August 7, 2009
It's been a long time since we dusted off In the Pitt, but this has been a pretty active recruiting year, so we thought we'd bust it back out for a one-shot deal before training camp gets underway.
Top of The Pitt
The start of training camp is just days away, but before there’s actual football to talk about, PantherLair.com is taking a grand review of Pitt’s 2010 recruiting efforts so far, with a look at where the class started, where it currently is, and where it’s going.
For any discussion of recruiting to be complete, you have to look at the current team, so let’s start there. Here are the scholarship players for the 2009 season, separated by eligibility remaining:
Craig Bokor - RS Sr
Irvan Brown - RS Sr
Steve Dell - RS Sr
Adam Gunn - RS Sr
Cedric McGee - RS Sr
Shane Murray - RS Sr
Gus Mustakas - RS Sr
Bill Stull - RS Sr
Oderick Turner - RS Sr
Mick Williams - RS Sr
Aaron Berry - Sr
Nate Byham - Sr
Jovani Chappel - Sr
Greg Cross - Sr
Dorin Dickerson - Sr
Robb Houser - Sr
John Malecki - Sr
Joe Thomas - Sr
Kevin Collier - RS Jr
Elijah Fields - RS Jr
Ricky Gary - RS Jr
Jared Martin - RS Jr
Jason Pinkston - RS Jr
Nate Nix - RS Jr
Greg Romeus - RS Jr
Tyler Tkach - RS Jr
Pat Bostick - Jr
Dom DeCicco - Jr
Jabaal Sheard - Jr
Chas Alecxih - RS So
Myles Caragein - RS So
John Fieger - RS So
Greg Gaskins - RS So
Jordan Gibbs - RS So
Max Gruder - RS So
Justin Hargrove - RS So
Shariff Harris - RS So
Henry Hynoski - RS So
Buddy Jackson - RS So
Chris Jacobson - RS So
Wayne Jones - RS So
Brandon Lindsey - RS So
Dan Matha - RS So
Tristan Roberts - RS So
Aaron Smith - RS So
Tony Tucker - RS So
Greg Williams - RS So
Aundre Wright - RS So
Jonathan Baldwin - So
Lucas Nix - So
Antwuan Reed - So
Andrew Taglianetti - So
Chris Burns - RS Fr
Mike Cruz - RS Fr
Shayne Hale - RS Fr
Kevin Harper - RS Fr
Jarred Holley - RS Fr
Cameron Saddler - RS Fr
Mike Shanahan - RS Fr
Tino Sunseri - RS Fr
Joe Trebitz - RS Fr
Ryan Turnley - RS Fr
Justin Virbitsky - RS Fr
Manny Williams - RS Fr
Kevin Adams - Fr
Brock DeCicco - Fr
Fernando Diaz - Fr
Jason Douglas - Fr
Tyrone Ezell - Fr
Carl Fleming - Fr
Shane Gordon - Fr
Ray Graham - Fr
Kolby Gray - Fr
Jason Hendricks - Fr
Juantez Hollins - Fr
Cory King - Fr
Dion Lewis - Fr
Jack Lippert - Fr
Dan Mason - Fr
Bernardo Nunez - Fr
Ryan Schlieper - Fr
Devin Street - Fr
Ed Tinker - Fr
So that breaks down as follows:
Seniors/RS seniors (1 year remaining) - 18
Juniors/RS juniors (2 years remaining) - 11
Sophomores/RS sophomores (3 years remaining) - 23
RS freshman (4 years remaining) - 12
Freshman (5 years remaining) - 19
That makes a grand total of 83 active scholarship players. Transfer tight end Andrew Devlin will count against the 85 allowable scholarships once school starts, so that takes the number to 84, leaving one extra scholarship for use this year. In the past Dave Wannstedt and company have awarded extra scholarships to a deserving walk-on, and the three most likely options on the current team are:
Dan Cafaro - RS Sr. defensive back
Joe Capp - RS Jr. fullback
Dan Hutchins - RS Jr. punter/placekicker
Of that group, Hutchins is probably the most likely, since he is currently the front-runner for the starting punter duties. The assignment of scholarship No. 85 is relevant because, if it is awarded to Hutchins, a redshirt junior, then he will likely have the scholarship next year as well, and that cuts down on the available scholarships for the class of 2010. If Cafaro receives the extra scholarship, then it will become available again after he graduates.
Tabling that issue momentarily, the breakdown by class shows that Pitt has 18 players in their final year of eligibility this year, so the starting number for the class of 2010 is 18. If Todd Thomas - who will be at Milford rather than Pitt for the coming year - remains committed to Pitt after a year of prep, then he will be part of the class of 2010, taking the number down to 17, which is exactly how many verbal commitments Pitt has at this point.
So, if the coaches intend to sign a full class this year, as has been stated a number of times both on and off the record, then attrition - to the tune of seven players - will need to take place in order for the class of 2010 to get to the full complement of 25. That will be no easy task, since the most likely attrition usually comes from the juniors/redshirt juniors, and Pitt only has 11 players in that group; losing as many as seven of them would greatly diminish the numbers available for the class of 2011.
This numbers crunch becomes even more of a squeeze if Hutchins goes on scholarship this year and retains that status for 2010.
Nevertheless, we’ll assume for the purposes of this discussion that Pitt finds room for 25 scholarships in the class of 2010. Counting Thomas and the 17 current verbal commitments, the coaching staff has seven open spots to fill from a list of prospects that’s about three times that length.
The other relevant item to take from the current roster is the group of sophomores and redshirt sophomores. Those players have two years left, and when building a recruiting class, that’s the group of current players you look at to determine what positions to focus on in the current class. Obviously you have to take the entire roster into consideration and look at holes in the roster that will arise in the next two years, but in an ideal world, the players in the recruiting class you are building will be counted on to contribute in their third season, which would be the year after the current sophomores and redshirt sophomores graduate.
