Dominating the (western part) of the state

[Sean Miller Fan]

My list may be off, but I think 6 local players had Pitt and Penn State offers. Pitt got 4 of no.

Sanders - PSU
Hudson - Michigan
Hamlin - Pitt
Matthews - Pitt
Coleman - Pitt
Wheeler - Pitt
Pugh - Pitt

We also got Ford from USC and Garner from Central, who PSU did not offer.

Last year, I posted a thread asking what percentage of local recruits is realistic that Narduzzi should keep home? I answered my own question saying it should be 70-80% if we truly want to be nationally relevant. Some agreed, some felt that was way too unattainable when we were historically getting around 30%. Well, by my count, we got 7 out of 9. That 78% and made the decision extremely difficult for the 2 that didnt sign. We beat PSU 5-1 head to head though in fairness, with a couple of those players (Garner, Wheeler), the offers came late or where non-commitable at some point.

Narduzzi is doing what needs to be done. You cant put up a fence, but getting 7 out of 10 is attainable and he did that in Year 1 when he didnt have 2-3 year relationships and the program has not seen great success.

He DOMINATED the western part of the state.

 

[ncyajleel]

Am I missing something here? PoSU only got six kids from Pa and only ONE was from the WPIAL. Fourteen kids were from out of state.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Am I missing something here? PoSU only got six kids from Pa and only ONE was from the WPIAL. Fourteen kids were from out of state.

Franklin considers Maryland and New Jersey as in-state.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Pitt got 7 out of the top 21 in PA

UPS got 3 of the top 21 in PA

Who dominated?

 

[ncyajleel]

Well then he lost those states too. He got beat by the Terps in Maryland and Rutgers in New Jersey. So which state is he actually going to dominate? The state of delusion?

Franklin considers Maryland and New Jersey as in-state.

 

[Saboteur]

Pitt got 7 out of the top 21 in PA

UPS got 3 of the top 21 in PA

Who dominated?

Any team that relies on PA for their football fortunes is going to be disappointed. The talent level is better than good, but nowhere near the level of other states and that includes Ohio.
Franklin came in and said that and candidly, if PC were still here, he might have done just that. But it would have been a shallow victory.
To bring down the fervor, Penn State has got its hands full. Ohio State is dominant. 50-4 or some crazy number over the last 4 years with only MSU able to beat them. MSU is the real deal and their record proves it. Michigan has its mojo back. PSU IS A FIXTURE IN 4th PLACE IN ITS OWN DIVISION!
We are stepping up our game but were we in PSU's division we would have the same fate.
Pitt doing well in western PA serves two purposes: it gives us a base for recruiting that is a necessity for a program our size. That will allow us to recruit nationally for the other players.
The other useful purpose it serves is to force PSU to look elsewhere in the region for its recruiting base. Baltimore DC is the obvious selection with Jersey being no slouch.
But they do have competition in those spots and if Franklin is too focused on Pitt, look out for Maryland.
Lost in all the hullabaloo over PSU/PITT is the nice class Maryland put together.
Under the radar but a legit class.
H2P

 

[PantherO]

They were talking about this on the FAN. They had a quote from Terry Smith talking about how PSU got who they wanted and that not everyone was meant to be at PSU.

Then the FAN went on to point out the bus trip and the 4 recruits that were there. Mentioned how PSU wanted all 4. Only got 1. Time will tell if they got the best of the bunch, but I am more than happy.

They also pointed out the arrogance of the PSU staff and talked about it being a reflection of the coach. Also mentioned they had 0 reasons to be that cocky. Paraphrasing.

Anyway, I am happy with this Pitt class. I think then entire defensive side of the field was upgraded. That is what was needed. Hoping 1 or 2 of them can get some PT next year. Also hoping there is LB'ing help for next year too. Though not sure from where.

 

[pittdan77]

Terry Smith was a better recruiter at Gateway.

 

[paulbl99]

One thing
Give the Fan credit this morning they Just crushed University of State and Big Mouth.....
Said if their arrogance and bloviating matched on field performance they would be 5 time defending champs.

LedOL at One for the Bus...the pic of 4 WP kids on bus to Joetown....
And Frank was able to get 1.
Yeah 1

 

[Swervin27]

One thing
Give the Fan credit this morning they Just crushed University of State and Big Mouth.....
Said if their arrogance and bloviating matched on field performance they would be 5 time defending champs.

