3* QB Kenny Pickett has become the latest Pitt recruiting verbal for the 2017 season. He had previously committed to Temple University then got a better offer and took it.
From the Trib:
“Kenny Pickett of Oakhurst, N.J., on Saturday became the first quarterback in the Class of 2017 to verbally commit to Pitt.
A three-star recruit according to Rivals, Pickett is ranked No. 22 overall — and the No. 2 quarterback — in New Jersey. An announcement on a Twitter account bearing Pickett’s name confirmed the news. Pickett, who verbally committed to Temple earlier this spring, also has offers from Boston College, Buffalo and Connecticut.
Pickett (6-foot-3, 191 pounds) threw for 1,796 yards with 19 touchdowns and three interceptions last season. He is considered a dual-threat quarterback and ran for 336 yards and five touchdowns.”
Also Sunday’s Pitt camp brought us a verbal from unranked LB Cameron Bright out of Alabama. Good for us and for them.
Here is the promised weekend podcast – #2 in the series so far. I touch on Cavanaugh, Hill to DB, University of Pittsburgh itself, uniforms and some other stuff.
After looking at the previous quarterback inductees in College Football’s Hall of Fame I have to backtrack a bit on Matt Cavanaugh’s chances to be enshrined. See the College HoF’s website here, compare his career (without the Pitt blinders on) and make your own decision. I still think he’s on the outside looking in but who knows…
I found this interesting bit by meddling around on the Internet – it is the NCAA Statisticians Manual for 2015. Want to know what the details are and how stats are actually measured then check this out. Mind boggling – I figured they pretty much just watched the games and figured crap out.
We’ll take a lead for some of the discussions of the last week or so and discuss the Pitt QB situation, both present, future and some past. I said in a comment “Its been a long time since Pitt had a star QB” and it truly has – certainly none in the last decade and that’s an eternity in college ball when rosters and starting lineups changes regularly.
Top 10 QB Commitments Since 2010
2016: Thomas MacVittie: Only 1 interception in 211 attempts his SR HS season
2015: Ben DiNucci: Redshirted this season as a freshman; Alex Hornibrook: Verbally committed to Pitt, signed with Wisconsin
2014: Adam Bertke: Redshirt freshman, never played, transferred out; Wade Freebeck: Verbally committed to Pitt, signed with Vanderbilt
2013: Tra’Von Chapman: Attended spring drills, dismissed after criminal charges, backup at Akron
2012: Chad Voytik: Started in 2014, lost starting job and transferred to Arkansas State
2011: Trey Anderson: Didn’t join team until second week of fall camp, graduated from Pitt as a career backup
2010: Anthony Gonzalez: Played a few snaps at quarterback, two-year starter at linebacker; Mark Myers: Transferred as a rsJR to John Carroll College
Man – that transfer record is brutal especially when there weren’t any star QBs in front of all those kids who transferred out before they had a chance to show what they could do after a couple year in the program.
The 2016 Pitt football team will boast three of the nation’s finest players at their respective positions according to Athlon Sports.
Senior offensive tackle Adam Bisnowaty, senior defensive end Ejuan Price and sophomore safety Jordan Whitehead were named preseason All-Americans in the recently released Athlon Sports College Football Preview.
Bisnowaty (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) was named a second team All-American. He has been a fixture on Pitt’s offensive line, making 30 starts and paving the way for two 1,000-yard rushers during his career. Bisnowaty was an All-ACC performer last year and enters his final campaign as a leading candidate for the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, presented to the league’s top offensive lineman.
One of the more intriguing and anticipated recruits who will land on the Southside in early August is George Hill. He is a 6’0″ 205# ATH and has earned his bona fides on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.
There is a real benefit in recruiting high school football players who are listed as “ATH” (labeled as such for an unspecified position he would play in college ball). Foremost it implies the kid is so good he can play multiple positions well which is always a good thing.
The James Conner story hasn’t ended yet and won’t for some time. But for now this is the last I’ll talk about his diagnosis. Unless you are a Pitt fan who has been living beneath a rock for the last year you’ll know Conner has – had, let’s hope – Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and just lately got the great news that after 12 chemo treatments the Docs did a cancer scan and Conner came up 100% negative. Yeah! for him, his Dr. and all Conner’s fans for the amazing support he received.
So it is good news all around. Here are a few links to stories on it… then we’ll turn our attention to football issues with Mr. Conner… which is what, I’m quite sure, he is doing also.
From DiPaola of the Trib-Review where he says this:
“Once the (chemo) port is out and (his chest) heals, he is free to do whatever he wants and engage in contact once practice starts back up,” Marks said. “There will be no restrictions.”
Conner, who worked out lightly with teammates during spring drills in March and April, said he should be physically ready to do everything when Pitt opens training camp in early August.
He said he did not lose weight during chemotherapy, actually gaining 5 pounds.
“Overall, he really tolerated it well,” said Marks, noting only a few times when Conner’s white blood count dipped.
