So, while we wait to see who among the big target 412 kids will commit to Pitt, or go elsewhere, I thought I’d comment on who Narduzzi has already added to the roster. And no, I’m not limiting this to the 2016 recruits who have verballed. In fact, this is mostly not about the 2016 class.
PN arrived in January, and first had to save the 2015 verbals, and did a good job. Two verbals left, but that is to be expected. Most importantly, he got Whitehead to stay. PN said it was easy, but would it have been so easy if the coach hadn’t been PN, and instead was a guy hired by SP? Gotta think JW had to think twice when PC left, but was more than happy to stay once he saw PN as the coach.
To finish the class, he got three solid players on defense, McKee, Brightwell, and Stocker, who were considering Pitt, but who hadn’t verballed. We desparately needed them. Usually, late committers will go with another option when one of their top schools has a coaching change at the end of the season.
Then he addressed the biggest weakness on the defense by getting Hendrix as a transfer. Big-time talent, top 6 DE recruit in 2014, who made the DE rotation at Tennessee as true freshman year. Also added Edward, a DE JUCO guy. I put very low expectations on JUCO guys, but PN likes him, so let’s hope he can produce.
So, before you get to the 2016 class, PN's first full class, he has already added a bunch of defensive guys who will be key players in the near future, guys who are better than what we had. Whitehead and Hendrix will almost certainly be starters in 2016, and be two of the best on D. McKee, Brightwell and Stocker should all be in the 2-deep rotation in 2016. That's impressive.
On offense, two weaknesses were addressed. At QB, we had no depth behind Voytik, and now have a legit backup or even starter in Peterman, a 4th year guy who started games at Tennessee. And DiNucci is a potential player, a guy who could end up never playing, or being a really good starter in a few years.
At slot receiver, we were weak, and he’s added two guys who have talent, both of whom were under-recruited. The HS coach of one of them, Gentry Ivery, had this to say about him:
Melson goes even further with his praise, comparing Ivery to Legacy graduate Josh Doctson, the leading pass catcher at No. 6 TCU last season. Ivery is better, Melson said.
“(Ivery) can do more things,” he said. “He's faster, stronger and more elusive. He's like a tailback after he makes a catch.”
And it looks like we are about to pick up a 4-star WR transfer from MD, and recently picked up a verbal from a 4-star WR for 2016.
And I like the high ceiling of some of the verbals, particularly the LB Pine and QB McVittee. Both are a bit unknown because they mostly played other positions last year, but both are really talented and could be really, really good before long.
It’s hard to fix up a roster in a hurry, but I’d say PN did as good a job as possible in the short time he’s been here. Here’s hoping it continues with a strong finish to the 2016 class.
PN arrived in January, and first had to save the 2015 verbals, and did a good job. Two verbals left, but that is to be expected. Most importantly, he got Whitehead to stay. PN said it was easy, but would it have been so easy if the coach hadn’t been PN, and instead was a guy hired by SP? Gotta think JW had to think twice when PC left, but was more than happy to stay once he saw PN as the coach.
To finish the class, he got three solid players on defense, McKee, Brightwell, and Stocker, who were considering Pitt, but who hadn’t verballed. We desparately needed them. Usually, late committers will go with another option when one of their top schools has a coaching change at the end of the season.
Then he addressed the biggest weakness on the defense by getting Hendrix as a transfer. Big-time talent, top 6 DE recruit in 2014, who made the DE rotation at Tennessee as true freshman year. Also added Edward, a DE JUCO guy. I put very low expectations on JUCO guys, but PN likes him, so let’s hope he can produce.
So, before you get to the 2016 class, PN's first full class, he has already added a bunch of defensive guys who will be key players in the near future, guys who are better than what we had. Whitehead and Hendrix will almost certainly be starters in 2016, and be two of the best on D. McKee, Brightwell and Stocker should all be in the 2-deep rotation in 2016. That's impressive.
On offense, two weaknesses were addressed. At QB, we had no depth behind Voytik, and now have a legit backup or even starter in Peterman, a 4th year guy who started games at Tennessee. And DiNucci is a potential player, a guy who could end up never playing, or being a really good starter in a few years.
At slot receiver, we were weak, and he’s added two guys who have talent, both of whom were under-recruited. The HS coach of one of them, Gentry Ivery, had this to say about him:
Melson goes even further with his praise, comparing Ivery to Legacy graduate Josh Doctson, the leading pass catcher at No. 6 TCU last season. Ivery is better, Melson said.
“(Ivery) can do more things,” he said. “He's faster, stronger and more elusive. He's like a tailback after he makes a catch.”
And it looks like we are about to pick up a 4-star WR transfer from MD, and recently picked up a verbal from a 4-star WR for 2016.
And I like the high ceiling of some of the verbals, particularly the LB Pine and QB McVittee. Both are a bit unknown because they mostly played other positions last year, but both are really talented and could be really, really good before long.
It’s hard to fix up a roster in a hurry, but I’d say PN did as good a job as possible in the short time he’s been here. Here’s hoping it continues with a strong finish to the 2016 class.
