame and junior Malik Ellison.

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You probably know that Kene Chukwuka decided (at last) that he would remain at Pitt. Cynically, his choices were going to be limited — much like Malik Ellison. He played one year of junior college, and if he transferred would have to sit out a year and be a junior. Unlike Ellison, he is not a high-level player, so development and getting on the court are big deals.

Chukwuka has some potential. The hope coming into last year was that he would redshirt first. That became untenable. Don’t give him a green light to shoot threes, and he can be a more effective and efficient player. His minutes will likely go down, which is also a good thing for his overall development.

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Okay, maybe not exclusively, but I definitely expect to see it more then once this season. Definitely a ton of 4-guard rotations.

Plus, a Jeff Capel puff piece.

In recent radio interviews, Capel has stressed he won’t just look to add bodies. Which means, despite a glaring need for more in the frontcourt, he’s not going to reach for a player if he can’t help this year. After missing out on traditional transfer Sacha Killeya-Jones (he went with NC State), Pitt didn’t waste much time.

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The NCAA Tournament is over. Easter is done. Family has been visited. Taxes are filed. Passover is well underway — and as an aside without all the carb snacks, beer and bourbon for the week, I’ve lost 4 pounds.

Jeff Capel’s hiring as the men’s basketball coach at Pitt has been received by the fans, all the local media and national media as an excellent hire. Just going to link and write on some of the stuff related to Capel.

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