“One of the more common side effects is fatigue, particularly toward the end of therapy. It was remarkable he was able to function, go to practice, go on the treadmill and remain as active as he did. Most folks are pretty wiped out by then.”(more…)
Here is the Doctor who also worked very hard to help James in his battle. Thank You!!
So – A few days then the medicinal entry port comes out of Conner’s chest… then however many days it takes to heal and we are back to full contact for the fall camp.
Note especially here that Conner didn’t want any special treatment as a patient. That is he wanted to be in the cancer ward with every other patient and did what he could do to make the world a better place for them, and I’m sure their families. His initial diagnosis wasn’t good, the cancer was very large according to his Dr. and yet he was joyful and, at least publicly, calm every day.
I’d like to take a second and mention someone who most fans don’t know. Mike Gallagher from Erie, PA is much like a surrogate father to Conner. He himself has had multiple physical problems that stemmed from a sideline hit in a college game he was covering for his local newspaper… so he was a great role model and support – as was Gallagher’s family I’m sure – during this entire process.
Mike Gallagher and James Conner are two of sports success stories and I’ll say a big Thank You! to Mike also for all he has done, not just for James, but anyone he has come in contact with. I met Mike last fall and he and I had a long conversation about many things – not all Conner or football related. With guys like Mike involved, even if just on the outskirts, of Pitt’s football program we are in great shape.
One last Conner bit:
Anyone who has watched the sun set over Lake Erie can attest to its beauty.
Two years ago, 15-year-old Meghan Gallagher couldn’t see it from her hospital room at UPMC Hamot, where she spent three weeks getting treatment for a kidney ailment. And that bothered her friend, James Conner.
During one of his regular after-school visits, Conner decided to do something about it. He knew how much Meghan loved going to the beach and watching the sun set with her father Michael. So he picked Meghan out of a hospital bed, cradled her in his massive arms and set her down in front of a window.
“The sunset relaxed her mind,” Conner said.
Kind of says it all…
Two days ago the Trib had another Chris Peak Podcast, this time with Ken Laird, and they start out talking about the Pitt-Penn State game’s kickoff at noon on Sept 10th and the accompanying bitching done by Pitt fans. This is a good listen to have on at work in any event:
I’ll say now, and fans may not like it, that the Pitt-Penn State game is important to the state of PA but other than that – and for the rest of the nation – the game is like any other.
It certainly wasn’t like that in the past. Back when both teams were at the top of the ranking regularly this match-up was an event. Now however we are two programs that college football fans have a short memory about.
Here we have an example of what I do when I’m bored. I was thinking about Pitt’s history, uniforms, Pitt-PSU and all the previous doings of Pitt football that we like to discuss on here and came up with the novel idea of … talking about recruiting.
With the above discussions by Peak and Laird about the departures of players and the numbers game to get down from the current 87 (with recruits coming in) roster players down to the mandated 85 bodies I wonder not only who the next two guys to go are, but also, as they discussed in the podcast, which players from the ’16 recruiting class will be prepping at a secondary high school (like Fitzgerald, McCoy and Dion Lewis did) or will be taking a greyshirt.
“Over the past six months, James Conner fought cancer the same way he plays football: relentlessly and without surrender. He has inspired and touched so many people in how he has handled this challenge. James is an incredibly special person, and I’m not even thinking about his football ability when I say that. Everyone at Pitt feels blessed to know him and we are tremendously thankful for the wonderful news he received today.”
We have been talking a lot on here lately about Pitt’s history when it comes to our football programs and our past teams. We have certainly climbed to the top of the heap with our 1976 championship, but we also have walked in the Death Valleys of college football. Nothing every seems to come easy for Pitt when it comes to our football program.
Here is the Peak’s PantherLair podcast on the Trib’s website – he talks about the uniform roll-out and other things. But specifically about what a ringing success the whole day was for Pitt athletics – from social media to returning players to the event itself in the evening. He also talks about how the Pirates don’t give a crap about Pitt at all… as we read in Chas’ piece earlier.
He also addresses the current facilities improvements and what was done by previous FB HCs. I like the fact that this administration is dedicated to long range upgrades and it’s starting to come to fruition.
(By the way – remember what Peak says here about Narduzzi’s using comparisons to other football programs when asking fans and boosters for $$$ to renovate the facility’s meeting rooms, weight rooms, etc… Pitt football does not exist in a vacuum and we have to play catch up to keep up with programs that have forged ahead of where we are now when you read the last part of this article.)
“Despite the success from a Pittsburgh standout and the myriad of congratulations the star (Phil Jurkovec) received after his commitment, it seemed like a dumpster-fire moment on Twitter from “Pitt-faithful.” Oddly enough, mostly aimed at Pat Narduzzi’s immediate “inability to recruit” after an incredible wrap to his 2016 class and the praises that sealed that envelope.
The story that remains in the middle of the announcement, for myself at least, is everyone seems to have forgotten about Thomas MacVittie, a prized steal for Narduzzi last season.