Here’s a list of current sophomores and redshirt sophomores as broken down by position:
Running back (1) - Shariff Harris
Fullback (1) - Henry Hynoski
Wide receiver (3) - Jonathan Baldwin, Aundre Wright, Aaron Smith
Offensive tackle (4) - Lucas Nix, Dan Matha, Greg Gaskins, Jordan Gibbs
Offensive guard (3) - Chris Jacobson, Wayne Jones, John Fieger
Defensive end (3) - Justin Hargrove, Brandon Lindsey, Tony Tucker
Defensive tackle (2) - Chas Alexcih, Myles Caragein
Linebacker (3) - Greg Williams, Max Gruder, Tristan Roberts
Cornerback (2) - Buddy Jackson, Antwuan Reed
Safety (1) - Andrew Taglianetti
As I said, in an ideal world, the class of 2010 would be focused on replacing those 23 players, but that’s not always the case. Tight end, for example, is a unique situation because Pitt will be low on numbers in 2011 after Devlin graduates, so the coaching staff has taken two commitments in the class of 2010.
Either way, keeping that list in mind, let’s look at the 17 commitments, the top candidates for those seven available spots, and see who might fill out the class of 2010. Before we do, though, it would be helpful to open the following link in a new browser. It’s a good reference tool for what follows:
The 2010 Big Boardhttp://pittsburgh.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=996&CID=963052
Quarterback
While fans have been clamoring for answers at quarterback on the field in the coming season, the coaching staff - led by new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti - has been working behind the scenes to find a signal-caller for the future.
Cignetti has cast a wide net for quarterbacks, offering the likes of Tyler Brosius, but each of those quarterbacks have also committed elsewhere.
Prior to Cignetti’s arrival at Pitt, the coaching staff offered Tyler Smith, and of that group, only Gonzalez remains uncommitted.
However, all is not quite as troubled in the world of Pitt quarterback recruiting as it may appear to be. While only one of 10 pre-July offers is still available, it’s unlikely that Cignetti is losing sleep over the situation. In fact, it’s entirely like that, had Cignetti been hired in February 2008 rather than February 2009, a few of those offers might not have gone out. As it stands now, Cignetti has taken complete ownership of quarterback recruiting and has focused on finding the players at the position that he feels are most likely to succeed.
With that in mind, quarterback recruiting for Pitt in the class of 2010 is becoming something of a narrow science. Gonzalez remains on the board, but Cignetti is eyeing two other top candidates for the class; one has an offer and the other is a high target.
The offered prospect is Florida quarterback Clint Trickett. Trickett received his Pitt offer this summer after he worked out at a Florida State camp. His instructor at that camp was former FSU quarterback Chris Weinke, who played for Cignetti in 2007 when the latter was the San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks coach. Cignetti trusts Weinke’s opinion on quarterbacks, and it was on Weinke’s recommendation that Cignetti began researching Trickett. He liked what he saw and offered.
Trickett is, of course, the son of current Florida State offensive line coach Rick Trickett (formerly West Virginia’s offensive line coach), but the Seminoles are not among his list of offers, a list that features Pitt, Arkansas, Louisville, South Florida, Central Michigan, and a host of mid-majors. From what we’re hearing, Trickett has to decide if he wants to play for the coaching staff that his father is a part of. Florida State is apparently interested in Trickett, but hesitant to offer if it looks like he won’t commit.
If Trickett decides that he wants to play for his father, then it’s likely that FSU will offer. If not, Pitt will probably be one of his official visits, and from there, anything can happen.
The other top target for Cignetti is Cleveland St. Ignatius quarterback Mark Myers. One of the most intriguing prospects on Pitt’s board, Myers is a 6’4” 220-pound strong-armed quarterback from a powerhouse program in a state with a reputation for good high school football. The only rub with Myers is that he spent the past two seasons as the backup to Andrew Holland, who will begin his freshman year at Penn this fall.
So what you have is an inexperienced quarterback who appears to have all the physical tools, but due to his lack of playing time, he has flown completely under the radar, and this presents an interesting situation. Myers worked out at Pitt’s camp and impressed Cignetti enough that he has shown a lot of interest in Myers over the past two months, and Cignetti has told Myers repeatedly that he wants to see film from early in training camp and film of St. Ignatius’ first few scrimmages.
But since Myers doesn’t have any offers yet, Pitt doesn’t need to offer him in haste. Cignetti can make his evaluations from the film he receives and if he needs to wait for game film, he can do that. However, if Myers is as talented as I’ve been told he is, it will probably be in Pitt’s best interests to move sooner rather than later, assuming Cignetti likes what he sees.
Pitt already has a commitment from St. Ignatius tight end Brendan Carozzoni; that fact combined with the early interest Cignetti has shown should give the Panthers the upper hand. And if they do offer Myers and he commits, Pitt and Cignetti might have lucked into a situation where they get a prospect who otherwise would have plenty of offers to choose from if not for the experience factor.
Initially, I felt like Pitt might not take a quarterback in this class if Gonzalez chose to go elsewhere. Pat Bostick has two years left, Tino Sunseri has four, and Kolby Gray has five, and I believed that if Cignetti and company were confident in Sunseri and/or Gray, then they wouldn’t need to sign a quarterback in this class unless they felt like it was a can’t-miss prospect.
Furthermore, I believed that a commitment from Gonzalez would signal the end of quarterback recruiting for this class.
Now I’m not so sure about either of those statements. At this point, I have virtually no doubt that Pitt will take a quarterback in the class of 2010, and I also think that Cignetti will sign a quarterback regardless of what Gonzalez chooses to do.
Trickett and Myers appear to be the top prospects, but if Trickett decides to go elsewhere and Myers doesn’t pan out, then I think Cignetti will keep searching for a quarterback he believes can be a successful player for Pitt in the future. From what I gather, Cignetti is thinking long-term about his own future at Pitt, and he knows that he’ll need a winning quarterback to get that done, so he’s dedicating himself to finding the right guy in this class.
