Good To See Special Teams Mention On PantherLair Radio Show!

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Explains the problems Pitt has had on Special Teams and how important it is along with the difficulty to create, develop, and make your Special Teams part of winning and making sure it is not the cause of losing some games like Coach Chryst ignored!

Pitt Assistant Coach Andre Powell had Maryland Ranked 11th in Special Teams. At least this ends the debate by a few Posters here that' said Special Teams Coaching is not important as gone South of Oakland just like the Steve Pederson is a good Athletic Director, and at least Coach Narduzzi's Special Team Coach Andre Powell said, Special Teams will be important to Pitt's Game?

RADIO PANTHERLAIR SHOW LINK
http://sportstalk.triblive.com/download/325PEAK15.mp3+share

This post was edited on 3/25 7:13 PM by CaptainSidneyReilly

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Re: Firm Compiling List Of Candidates For Pitt AD Position, LINK!

ARTICLE & LINK:



DHR International, the search firm helping Pitt find its next athletic director, is compiling a list of candidates and will present it to the 14-member search committee in early April, university spokesman Ken Service said.

Service said there is no timetable for naming a replacement for former athletic director Steve Pederson, who was dismissed Dec. 17, but Service expects the search to be concluded by June 30, the end of the fiscal year.


After meeting with the committee and Chancellor Patrick Gallagher, DHR representatives Glenn Sugiyama and Pat Richter spent two days on campus late last month talking to coaches, athletes, staff members, trustees, donors and supporters to learn about the university.



Sugiyama is DHR's global head of sports, and Richter, the former Wisconsin athletic director, is its executive vice president, education and sports practice. Both were consultants to Colorado State in its recently completed search for a football coach and athletic director.


Sugiyama and Richter did not return telephone calls seeking comment. Gallagher declined comment.


Pitt's search committee is chaired by acting athletic director Randy Juhl and includes track and field coach Alonzo Webb, women's basketball coach Suzie McConnell-Serio and football player Artie Rowell.


Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at @JDiPaola_Trib.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/8038856-74/search-athletic-director#ixzz3VRGFnq9b

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Re: North Allegheny Coach Art Walker At Pitt Spring Practice, LINK!

It was a bit strange to see offensive tackle Jaryd Jones-Smith walk up to North Allegheny coach Art Walker at Pitt spring practice Tuesday with an big, outstretched hand and a smile.

Walker was Jones-Smith's coach in the 2013 Big 33 game, and their relationship remains strong two years later.

Jones-Smith is one of four Pitt starters who played in that game, including wide receiver Tyler Boyd, linebacker Matt Galambos and punter Ryan Winslow.

Backup offensive lineman Aaron Reese and former Pitt cornerback Titus Howard also played in the game.

No James Conner, however. Somebody wasn't paying attention to the havoc Conner was raising on both sides of the ball at Erie McDowell.

Former Pitt graduate assistant Hank Poteat, now at Kent State, also visited practice and was greeted warmly by several players.

Coach Pat Narduzzi's sideline is filled with several prospects, parents and coaches at every practice. The guy knows a lot of people.

Read more: http://blog.triblive.com/college-locker-room/2015/03/25/nas-walker-several-others-stop-by-pitt-practice/#ixzz3VRHDrrqO

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Re: Pitt Heavily Vested In Linebackers' Progress, LINK!

Article & Link:



Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi walked off the field Tuesday with a couple of visiting college coaches, who told him the intensity at practice was "unbelievable." His reply? "It's not good enough. It's good. It wasn't great, yet. I don't know if (the players) know what it is to be up here," he said, stretching his arm far over his head.

The reshaping of the Pitt football team continued during the fifth day of spring drills. Narduzzi and his staff took a long, careful look at outside linebackers Nicholas Grigsby and Bam Bradley. The position is vital to the necessary improvement of the Pitt defense after last year's pair, Anthony Gonzalez and Todd Thomas, exhausted their eligibility after leading the team in tackles.


Grigsby, a senior, and Bradley, a junior, are brothers - two of 12 siblings in a family that includes Steelers safety Will Allen and former Dayton basketball player Chris Wright. The athletic genes clearly are there. It's the job of Narduzzi and linebackers coach Rob Harley to help Grigsby and Bradley make big plays. "Grigsby has been really good so far, really explosive," Narduzzi said. "We put in a package today, and it looks like he liked it."

Bradley, who is two years younger than his brother, said he has some bad habits that need to be eliminated.

"Being too casual," he said. "Not running to the ball all the time like (coaches) want. That's something that is going to help propel me, even to the next level." When Narduzzi was told of Bradley's admission, he smiled. "He identified it? That's good. You have to identify it first (before it can be fixed). We call it loafing. He just has to go to the ball. He really knows what to do. He's an intelligent player."


There is some familiarity among Narduzzi, Harley and the brothers that may help grow their relationship.


Narduzzi said Michigan State tried to recruit both players from Trotwood-Madison High School in Dayton, Ohio.

"I know more (about them) than I want to tell you right now," he said. Plus, Harley played at Ohio State with Allen, who warned Bradley to be prepared to work.


"He said he is going to be a tough dude," Bradley said. "Don't expect any handouts." The coaching staff hopes a streamlined version of last year's defense - with less thinking and more reacting - will help. "We are going to play what we play 80 percent of the time," Harley said. "Linebackers can only be in a handful of alignments."

Bradley said: "It's really simple. You can play a lot faster."



That could be good news for Grigsby and Bradley, who have combined for eight career sacks without a regular spot on defense. Bradley (6-foot-2, 230 pounds) has played in the middle, but he is taking snaps exclusively on the outside this spring. Grigsby (6-1, 220) has learned the physical side of the game at defensive end. He is accustomed to trying to shed blockers who are sometimes 80 pounds heavier.


Narduzzi is encouraged with how quickly players are learning the new system. When he installed a package no one had seen previously before Tuesday, the result wasn't all bad, he said.


"Wait until they get good at it."


Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at @JDiPaola_Trib.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/8024343-74/bradley-narduzzi-grigsby#ixzz3VRIjdAXK