LedOL at One for the Bus...the pic of 4 WP kids on bus to Joetown....
And Frank was able to get 1.
Yeah 1

Dunlap said it, Colony said "none of this matters, its all just coach-speak" and Josh Miller was probably not even listening to the conversation at all.

 

[paulbl99]

Dunlap said it, Colony said "none of this matters, its all just coach-speak" and Josh Miller was probably not even listening to the conversation at all.

Perfect enhancement!!! Perfect
The yummies at the Fan did the impossible ....actually cause me to miss Paul Alexander if only a little

 

[Swervin27]

Perfect enhancement!!! Perfect
The yummies at the Fan did the impossible ....actually cause me to miss Paul Alexander if only a little

I actually like the morning show, I do miss the guy that left for nyc ( I miss him so much I forgot his name). Alexander was good too, he showed a lot of love for pitt despite coming from Sandusky-land..

 

[paulbl99]

I actually like the morning show, I do miss the guy that left for nyc ( I miss him so much I forgot his name). Alexander was good too, he showed a lot of love for pitt despite coming from Sandusky-land..

It is ok but I switch quite a bit now.
Dunlop is pretty good but Giannotti imo was great. Really funny

I really don't give a Shyte about coyotes in the streets by Josh or some of the ridiculousness they stream off to far too often

 

[Teh Teh]

Being teammates with Terry Smith at Gateway, I can tell you... he was dim witted as they came. Not a mental superstar by any stretch of the imagination. He was a heck of a football player though, but quiet and didnt pick things up well, just used natural ability (he was QB).

Im not worried about him

 

[Pantherman43]

Narduzzi is doing what needs to be done. You cant put up a fence, but getting 7 out of 10 is attainable and he did that in Year 1 when he didnt have 2-3 year relationships and the program has not seen great success.

He DOMINATED the western part of the state.

Hopefully for us 2017 will be more of the same. Add this is with Harbaugh coming into New Jersey and taking whoever he wants and all of a sudden little jimmy milk dud has his work cut out for him. These are two areas that the nits have made a living on over the years but it looks like the tide is changing quickly.

 

[ptomaselli]

My list may be off, but I think 6 local players had Pitt and Penn State offers. Pitt got 4 of no.

Sanders - PSU
Hudson - Michigan
Hamlin - Pitt
Matthews - Pitt
Coleman - Pitt
Wheeler - Pitt
Pugh - Pitt

We also got Ford from USC and Garner from Central, who PSU did not offer.

Last year, I posted a thread asking what percentage of local recruits is realistic that Narduzzi should keep home? I answered my own question saying it should be 70-80% if we truly want to be nationally relevant. Some agreed, some felt that was way too unattainable when we were historically getting around 30%. Well, by my count, we got 7 out of 9. That 78% and made the decision extremely difficult for the 2 that didnt sign. We beat PSU 5-1 head to head though in fairness, with a couple of those players (Garner, Wheeler), the offers came late or where non-commitable at some point.

Narduzzi is doing what needs to be done. You cant put up a fence, but getting 7 out of 10 is attainable and he did that in Year 1 when he didnt have 2-3 year relationships and the program has not seen great success.

He DOMINATED the western part of the state.

Yes, Pitt did very well in the west. Based on the Rivals data base Pitt got 4 kids in the top 20...2 in the top 10 (Hamlin & Pugh) and 2 in the next 10 (Coleman & Mathews)...all from the west. PSU got 3 kids all in the top 10 (Sanders, Menet, & McGovern)...1 in the East and 2 in the west.

From spots 21 to 30, Pitt got 2 more high quality kids, Garner and Wheeler...again from the west. Interestingly Temple was very strong here taking 4 eastern kids (Raynor, Archibong, Bryant and Russo) to go along with their stud Dioubate (#3). Five of the top 30...nice job Coach Rhule.

From spots 31 to 40 Pitt and PSU each got 1 more (Toney-PSU, Ford-Pitt). Temple also picked up 1 more here (Walls).

PSU's other big 4 star recruits were out of state: Simmons-MD, Zembiec-NY, and Fries-NJ. Simmons Rivals rating would have placed him in PA's top 5. Zembiec's and Fries' rating would put them in PA's top 10. Pitt's other big 4 star recruits: Watts, Flowers, and Hill had ratings that would have them in PA's top 10 as well.