Running back
If our list of sophomores and redshirt sophomores is the guide on setting up the class of 2010, then Pitt will need one tailback and one fullback. At this point, the Panthers have commitments from Andre Givens, and all indications are that the coaching staff is done with the position.
However, as always, there are a few exceptions. Pitt is apparently still working on Eastern Pa. standout Corey Brown, who never seems to mention Pitt in interviews, but if he were to make overtures about coming to Pitt, they would certainly take him in a heartbeat and sign three running backs in the class.
The same goes for Maryland fullback Zach Zwinak, although Zwinak could be a higher priority due to the lack of any fullbacks on the roster to replace Hynoski.
Neither Zwinak nor Brown is a Pitt lean, but Zwinak is probably a little more likely to take an official visit to Pitt. Still, both seem like long-shots, and save for a surprise commitment from one of those two, Pitt’s running back recruiting for 2010 appears to be over.
Wide receiver
All along, we heard the target number at receiver in the class of 2010 was four. According to our sophomores/redshirt sophomores chart, Pitt will be replacing three receivers - Baldwin, Smith, Wright - in 2012 (when the class of 2010 will be third-year players), although that number would change if Baldwin opted to leave early for the NFL.
Still, Wannstedt and the Pitt coaching staff have always had a hard time saying no to good receiver prospects, so they set the number high for 2010. That’s not a bad approach considering that good receivers are generally good athletes and thus have some positional versatility.
So far, Pitt has commitments from three receivers: Phillips
Phillips is the No. 36 player in the country and the No. 4 receiver overall, and if he committed to Pitt, recruiting at the position would be complete. Several other offered prospects are on the board, but unless they had the versatility to play a different position - like Ohio’s Bobby Swigert - it’s unlikely the coaching staff would accept a commitment until Phillips had made a decision.
The other factor at receiver is Todd Thomas. He’ll count as part of the 2010 class after his year at Milford and would give Pitt five receivers, assuming the staff lands one more from the current crop of high school seniors. Still, between Carswell, Weatherspoon, and Thomas, there is enough versatility that the position of wide receiver wouldn’t get overloaded.
Tight end
Our chart of sophomores and redshirt sophomores dictates that Pitt doesn’t need a tight end in this class, but that position is one of the exceptions to the “three-years-out” rule that says your current recruiting class replaces the one that was three years ahead of it (i.e., class of 2010 replaces class of 2007, etc.).
Pitt’s tight end recruiting under Wannstedt has looked like this:
2006 - Nate Byham
2007 - Jordan Gibbs, Kyle Hubbard
2008 - Mike Cruz, Justin Virbitsky
2009 - Brock DeCicco
The current depth chart has Byham, Dorin Dickerson, and Cruz on it, and will add DeCicco this fall. Byham and Dickerson graduate this year, leaving Cruz, DeCicco, and Devlin as the three-deep for 2010. All three will be back for 2011, after which point Devlin will graduate.
While Cruz was initially signed as a tight end, most of the coaches expected him to be moved to the defensive line before too long. But three of the tight ends signed by Wannstedt’s staff - Gibbs, Hubbard, and Virbitsky - are not options for various reasons, so Cruz has to stay at the position this year.
But by signing two tight ends in the class of 2010 - Brendan Carozzoni - the coaches might be setting themselves up to move Cruz to defensive tackle next spring. The key would be for Schneider or Carozzoni to come to camp ready to contribute in the fall of 2010.
If Schneider or Carozzoni is ready to play as a freshman in 2010, then the three-deep at tight end would be young but talented, with Devlin, DeCicco, and one of the true frosh lining up. This would allow Cruz to move to defensive tackle, where Pitt will need bodies over the next few years.
Regardless of who switches position, Pitt has hit its quota for tight ends in the class of 2010 with Schneider and Carozzoni and likely won’t recruit any more.
Offensive line
Ah, the offensive line: forever - or at least since 1984 - a source of consternation for Pitt fans. If the “three-years-out” rule applies, then the coaching staff is looking to replace a whopping seven offensive linemen with the class of 2010. That unwieldy number features six from the class of 2007 and one from the class of 2008, but the staff will not sign seven in the class of 2010.
So far, Wannstedt and company have commitments from three offensive linemen: Arthur Doakes.
Despite being 6’6” 310, Rotheram has said he is being recruited as a guard prospect, and Sacco is also an interior lineman, most likely a center. Doakes has told PantherLair.com that he was recruited to play guard as well, but at 6’6” 350, some scouts believe he could move outside and be a tackle.
The most likely scenario is that the coaching staff will take one more offensive line prospect, and the top candidate on the board is Maryland lineman Shane Johnson. Johnson is a guard at DeMatha, but that’s mostly due to the fact that DeMatha has a lot of talented tackles; in college, Johnson could probably play inside or outside.
Johnson has visited Pitt twice this summer, and the word on him is that Pitt is one of his final three or perhaps even his top two. Sources have indicated that Rutgers and Boston College are the main competition, but B.C. has three offensive linemen committed, including three-star Harris Williams, who committed in mid-July, and that appears to have pushed Pitt and Rutgers to the top of the list. At the same time, Virginia is apparently showing a lot of interest and could get more heavily involved.
Still, from all we’re hearing, Johnson is high on Pitt and his father is also in favor of the Panthers, so if the mother - who is supposedly split between Pitt and one other school - gets on board, then it should be a done deal for Pitt.
Johnson is the top target for Pitt on the offensive line, but he’s not the only one the coaching staff is pursuing. Clarks Summit (Pa.) Abington Heights lineman Sal Conaboy is also high on the Panthers’ list, but from what we’re hearing, he’s leaning heavily to Maryland.
A third target we’re keeping an eye on is Youngstown (Oh.) Cardinal Mooney tackle Eric Franklin. Franklin is appealing for Pitt because he’s a natural tackle, but as the summer has gone on, his offer list has grown, and it appears that he’s intent on waiting it out through the season to see what kind of offers he can bring in.
In the end, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Johnson end Pitt’s search for offensive linemen by committing in the next month or early in the season.
