We're thin at QB already and nobody can say whether Bertke, DiNucci or MacVittie will pan out or not. They were all lightly recruited players. I genuinely hope we are emphasizing QB recruiting, but if so its hasn't been apparent so far. QB quality and depth have been an Achilles heel at Pitt since Rutherford and Palko. Think about it-4 different starters in 4 years since Chryst took over: Tino, Savage, Voytik and Peterman. The current starter was 3rd string at Tennessee this time last year. He's done a decent job here but he is a two year band aid who wasn't supposed to start this year. For the program to get where we all want it to, we need to develop a 3 year starter at QB who can go out and win games for us, not just manage them.
The recent historical perspective at QB is correct, but I disagree about the emphasis on QB recruiting with Nards and for all those who want to hack on Chaney, he has been a god send so far in that regard.
His relationship and luck allowed them to retroactively reset the QB depth chart/class distribution in getting Peterman. Yes, he is not an elite QB, but they likely do not win 8 games going into a bowl this year with Chad in this offense/loss of Conner, etc. And, that he had two years was vital. Not often you have a QB who you can plug in and win 8 games with a decent, but not overwhelming amount of talent around him.
Agree, Bertke and DiNunncio were fringy recruits. But, they both have tools to work with. Good height and both can move a bit. Bertke has plus arm strength while DiNunncio can just sling it. Absolutely, they are unknowns, but frankly, all of these guys are unknowns regardless of how widely recruited they are. They do fit into what Chaney does and that accounts for something.
SO, they will have a senior starter next year, a redshirt sophomore and redshirt freshman with MacVittie redshirting - all three with the right size and arms who can run a bit. With MacVittie redshirting.
MacVittie, again, a pretty lucky development given that Nards took over and all of the top kids were either committed or so far into the recruiting process they had no shot at them.
But, they got a kid with plus, plus tools, at a big time program who ended up having a super senior season starting for the first time. They get credit for identifying him and getting on him, and again, in great part because of chaney the kid shut down his recruitment - they did get major programs coming to them this fall and they just said they were done and committed to Pitt.
Chris posted a list of over 12 QBs across the country for 2017 that they had contact with or where actively scouting several months ago. They were the first program to offer Jurkovich, and they also have one other offer to another kid that they (Chaney as the lead) are actively recruiting that has the similar profile, taller, can run and has been a productive passer to this point in his career - these two appear to be their top targets for 2017.
Frankly, they have been lucky to reboot the position as much as they have, it isn't often that you get a chance to hop into a time machine like the did with Peterson, and even more frankly, their making a business decision to go with him over Chad highlights how important they view the QB position to be.
Meanwhile, again, absolutely agree that you ideally want a three year starter to build to a big senior year with him - that is what they are trying to do with getting MacVittie and going after Jurkovich ...
