Report today that CFP playoff invites could be based on combination of records and TV ratings. College football is on the brink of extinction.
ESPN report today—-“One possibility, which could be viewed as a compromise, is having conferences earn automatic bids through their play each season. A model in which each Power 4 league can earn guaranteed spots through a combination of its teams' overall records -- and maybe even TV ratings, according to a source -- could be presented. The highest-ranked
conferences would earn the most automatic bids.”

Why were we subjected to all kinds of threads and posts about the market being down? It’s higher today than it was when Trump was elected.

Writing was probably on the wall when we brought in Jackson.

Justin Holmes from Marshall, a tight end, visited Pitt on Thursday and has committed to the Panthers. He made the announcement on his Twitter/X feed.

He will be mostly a depth piece and it isn't surprising that Pitt got him as his other finalists were Ball State, Southern Mississippi and UTEP. Also, Pitt will actually be his third school as he was at Kent State for two years before he went to Marshall. And of course, he is one of the 50 or so guys left Marshall after last season because of a coaching change. I don't know if you remember but Marshall had to bow out of its bowl game because it didn't have enough players to play.

Nuts and bolts of it - he is 6-foot, 241 so he isn't tall and the 40 times I have seen suggest he isn't a burner, either. He is a good blocker, that's what he apparently does best and what his role at Marshall was. He is perfect for the role of depth tight end. I think it is a good pickup for Pitt because they do need depth at a few positions.

He had only one reception for 11 yards but that's again because he was primarily a blocker. He did play more than 400 snaps so it wasn't like he wasn't on the field, he just didn't catch passes. IN 2023 at Kent he caught 20 passes for 188 yards and did have a 41-yard reception.

Today is the final day of the transfer portal being open and so far it is has been relatively quiet for the Panthers on that front and that is a good thing.......

Pitt has picked up Oregon State transfer guard Damarco Minor. 6-foot, standout defender and strong distributor. He was deciding between Pitt, VT and Florida State.

He's a very sturdy veteran who has played a whole lot of games and should slot into the starting PG role. Averaged 9.8 points, 5.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game (39.7% from the field, 28.2% from 3 and 83.5% from the line) last season at OSU.

O lineman

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Here is the weekend edition of the Redshirt Diaries with a lot of recruiting nuggets and a look at both the basketball and football rosters

Folks,

Thanks for your patience this week as I had to go to Atlanta as you know to be with my dad who was rushed to the hospital. He is still there but I had to come home and try to re-enter life and catch up with everything that has gone on. It has been a helluva week for me I am not gonna lie as I spent way too much time in a hospital room and trying to spend some time with my siblings. It was an unplanned trip obviously and those are always the ones that seem to take the most out of you.

Many have asked so I will say he is out of the most dangerous waters but he still has four procedures to fix various major issues going on. He is strong in that he has fought through a lot but it is tough when you see someone you love reduced to a hospital bed and barely able to take care of himself. As I said before I had to leave if you have parents and haven't spent time with them recently you should. It is amazing how fast he has gone down hill from last September until now.

Now back onto the site I will have a long Redshirt Diaries posted for first thing in the morning outlining a lot of site stuff as well as updating many of the developments of the past five days since I was gone. I have been at this now a month and have learned a lot about this world and there is a lot more to learn. I will point out some features we are going to add and what our weekly flow is going to look like now that I don't have to have Karl tied up covering actual football practices. There are so many things we need to attack and we will and because of the transfer portal the offseason is different than ever.

I want to build a site that covers Pitt sports at the highest level possible but also has a good, vibrant message board community and one that has lots of good discussions and even entertains at time. In the future when I am away I will be much more equipped to handle it because, knock on wood, the trips will be planned and not of the emergency variety.

Thanks for your support and look for the Redshirt Diaries to post first thing in the morning,

Paul

As we all read yesterday, Ishmael Leggett put his name into the transfer portal. It is confusing to some so let me try and explain.....

Leggett has no eligibility left but he and according to Jeff Goodman, approximately 210 others like him, have put their name in the portal in hopes that the NCAA approves an extra year of eligibility for athletes. The NCAA is in essence revisiting the COVID year rule (everyone got that year back) and looking at that model becoming permanent.

In other words, student athletes would have five years of eligibility and a redshirt year so they could be in college on scholarship for six years. The current rule is you have five years to play four and that seems more appropriate.

It really feels like a Hail Mary by these guys because the NCAA, if you believe those who are covering it closely, is not necessarily going to go this route. They are considering it but there are a number of concerns that seem like obstacles to it happening.

And the other thing is, even if it does happen those who have followed this closest believe it wouldn't be a "grandfathering in" type of situation and thus wouldn't apply to the current crop of student-athletes who just had their eligibility expire.

The Hail Mary part of it comes here - if it doesn't happen then nothing changes and everyone that is supposed to be done is done. If it does happen and players from this season (like Leggett) aren't grandfathered in there will be a bunch of law suits and the hope is that a judge would force the NCAA to include this year's "graduating" class. Also, all of the guys in the transfer portal were advised to go in there because if they are ruled eligible they will instantly have lots of leverage to get paid.

Personally I think this is ridiculous. I have no issue with guys who want to play as long as they can but college was never meant to be a lifetime career and that's especially true about athletics. The fact we have 25 and 26 year olds playing college sports is stupid to me.

If I were king of the NCAA I will be honest with you, every player would have five years to play four and ONE waiver for a major injury. That means the maximum a player can be in school and eligible for sports is six years. That is more than enough and more than fair and if a guy has two major injuries that is a tough break but it shouldn't mean they can stay in school forever.

More power to Leggett and company but on this one I am rooting for the NCAA to leave the eligibility rules as they are and tighten up some of the reasons why guys can get a waiver

Here is Karl's story looking ahead to this draft

Probably means no Folguieras.

I wouldn’t have minded these guys staying but with the rev share money hitting on July 1, if you can't get 3 better players than this, what are we even doing?

Here is Karl's story....