Defensive line
Pitt has built an impressive defensive line, but the coaching staff can’t rest on its laurels for too long, because now it’s time to rebuild the group. Five linemen - two tackles and three ends (counting Brandon Lindsey as an end) - are in the sophomore/RS sophomore group, and so far, Pitt has commitments from four defensive linemen: ends Aaron Donald.
Of the group, the big fish is Clemmings. A four-star recruit who could be one of the top prospects on the East Coast, Clemmings’ commitment has been murky and curious, to say the least, and while it’s hard to say that anything definitive has been said up front and on the record, our sources continue to state that Clemmings is committed to Pitt and that the Pitt coaches are confident that all the key players - Clemmings, his parents, his coach - are on board with the commitment.
I guess for now we have to go on that. If Pitt can hold on to Clemmings and sign him next February, it will be absolutely huge. He has the potential to be a stud in college and his ceiling appears to be as high as that of Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard, if not higher.
Murphy is a bit undersized - 6’2” 230 - at this point, but the projections for his size seem to go pretty high, so while some think he might have to stand up and be an outside linebacker, others are convinced he’ll stay at defensive end. There are even some who believe he can add a lot of weight and move inside to defensive tackle. From our perspective, we’re leaving him at defensive end in the Rivals.com database and we’ll see what happens.
Pitt’s two interior commits - Donald and Mosley-Smith - are, by most accounts, the top two defensive tackles in the WPIAL this year and two of the region’s best at the position since Jason Pinkston lined up there four years ago.
Beyond those four, it doesn’t look like Pitt has many other targets on the defensive line. Florida standout teammates Calvin Smith are four-star studs who had more interest in Pitt than one might expect given their location and ability, but both are long-shots and it would be a coup for Pitt to get either north for an official visit.
The one potential defensive line target that Pitt is recruiting is Cherry Hill (NJ) Camden Catholic’s Sherard Cadogan. Cadogan recently told PantherLair.com that he is high on Pitt, and it sounds like the Panthers could be in the driver’s seat. He’s got some position versatility, and could either be an end or stand up and play outside linebacker.
Linebacker
So far, Pitt’s only commitment from a player who is likely to play linebacker is Derrick Burns, but he’s got the athleticism to play safety or linebacker. Cadogan has the potential to play outside, but he could also be a very good defensive end.
The sophomore/RS sophomore group has three linebackers - Max Gruder, Greg Williams, Tristan Roberts - but there is some depth at the position. Joe Trebitz and Manny Williams are both redshirt freshmen, and the 2009 class brings Dan Mason and Shane Gordon to Pitt, and Carl Fleming could also be a linebacker, depending on what kind of size he adds.
Still, the Pitt coaches would probably like to add at least one or two linebackers in the class of 2010. Carswell is a possible candidate due to his frame and athleticism, but of the remaining targets, there are two top recruits for linebacker.
The first is Brashear’s Manasseh Garner. A top-level athlete with the size to grow into a number of positions, Garner appears to be primarily a linebacker target for Pitt, although he could also play receiver, safety, or even tight end.
Similarly, Pennsbury’s Eric Williams has a lot of versatility, but worked out at linebacker when he was at Pitt’s camp in June. He recently visited Pittsburgh, and while he was in town, the coaches told him they liked him for safety, but with his 6’3” frame, it’s not impossible to envision him growing into a linebacker.
Williams has said he is down to Pitt and Temple, but Garner hasn’t gotten that specific. He has a good relationship with the Pitt coaches, but the question for Garner will be whether or not he wants to stay close to home.
Cornerback
If the target number at cornerback is two - to replace Antwuan Reed and Buddy Jackson - then Pitt is halfway there already with a commitment from K’Waun Williams. After Williams, Pitt doesn’t seem to have many candidates at corner.
The Penn Hills duo of Brendon Felder has Pitt among his top four or five, but he may want to play offense, in which case he’ll probably look elsewhere.
Of unoffered prospects who could project as cornerbacks, Dayonne Nunley is also on the board, but his height - 5’7” - has given a lot of coaching staffs concerns, including the Pitt staff.
Unless Ifill or Christian has a change of heart - which doesn’t seem likely at this point - a second corner commitment in the class of 2010 would probably come from a prospect who is unoffered at this point.
Safety
According to the “three-years-out” chart, Pitt only needs one safety in the class of 2010, and that area appears to be taken care of with Pittsburgh native Jeff Knox. Some scouts believe that Knox can grow into a linebacker, but if that were to happen, it would be several years down the road.
It’s also possible that Weatherspoon could move from receiver to defensive back at some point in his Pitt career, and if he moved, it would likely be to safety.
One of benefits of Pitt’s recruiting philosophy under Wannstedt is that a solid portion of recruits have the versatility to switch positions, so a recruit like Weatherspoon, Knox, Eric Williams or Garner could be a linebacker or a safety.
The final seven
In summation then, let’s look at how this class might wrap up. Assuming that the coaching staff shoots for the full 25, these 18 spots are already accounted for (provided there are no decommits):
Todd Thomas
Derrick Burns
Brendan Carozzoni
Andrew Carswell
TJ Clemmings
Arthur Doakes
Aaron Donald
Andre Givens
Jeff Knox
Khaynin Mosley-Smith
Bryan Murphy
TJ Peeler
Matt Rotheram
Brandon Sacco
Dan Schneider
Kevin Weatherspoon
K’Waun Williams
Salath Williams
For the other seven, then, here’s a prediction on how the class will fill out:
Shane Johnson
Sherard Cadogan
Shakim Phillips
Eric Williams
Manasseh Garner
And the last two spots going to a quarterback - either Trickett, Myers, or another currently unoffered prospect - and a currently unoffered cornerback/safety.
Obvious omissions to that list are Gonzalez, Felder, and Conaboy. As stated above, Conaboy appears to be headed to Maryland. As for Gonzalez and Felder, just call it a gut feeling.
