With all the commentary about the coaching staff, let us not forget that they have hired Ontario Lett. In today's P-G, there is an article in which Lett talks about his role to help address issues of toughness and physicality.
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...ing-toughness-to-program/stories/201508120022
As I wrote a while ago, Dixon and Knight were here when Pitt was tough. So was Lett. They all know what happened last year. Dixon's animated coaching, the butt of many derogatory comments, was a sign of how desperately he wanted to compete, as if he wanted to jump into the player's skins. Knight's demeanor, which some described as laid-back, often looked to me more like disgust. They tried every player everywhere and ran out of options. They have basically cleaned house and retained a core of solid players and potential contributors.
As far as recruiting, it is worth noting that they were not the only people after those three centers. Why does the Board think those guys chose to come to Pitt? To my mind, they came because they want to become tougher and more physical players so that they might continue playing after college, and Dixon and Pitt still have credibility in that regard.
In the staff's response to what happened last year, I think they have done rather well. They have made bold moves and rolled some dice because they wanted to change the team. Beyond the expected departures of Haughton and Uchebo, I sense their hand in the departures of Johnson and Newkirk.
Like the rest of the Board, I am following their recruiting efforts for 2016 with many hopes and dreams. Still, I am encouraged that the staff's off-season moves show that they know what they are doing, from the player moves to the addition of Lett. And I am more interested to see what happens in the 2015-2016 season than to see who joins the team for the 2016-2017 season.
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...ing-toughness-to-program/stories/201508120022
As I wrote a while ago, Dixon and Knight were here when Pitt was tough. So was Lett. They all know what happened last year. Dixon's animated coaching, the butt of many derogatory comments, was a sign of how desperately he wanted to compete, as if he wanted to jump into the player's skins. Knight's demeanor, which some described as laid-back, often looked to me more like disgust. They tried every player everywhere and ran out of options. They have basically cleaned house and retained a core of solid players and potential contributors.
As far as recruiting, it is worth noting that they were not the only people after those three centers. Why does the Board think those guys chose to come to Pitt? To my mind, they came because they want to become tougher and more physical players so that they might continue playing after college, and Dixon and Pitt still have credibility in that regard.
In the staff's response to what happened last year, I think they have done rather well. They have made bold moves and rolled some dice because they wanted to change the team. Beyond the expected departures of Haughton and Uchebo, I sense their hand in the departures of Johnson and Newkirk.
Like the rest of the Board, I am following their recruiting efforts for 2016 with many hopes and dreams. Still, I am encouraged that the staff's off-season moves show that they know what they are doing, from the player moves to the addition of Lett. And I am more interested to see what happens in the 2015-2016 season than to see who joins the team for the 2016-2017 season.
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