To state that MacVittie did not produce the same attention through his senior season as Jurkovec had through just his sophomore season is excruciatingly obvious. But, the two may be more similar on the field than you may think.
Its a good read and should bring some of us back from the brink.
Since we all don’t agree here on The Blather and we do throw down point/counter point often, I’ll chime in on this timely football uniform change subject. Chas likes it, Justine likes it, but…
Color me unimpressed.
I don’t actually hate what I saw. I mean I’m not literally gagging each time I look at the football uniforms – but I’m shaking my head and drinking heavily over what I see as a lack of courage on Pitt’s part to create for us an attractive, whole and strong identity. I’m very disappointed at the bumbling Pitt did with the football uniforms more than anything else. More on that…
Last night Pitt put on a visually and aurally dramatic “unveiling” show to introduce the Pitt athletic department’s new logos and uniforms. I am led to understand that it was a well received show and everyone seemed to have a good time. I didn’t drive up for it so I don’t really know, but from the video below it looks well staged I suppose.
The new uniform roll-out is in about four hours from now and I’d like to give you guys a reference point on what our old uniforms have looked like. Reviewing these iterations of the changes and what we have seen over the past 40 years is it any wonder that Pitt has no “brand” whatsoever.
We have to do this the right way, hopefully tonight,and stick with it even if it means getting less money from the apparel companies.
“A rebranding process that effectively started 19 months ago finally will reach its conclusion tonight, as Pitt formally unveils its “new” script logo, as well as updated uniforms for its 19 varsity sports.
The return of the beloved script logo, which served as the school’s primary athletic mark from 1973-1996, will be celebrated with a public fashion show at 6:30 p.m. today in the Petersen Events Center lobby. On Tuesday, ahead of the unveiling, the university announced the renaming of its Twitter and Instagram accounts.
“We are excited to make the full transition back to the script logo,” athletic director Scott Barnes said in a statement. “Not only will this move help unify our branding efforts, it also gives us an opportunity to celebrate the amazing history of Pitt Athletics. Wednesday’s event will give Panther fans an opportunity to see some impressive Pitt apparel as well as some of the other exciting improvements we currently have underway.”
This in itself isn’t isn’t really big news – Pitt started doing this willy-nilly back in 2014. It took two years to get Nike onboard with all the teams’ gear. Again, the colors will not change but the graphic design of the uniforms will. The public roll-out will be done formally this evening, along with a silent auction of memorabilia and will, I’m sure, make the Internets right away.
Not to make a shabby pun but the issue of concussions in football has reared its ugly head again.
There was an initial and prompt backlash toward Pat Narduzzi for what seemed to be a cavalier attitude towards the enormous problem of the effects of concussions on football players.
However, there was also the correct rollback by the media once the actual quotes, and Narduzzi’s intent, became clear. There are a lot of media pieces about this but I think Craig Meyer (Werner’s sub) in his P-G Red Shirt Diaries lays it out the best. Maybe that is because he was the reporter who asked Narduzzi the actual questions about the meeting’s discussions about the subject:
From Meyer: “I followed up by asking what the concussion discussion centered around and what kind of things they talked about. Were they talking about how to handle concussed players? Or how to possibly spot and diagnose whether a player has one?
Narduzzi’s response at that question was at first worrisome – mostly because readers and the pundits didn’t take the time to really cipher what he actual said. Here is the quote:
“Hopefully coaches aren’t doing that. We’ve got a major problem in college football if coaches are diagnosing. There was a neurosurgeon who came in and explained some of the data and how they need to get more data so they can make decisions. I think when you look at all the results and all the talk, I think it’s media hyped. They’re talking about how they need to get more data and feedback on really what it is that’s causing these injuries.”
(When I say lighter I mean from the last FB article)
Here is Chris Peak’s latest podcast from the Trib-Review that he recorded last night and posted today. There is always something interesting in these podcasts and I find myself constantly rewinding to make sure I get exactly what he’s saying.
Here he (tries to) list his Top five players on the Pitt roster going into the fall camp. He mentions how some players work out right away; SO S Jordan Whitehead for example, and some others take a year or two to develop.
Surprisingly he mentions 3* recruit WR Aaron Matthews as someone who was overlooked by fan’s expectations of who will make an early impact this season as a true FR… then says Matthews may not play this year (??). That reference is in context to WR Juwann Winfree bagging out at the last moment. Remember the Winfree of the suspension at Maryland, then over to CC, then pledged to Pitt, then off to Colorado?
Here’s a past article to jog your memory on that Matthews/Winfree subject.
But Peak feels that true FR WRs Flowers and Ffrench (sounds like good ’cause and effect’ on a date, eh?) are more likely to see playing time this season than any other FR WRs. He also mentions (now) SO WRs Quadree Henderson and Tre Tipton getting some PT early on last season and, in Henderson’s case at least, doing pretty well through the year. Even though Henderson contributed mostly on Special Teams he showed the speed and talent which could push him up the depth chart at WR.