Keep in touch on the go. Follow PantherLair.com:
This post was edited on 8/7 12:29 PM by Chris Peak
It's been a long time since we dusted off In the Pitt, but this has been a pretty active recruiting year, so we thought we'd bust it back out for a one-shot deal before training camp gets underway.
Top of The Pitt
The start of training camp is just days away, but before there’s actual football to talk about, PantherLair.com is taking a grand review of Pitt’s 2010 recruiting efforts so far, with a look at where the class started, where it currently is, and where it’s going.
For any discussion of recruiting to be complete, you have to look at the current team, so let’s start there. Here are the scholarship players for the 2009 season, separated by eligibility remaining:
Craig Bokor - RS Sr
Irvan Brown - RS Sr
Steve Dell - RS Sr
Adam Gunn - RS Sr
Cedric McGee - RS Sr
Shane Murray - RS Sr
Gus Mustakas - RS Sr
Bill Stull - RS Sr
Oderick Turner - RS Sr
Mick Williams - RS Sr
Aaron Berry - Sr
Nate Byham - Sr
Jovani Chappel - Sr
Greg Cross - Sr
Dorin Dickerson - Sr
Robb Houser - Sr
John Malecki - Sr
Joe Thomas - Sr
Kevin Collier - RS Jr
Elijah Fields - RS Jr
Ricky Gary - RS Jr
Jared Martin - RS Jr
Jason Pinkston - RS Jr
Nate Nix - RS Jr
Greg Romeus - RS Jr
Tyler Tkach - RS Jr
Pat Bostick - Jr
Dom DeCicco - Jr
Jabaal Sheard - Jr
Chas Alecxih - RS So
Myles Caragein - RS So
John Fieger - RS So
Greg Gaskins - RS So
Jordan Gibbs - RS So
Max Gruder - RS So
Justin Hargrove - RS So
Shariff Harris - RS So
Henry Hynoski - RS So
Buddy Jackson - RS So
Chris Jacobson - RS So
Wayne Jones - RS So
Brandon Lindsey - RS So
Dan Matha - RS So
Tristan Roberts - RS So
Aaron Smith - RS So
Tony Tucker - RS So
Greg Williams - RS So
Aundre Wright - RS So
Jonathan Baldwin - So
Lucas Nix - So
Antwuan Reed - So
Andrew Taglianetti - So
Chris Burns - RS Fr
Mike Cruz - RS Fr
Shayne Hale - RS Fr
Kevin Harper - RS Fr
Jarred Holley - RS Fr
Cameron Saddler - RS Fr
Mike Shanahan - RS Fr
Tino Sunseri - RS Fr
Joe Trebitz - RS Fr
Ryan Turnley - RS Fr
Justin Virbitsky - RS Fr
Manny Williams - RS Fr
Kevin Adams - Fr
Brock DeCicco - Fr
Fernando Diaz - Fr
Jason Douglas - Fr
Tyrone Ezell - Fr
Carl Fleming - Fr
Shane Gordon - Fr
Ray Graham - Fr
Kolby Gray - Fr
Jason Hendricks - Fr
Juantez Hollins - Fr
Cory King - Fr
Dion Lewis - Fr
Jack Lippert - Fr
Dan Mason - Fr
Bernardo Nunez - Fr
Ryan Schlieper - Fr
Devin Street - Fr
Ed Tinker - Fr
So that breaks down as follows:
Seniors/RS seniors (1 year remaining) - 18
Juniors/RS juniors (2 years remaining) - 11
Sophomores/RS sophomores (3 years remaining) - 23
RS freshman (4 years remaining) - 12
Freshman (5 years remaining) - 19
That makes a grand total of 83 active scholarship players. Transfer tight end Andrew Devlin will count against the 85 allowable scholarships once school starts, so that takes the number to 84, leaving one extra scholarship for use this year. In the past Dave Wannstedt and company have awarded extra scholarships to a deserving walk-on, and the three most likely options on the current team are:
Dan Cafaro - RS Sr. defensive back
Joe Capp - RS Jr. fullback
Dan Hutchins - RS Jr. punter/placekicker
Of that group, Hutchins is probably the most likely, since he is currently the front-runner for the starting punter duties. The assignment of scholarship No. 85 is relevant because, if it is awarded to Hutchins, a redshirt junior, then he will likely have the scholarship next year as well, and that cuts down on the available scholarships for the class of 2010. If Cafaro receives the extra scholarship, then it will become available again after he graduates.
Tabling that issue momentarily, the breakdown by class shows that Pitt has 18 players in their final year of eligibility this year, so the starting number for the class of 2010 is 18. If Todd Thomas - who will be at Milford rather than Pitt for the coming year - remains committed to Pitt after a year of prep, then he will be part of the class of 2010, taking the number down to 17, which is exactly how many verbal commitments Pitt has at this point.
So, if the coaches intend to sign a full class this year, as has been stated a number of times both on and off the record, then attrition - to the tune of seven players - will need to take place in order for the class of 2010 to get to the full complement of 25. That will be no easy task, since the most likely attrition usually comes from the juniors/redshirt juniors, and Pitt only has 11 players in that group; losing as many as seven of them would greatly diminish the numbers available for the class of 2011.
This numbers crunch becomes even more of a squeeze if Hutchins goes on scholarship this year and retains that status for 2010.
Nevertheless, we’ll assume for the purposes of this discussion that Pitt finds room for 25 scholarships in the class of 2010. Counting Thomas and the 17 current verbal commitments, the coaching staff has seven open spots to fill from a list of prospects that’s about three times that length.
The other relevant item to take from the current roster is the group of sophomores and redshirt sophomores. Those players have two years left, and when building a recruiting class, that’s the group of current players you look at to determine what positions to focus on in the current class. Obviously you have to take the entire roster into consideration and look at holes in the roster that will arise in the next two years, but in an ideal world, the players in the recruiting class you are building will be counted on to contribute in their third season, which would be the year after the current sophomores and redshirt sophomores graduate.