All these comments are based on the Rivals rating points (6.0, 5.9, 5.8 etc.)

Interestingly, the Top 20 broke down as 10 kids from the east and 10 from the west. When expanded to the Top 30 its 16 from the East and 14 from the West. Expanding even further to the top 40, there are 23 from the east and 17 from the west.

Finally, 4 kids in the top 40 have yet to select their college. Two from Allerdice, 1 from Cardinal O'Hara and 1 from Lackawanna.

All in all, the PA schools had fine a 2016 recruiting season.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Pitt got 7 out of the top 21 in PA

UPS got 3 of the top 21 in PA

 

[ptomaselli]

Pitt got 7 out of the top 21 in PA

UPS got 3 of the top 21 in PA

Pitt did dominate the west but they did not get 7 of the top 21. Based on the Rivals Ratings, they got 4 of the top 18 (sounds better than 20) and 6 of the top 29. Every kid from rank of 19 through 37 got the same Rivals Rating of 5.5. It must be rounded because when you ask Rivals to rank them...it does...and they're not alphabetical so that leads me to believe they are rounded. You don't have to believe me. Check it out. Also, you are technically correct that PSU only got 3 of the top 21. But the lowest rated of those 3 was McGovern who ranked 10th so they technically had 3 of the top 10. Due to the flips of Dioubate and Pryts, they only had one more in the top 40...Toney at 31.

 

[Teh Teh]

Penn State not only lost to UCF to a recruit, but also lost Ferns (I think that is his name) to WVCC, as he picked up the west virginia hat over the UPS hat.

They lost so many the last week it is hard to keep track really. Temple, Michigan several times, WVU, UCF, Pitt several times. Really unprecedented by a penn state staff to look that badly.

 

[ptomaselli]

Penn State not only lost to UCF to a recruit, but also lost Ferns (I think that is his name) to WVCC, as he picked up the west virginia hat over the UPS hat.

They lost so many the last week it is hard to keep track really. Temple, Michigan several times, WVU, UCF, Pitt several times. Really unprecedented by a penn state staff to look that badly.

And yet somehow among all that blood and carnage, they still ended up ranked 23rd.

 

[Bobtown Bart]

This thread is like the college bb fans yelling overrated to a team they're beating.Your saying you kicked the crap out of James in recruiting,yet he has a higher rated class.Get him when he's down because he might not be there long?I really think that Pitt only got 1 of the 3 top Wpial players this year,If your going to dominate WPa you have to get them all.Later I'm going for wings at Eagles!

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Hey World Campus grad……….


#1
Miles Sanders
RB
Pittsburgh, PAWoodland Hills
4 stars
5'11"
200
Penn St.
#2
Naseir Upshur
TE
Philadelphia, PAImhotep Inst Charter School
4 stars
6'2"
238
Florida St.
#3
Michal Menet
OL
Reading, PAExeter Township Senior
4 stars
6'5"
273
Penn St.
#4
Damar Hamlin
DB
Pittsburgh, PACentral Catholic
4 stars
6'1"
179
Pittsburgh
#5
Karamo Dioubate
DE
Philadelphia, PAPrep Charter
4 stars
6'4"
273
Temple
#6
Connor McGovern
OL
Lehman, PALake Lehman Senior
4 stars
6'5"
308
Penn St.
#7
Kaezon Pugh
LB
Aliquippa, PAAliquippa
4 stars
6'1"
203
Pittsburgh
#8
Brandon McIlwain
QB
Newtown, PACouncil Rock North
4 stars
6'0"
188
South Carolina
#9
Johncarlo Valentin
OL
Philadelphia, PAImhotep Inst Charter School
4 stars
6'5"
337
Oklahoma
#10
Khaleke Hudson
ATH
McKeesport, PAMcKeesport
3 stars
5'11"
204
Michigan
#11
Therran Coleman
DB
Pittsburgh, PABrashear
3 stars
6'1"
181
Pittsburgh
#12
Cary Angeline
TE
Exton, PADowningtown East
3 stars
6'7"
234
USC
#13
Andrew Pryts
DB
Hermitage, PAHickory
3 stars
6'1"
200
Stanford
#14
Aaron Mathews
ATH
Clairton, PAClairton
3 stars
6'4"
188
Pittsburgh
#15
Aidan Howard
WR
Monroeville, PAGateway
3 stars
6'4"
184
Virginia
#16
Anthony Russo
QB
Warminster, PAArchbishop Wood Catholic
3 stars
6'3"
230
Temple
#17
Jo-El Shaw
RB
Pittsburgh, PAWoodland Hills
3 stars
6'1"
230
Syracuse
#18
Rashad Wheeler
DT
Pittsburgh, PACentral Catholic
3 stars
6'3"
270
Pittsburgh
#19
Brandon Ford
OL
Pittsburgh, PAUpper St. Clair
3 stars
6'5"
304
Pittsburgh
#20
Rashawn Battle
LB
Hawley, PAWallenpaupack
3 stars
6'3"
225
Rutgers
#21
Bricen Garner
DB
Pittsburgh, PACentral Catholic
3 stars
6'1"
159
Pittsburgh
#22
James Jackson
ATH
Pittsburgh, PAAllderdice
3 stars
6'2"
173
list
#23
Tim Jackson
ATH
Pittsburgh, PAAllderdice
3 stars
6'2"
165
list
#24
Ted Field
OL
Springfield, PACardinal O'Hara
3 stars
6'6"
315
list