Here’s a list of current sophomores and redshirt sophomores as broken down by position:
Running back (1) - Shariff Harris
Fullback (1) - Henry Hynoski
Wide receiver (3) - Jonathan Baldwin, Aundre Wright, Aaron Smith
Offensive tackle (4) - Lucas Nix, Dan Matha, Greg Gaskins, Jordan Gibbs
Offensive guard (3) - Chris Jacobson, Wayne Jones, John Fieger
Defensive end (3) - Justin Hargrove, Brandon Lindsey, Tony Tucker
Defensive tackle (2) - Chas Alexcih, Myles Caragein
Linebacker (3) - Greg Williams, Max Gruder, Tristan Roberts
Cornerback (2) - Buddy Jackson, Antwuan Reed
Safety (1) - Andrew Taglianetti
As I said, in an ideal world, the class of 2010 would be focused on replacing those 23 players, but that’s not always the case. Tight end, for example, is a unique situation because Pitt will be low on numbers in 2011 after Devlin graduates, so the coaching staff has taken two commitments in the class of 2010.
Either way, keeping that list in mind, let’s look at the 17 commitments, the top candidates for those seven available spots, and see who might fill out the class of 2010. Before we do, though, it would be helpful to open the following link in a new browser. It’s a good reference tool for what follows:
The 2010 Big Boardhttp://pittsburgh.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=996&CID=963052
Quarterback
While fans have been clamoring for answers at quarterback on the field in the coming season, the coaching staff - led by new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti - has been working behind the scenes to find a signal-caller for the future.
Cignetti has cast a wide net for quarterbacks, offering the likes of Tyler Brosius, but each of those quarterbacks have also committed elsewhere.
Prior to Cignetti’s arrival at Pitt, the coaching staff offered Tyler Smith, and of that group, only Gonzalez remains uncommitted.
However, all is not quite as troubled in the world of Pitt quarterback recruiting as it may appear to be. While only one of 10 pre-July offers is still available, it’s unlikely that Cignetti is losing sleep over the situation. In fact, it’s entirely like that, had Cignetti been hired in February 2008 rather than February 2009, a few of those offers might not have gone out. As it stands now, Cignetti has taken complete ownership of quarterback recruiting and has focused on finding the players at the position that he feels are most likely to succeed.
With that in mind, quarterback recruiting for Pitt in the class of 2010 is becoming something of a narrow science. Gonzalez remains on the board, but Cignetti is eyeing two other top candidates for the class; one has an offer and the other is a high target.
The offered prospect is Florida quarterback Clint Trickett. Trickett received his Pitt offer this summer after he worked out at a Florida State camp. His instructor at that camp was former FSU quarterback Chris Weinke, who played for Cignetti in 2007 when the latter was the San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks coach. Cignetti trusts Weinke’s opinion on quarterbacks, and it was on Weinke’s recommendation that Cignetti began researching Trickett. He liked what he saw and offered.
Trickett is, of course, the son of current Florida State offensive line coach Rick Trickett (formerly West Virginia’s offensive line coach), but the Seminoles are not among his list of offers, a list that features Pitt, Arkansas, Louisville, South Florida, Central Michigan, and a host of mid-majors. From what we’re hearing, Trickett has to decide if he wants to play for the coaching staff that his father is a part of. Florida State is apparently interested in Trickett, but hesitant to offer if it looks like he won’t commit.
If Trickett decides that he wants to play for his father, then it’s likely that FSU will offer. If not, Pitt will probably be one of his official visits, and from there, anything can happen.
The other top target for Cignetti is Cleveland St. Ignatius quarterback Mark Myers. One of the most intriguing prospects on Pitt’s board, Myers is a 6’4” 220-pound strong-armed quarterback from a powerhouse program in a state with a reputation for good high school football. The only rub with Myers is that he spent the past two seasons as the backup to Andrew Holland, who will begin his freshman year at Penn this fall.
So what you have is an inexperienced quarterback who appears to have all the physical tools, but due to his lack of playing time, he has flown completely under the radar, and this presents an interesting situation. Myers worked out at Pitt’s camp and impressed Cignetti enough that he has shown a lot of interest in Myers over the past two months, and Cignetti has told Myers repeatedly that he wants to see film from early in training camp and film of St. Ignatius’ first few scrimmages.
But since Myers doesn’t have any offers yet, Pitt doesn’t need to offer him in haste. Cignetti can make his evaluations from the film he receives and if he needs to wait for game film, he can do that. However, if Myers is as talented as I’ve been told he is, it will probably be in Pitt’s best interests to move sooner rather than later, assuming Cignetti likes what he sees.
Pitt already has a commitment from St. Ignatius tight end Brendan Carozzoni; that fact combined with the early interest Cignetti has shown should give the Panthers the upper hand. And if they do offer Myers and he commits, Pitt and Cignetti might have lucked into a situation where they get a prospect who otherwise would have plenty of offers to choose from if not for the experience factor.
Initially, I felt like Pitt might not take a quarterback in this class if Gonzalez chose to go elsewhere. Pat Bostick has two years left, Tino Sunseri has four, and Kolby Gray has five, and I believed that if Cignetti and company were confident in Sunseri and/or Gray, then they wouldn’t need to sign a quarterback in this class unless they felt like it was a can’t-miss prospect.
Furthermore, I believed that a commitment from Gonzalez would signal the end of quarterback recruiting for this class.
Now I’m not so sure about either of those statements. At this point, I have virtually no doubt that Pitt will take a quarterback in the class of 2010, and I also think that Cignetti will sign a quarterback regardless of what Gonzalez chooses to do.
Trickett and Myers appear to be the top prospects, but if Trickett decides to go elsewhere and Myers doesn’t pan out, then I think Cignetti will keep searching for a quarterback he believes can be a successful player for Pitt in the future. From what I gather, Cignetti is thinking long-term about his own future at Pitt, and he knows that he’ll need a winning quarterback to get that done, so he’s dedicating himself to finding the right guy in this class.
Running back
If our list of sophomores and redshirt sophomores is the guide on setting up the class of 2010, then Pitt will need one tailback and one fullback. At this point, the Panthers have commitments from Andre Givens, and all indications are that the coaching staff is done with the position.
However, as always, there are a few exceptions. Pitt is apparently still working on Eastern Pa. standout Corey Brown, who never seems to mention Pitt in interviews, but if he were to make overtures about coming to Pitt, they would certainly take him in a heartbeat and sign three running backs in the class.
The same goes for Maryland fullback Zach Zwinak, although Zwinak could be a higher priority due to the lack of any fullbacks on the roster to replace Hynoski.
Neither Zwinak nor Brown is a Pitt lean, but Zwinak is probably a little more likely to take an official visit to Pitt. Still, both seem like long-shots, and save for a surprise commitment from one of those two, Pitt’s running back recruiting for 2010 appears to be over.
Wide receiver
All along, we heard the target number at receiver in the class of 2010 was four. According to our sophomores/redshirt sophomores chart, Pitt will be replacing three receivers - Baldwin, Smith, Wright - in 2012 (when the class of 2010 will be third-year players), although that number would change if Baldwin opted to leave early for the NFL.
Still, Wannstedt and the Pitt coaching staff have always had a hard time saying no to good receiver prospects, so they set the number high for 2010. That’s not a bad approach considering that good receivers are generally good athletes and thus have some positional versatility.
So far, Pitt has commitments from three receivers: Phillips
Phillips is the No. 36 player in the country and the No. 4 receiver overall, and if he committed to Pitt, recruiting at the position would be complete. Several other offered prospects are on the board, but unless they had the versatility to play a different position - like Ohio’s Bobby Swigert - it’s unlikely the coaching staff would accept a commitment until Phillips had made a decision.
The other factor at receiver is Todd Thomas. He’ll count as part of the 2010 class after his year at Milford and would give Pitt five receivers, assuming the staff lands one more from the current crop of high school seniors. Still, between Carswell, Weatherspoon, and Thomas, there is enough versatility that the position of wide receiver wouldn’t get overloaded.
Tight end
Our chart of sophomores and redshirt sophomores dictates that Pitt doesn’t need a tight end in this class, but that position is one of the exceptions to the “three-years-out” rule that says your current recruiting class replaces the one that was three years ahead of it (i.e., class of 2010 replaces class of 2007, etc.).
Pitt’s tight end recruiting under Wannstedt has looked like this:
2006 - Nate Byham
2007 - Jordan Gibbs, Kyle Hubbard
2008 - Mike Cruz, Justin Virbitsky
2009 - Brock DeCicco
The current depth chart has Byham, Dorin Dickerson, and Cruz on it, and will add DeCicco this fall. Byham and Dickerson graduate this year, leaving Cruz, DeCicco, and Devlin as the three-deep for 2010. All three will be back for 2011, after which point Devlin will graduate.
While Cruz was initially signed as a tight end, most of the coaches expected him to be moved to the defensive line before too long. But three of the tight ends signed by Wannstedt’s staff - Gibbs, Hubbard, and Virbitsky - are not options for various reasons, so Cruz has to stay at the position this year.
But by signing two tight ends in the class of 2010 - Brendan Carozzoni - the coaches might be setting themselves up to move Cruz to defensive tackle next spring. The key would be for Schneider or Carozzoni to come to camp ready to contribute in the fall of 2010.
If Schneider or Carozzoni is ready to play as a freshman in 2010, then the three-deep at tight end would be young but talented, with Devlin, DeCicco, and one of the true frosh lining up. This would allow Cruz to move to defensive tackle, where Pitt will need bodies over the next few years.
Regardless of who switches position, Pitt has hit its quota for tight ends in the class of 2010 with Schneider and Carozzoni and likely won’t recruit any more.
Offensive line
Ah, the offensive line: forever - or at least since 1984 - a source of consternation for Pitt fans. If the “three-years-out” rule applies, then the coaching staff is looking to replace a whopping seven offensive linemen with the class of 2010. That unwieldy number features six from the class of 2007 and one from the class of 2008, but the staff will not sign seven in the class of 2010.
So far, Wannstedt and company have commitments from three offensive linemen: Arthur Doakes.
Despite being 6’6” 310, Rotheram has said he is being recruited as a guard prospect, and Sacco is also an interior lineman, most likely a center. Doakes has told PantherLair.com that he was recruited to play guard as well, but at 6’6” 350, some scouts believe he could move outside and be a tackle.
The most likely scenario is that the coaching staff will take one more offensive line prospect, and the top candidate on the board is Maryland lineman Shane Johnson. Johnson is a guard at DeMatha, but that’s mostly due to the fact that DeMatha has a lot of talented tackles; in college, Johnson could probably play inside or outside.
Johnson has visited Pitt twice this summer, and the word on him is that Pitt is one of his final three or perhaps even his top two. Sources have indicated that Rutgers and Boston College are the main competition, but B.C. has three offensive linemen committed, including three-star Harris Williams, who committed in mid-July, and that appears to have pushed Pitt and Rutgers to the top of the list. At the same time, Virginia is apparently showing a lot of interest and could get more heavily involved.
Still, from all we’re hearing, Johnson is high on Pitt and his father is also in favor of the Panthers, so if the mother - who is supposedly split between Pitt and one other school - gets on board, then it should be a done deal for Pitt.
Johnson is the top target for Pitt on the offensive line, but he’s not the only one the coaching staff is pursuing. Clarks Summit (Pa.) Abington Heights lineman Sal Conaboy is also high on the Panthers’ list, but from what we’re hearing, he’s leaning heavily to Maryland.
A third target we’re keeping an eye on is Youngstown (Oh.) Cardinal Mooney tackle Eric Franklin. Franklin is appealing for Pitt because he’s a natural tackle, but as the summer has gone on, his offer list has grown, and it appears that he’s intent on waiting it out through the season to see what kind of offers he can bring in.
In the end, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Johnson end Pitt’s search for offensive linemen by committing in the next month or early in the season.