 

[ptomaselli]

RANK NAME HS POS COLL Rivals
1 Upshur Imhotep TE FSU 6.0
2 Sanders Woodland Hills RB PSU 6.0
3 Dioubate Prep Charter DE Temple 5.9
4 Hamlin Pitt CC DB Pitt 5.9
5 Menet Exeter OL PSU 5.9
6 McIlwain CR North QB SoCar 5.8
7 Valentin Imhotep OL Okla 5.8
8 White Lackawanna JC DB WVU 5.8
9 Pugh Aliquippa RB Pitt 5.8
10 McGovern Lake-Lehman OL PSU 5.8
11 Hudson McKeesport ATH Mich 5.7
12 Wesco Lackawanna JC TE WVU 5.7
13 Coleman Brashear DB Pitt 5.7
14 Angeline D East TE USC 5.7
15 Julious Lackawanna JC OL Okla 5.7
16 Pryts Hickory DB Stnfrd 5.6
17 Howard Gateway WR UVA 5.6
18 Mathews Clairton WR Pitt 5.6
19 Jackson, J Allerdice ATH list 5.5
20 Shaw Woodland Hills RB Syr 5.5
21 Clark D East OL Syr 5.5
22 Raynor Imhotep RB Temple 5.5
23 Archibong Springfield DE Temple 5.5
24 Garner Pitt CC DB Pitt 5.5
25 Bryant Chestnut Hill OL Temple 5.5
26 Jackson, T Allerdice ATH list 5.5
27 Battle Wallenpaupack LB Rutgrs 5.5
28 Russo Arch Wood QB Temple 5.5
29 Wheeler Pitt CC DT Pitt 5.5
30 Thimons Freeport LB WVU 5.5
31 Toney Imhotep LB PSU 5.5
32 Ford U St Clair OL Pitt 5.5
33 Walls St Josephs DB Temple 5.5
34 White Bish McDevitt WR BC 5.5
35 Field Card O'Hara OL list 5.5
36 Camara Lackawanna JC DE list 5.5
37 George Pitt CC LB W Mich 5.4
38 Oliver Phil West Cath DE Illini 5.4
39 Durant Imhotep OL SD St 5.4
40 Jones Pitt CC RB Toledo 5.4

 

[Las Panteras]

I might add that of the bus trip four......the only one he landed was "already on the bus" for over a year.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Pretty sure his mommy was driving that bus

I might add that of the bus trip four......the only one he landed was "already on the bus" for over a year.

 

[Teh Teh]

haha, love putting these nitwits in their place. Good job. They can say all they want, they have a few effiminent looking linemen and a good RB and that is about. And this is year one of Narduzzi.... it is only going to get better for us.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Get him when he's down because he might not be there long?

Yeah, that's the problem. Another year or two and everyone's going to realize that he can't coach, and then he'll be gone and we won't be able to beat him anymore.

 

[drunkinoakland]

Yeah, that's the problem. Another year or two and everyone's going to realize that he can't coach, and then he'll be gone and we won't be able to beat him anymore.

The problem is there will be more fights for the mid tier kids we've pulled easily because psu will be involved. I'm not too worried though. Unless we collapse our 2017 class should be top 20.