Defensive line
Pitt has built an impressive defensive line, but the coaching staff can’t rest on its laurels for too long, because now it’s time to rebuild the group. Five linemen - two tackles and three ends (counting Brandon Lindsey as an end) - are in the sophomore/RS sophomore group, and so far, Pitt has commitments from four defensive linemen: ends Aaron Donald.
Of the group, the big fish is Clemmings. A four-star recruit who could be one of the top prospects on the East Coast, Clemmings’ commitment has been murky and curious, to say the least, and while it’s hard to say that anything definitive has been said up front and on the record, our sources continue to state that Clemmings is committed to Pitt and that the Pitt coaches are confident that all the key players - Clemmings, his parents, his coach - are on board with the commitment.
I guess for now we have to go on that. If Pitt can hold on to Clemmings and sign him next February, it will be absolutely huge. He has the potential to be a stud in college and his ceiling appears to be as high as that of Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard, if not higher.
Murphy is a bit undersized - 6’2” 230 - at this point, but the projections for his size seem to go pretty high, so while some think he might have to stand up and be an outside linebacker, others are convinced he’ll stay at defensive end. There are even some who believe he can add a lot of weight and move inside to defensive tackle. From our perspective, we’re leaving him at defensive end in the Rivals.com database and we’ll see what happens.
Pitt’s two interior commits - Donald and Mosley-Smith - are, by most accounts, the top two defensive tackles in the WPIAL this year and two of the region’s best at the position since Jason Pinkston lined up there four years ago.
Beyond those four, it doesn’t look like Pitt has many other targets on the defensive line. Florida standout teammates Calvin Smith are four-star studs who had more interest in Pitt than one might expect given their location and ability, but both are long-shots and it would be a coup for Pitt to get either north for an official visit.
The one potential defensive line target that Pitt is recruiting is Cherry Hill (NJ) Camden Catholic’s Sherard Cadogan. Cadogan recently told PantherLair.com that he is high on Pitt, and it sounds like the Panthers could be in the driver’s seat. He’s got some position versatility, and could either be an end or stand up and play outside linebacker.
Linebacker
So far, Pitt’s only commitment from a player who is likely to play linebacker is Derrick Burns, but he’s got the athleticism to play safety or linebacker. Cadogan has the potential to play outside, but he could also be a very good defensive end.
The sophomore/RS sophomore group has three linebackers - Max Gruder, Greg Williams, Tristan Roberts - but there is some depth at the position. Joe Trebitz and Manny Williams are both redshirt freshmen, and the 2009 class brings Dan Mason and Shane Gordon to Pitt, and Carl Fleming could also be a linebacker, depending on what kind of size he adds.
Still, the Pitt coaches would probably like to add at least one or two linebackers in the class of 2010. Carswell is a possible candidate due to his frame and athleticism, but of the remaining targets, there are two top recruits for linebacker.
The first is Brashear’s Manasseh Garner. A top-level athlete with the size to grow into a number of positions, Garner appears to be primarily a linebacker target for Pitt, although he could also play receiver, safety, or even tight end.
Similarly, Pennsbury’s Eric Williams has a lot of versatility, but worked out at linebacker when he was at Pitt’s camp in June. He recently visited Pittsburgh, and while he was in town, the coaches told him they liked him for safety, but with his 6’3” frame, it’s not impossible to envision him growing into a linebacker.
Williams has said he is down to Pitt and Temple, but Garner hasn’t gotten that specific. He has a good relationship with the Pitt coaches, but the question for Garner will be whether or not he wants to stay close to home.
Cornerback
If the target number at cornerback is two - to replace Antwuan Reed and Buddy Jackson - then Pitt is halfway there already with a commitment from K’Waun Williams. After Williams, Pitt doesn’t seem to have many candidates at corner.
The Penn Hills duo of Brendon Felder has Pitt among his top four or five, but he may want to play offense, in which case he’ll probably look elsewhere.
Of unoffered prospects who could project as cornerbacks, Dayonne Nunley is also on the board, but his height - 5’7” - has given a lot of coaching staffs concerns, including the Pitt staff.
Unless Ifill or Christian has a change of heart - which doesn’t seem likely at this point - a second corner commitment in the class of 2010 would probably come from a prospect who is unoffered at this point.
Safety
According to the “three-years-out” chart, Pitt only needs one safety in the class of 2010, and that area appears to be taken care of with Pittsburgh native Jeff Knox. Some scouts believe that Knox can grow into a linebacker, but if that were to happen, it would be several years down the road.
It’s also possible that Weatherspoon could move from receiver to defensive back at some point in his Pitt career, and if he moved, it would likely be to safety.
One of benefits of Pitt’s recruiting philosophy under Wannstedt is that a solid portion of recruits have the versatility to switch positions, so a recruit like Weatherspoon, Knox, Eric Williams or Garner could be a linebacker or a safety.
The final seven
In summation then, let’s look at how this class might wrap up. Assuming that the coaching staff shoots for the full 25, these 18 spots are already accounted for (provided there are no decommits):
Todd Thomas
Derrick Burns
Brendan Carozzoni
Andrew Carswell
TJ Clemmings
Arthur Doakes
Aaron Donald
Andre Givens
Jeff Knox
Khaynin Mosley-Smith
Bryan Murphy
TJ Peeler
Matt Rotheram
Brandon Sacco
Dan Schneider
Kevin Weatherspoon
K’Waun Williams
Salath Williams
For the other seven, then, here’s a prediction on how the class will fill out:
Shane Johnson
Sherard Cadogan
Shakim Phillips
Eric Williams
Manasseh Garner
And the last two spots going to a quarterback - either Trickett, Myers, or another currently unoffered prospect - and a currently unoffered cornerback/safety.
Obvious omissions to that list are Gonzalez, Felder, and Conaboy. As stated above, Conaboy appears to be headed to Maryland. As for Gonzalez and Felder, just call it a gut feeling.
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This post was edited on 8/7 12:29 PM by Chris Peak
