September 28, 2012
Welcome back to In the Pitt, Panther-Lair.com's rundown on everything going on in Pitt recruiting. It's been awhile since we cracked open a new edition of In the Pitt, so we've got a lot to cover.
What follows is a breakdown of Pitt's recruiting at each position. We'll look at targets, needs, and commits in the class of 2013, as well as roster projections and some early looks at 2014 targets. A few useful resources to keep handy as we work through this:
The offer sheet
The commitment list
The Scholarship Board
The commitment list tells you who Pitt has locked up for the current class, the offer sheet tells you who is still available, and the Scholarship Board tells you what the roster looks like for this season and beyond. That last one is important as we project target numbers for the recruiting classes, and the setup of the Scholarship Board allows you to move classes forward and see what the roster will look like in the coming seasons. We'll draw on that quite a bit as we go through each position.
Quarterback
Pitt's quarterback recruitment is pretty easy to decipher right now: Kent (Oh.) Roosevelt's Chavas Rawlins; they got one and they're done.
2013 target number: 1
Commitments: Tra'von Chapman
Top remaining targets: None
2014
With Chapman on board, Pitt's near-future at the quarterback position shapes up like this:
2013 - Tom Savage, Chad Voytik, Trey Anderson, Tra'von Chapman
2014 - Chad Voytik, Trey Anderson, Tra'von Chapman
2015 - Chad Voytik, Tra'von Chapman
2016 - Chad Voytik, Tra'von Chapman
For 2014, Blackhawk's Chandler Kincade is still committed to Pitt. The coaches have told him he is a priority in the class, and while both sides seem to still be getting more and more comfortable with each other, it seems like there is a clear understanding from both Pitt and Kincade. I think the coaches will continue to evaluate junior quarterbacks because that's the prudent thing to do, but I could see them sticking with Kincade.
If you add Kincade to the roster, you have at least three quarterbacks from 2014-16. If they really project Kincade as a franchise quarterback, then they probably don't need another quarterback in the class of 2014. If they want to add numbers and have at least four on the roster from 2014-16, they could look at signing another. But I think they'll stick with one and add another in the class of 2015.
Running back
Pitt is developing quite a reputation for producing running backs, and the Panthers' roster is pretty strong right now:
Ray Graham - Senior
Isaac Bennett - Sophomore
Malcolm Crockett - Redshirt freshman
Rushel Shell - Freshman
Obviously Graham is done after this year, but having at least two more years with the other three makes for a deep position group going forward. As such, the coaches decided to set the target number at one for this class with the plan of signing one very good running back and moving on.
They landed a commitment that fit the bill in Glassboro (NJ) three-star prospect Corey Clement. He committed in mid-June but almost immediately started talking about keeping his recruitment open. That has created one of the prominent on-going storylines in Pitt recruiting.
Clement took an official visit to Nebraska in the first week of the season and visited Notre Dame last weekend; after each visit, he said that he was still committed to Pitt but wanted to continue exploring his options. The only other school - other than Pitt - that Clement wants to visit is Wisconsin, but the date for that visit isn't set.
As it stands, here is what we know about Clement:
He committed to Pitt because he liked the coaches and the school and the campus and everything about it. He was genuinely sold on Pitt. But after he committed, he thought about the fact that Pitt was the only visit he took, so rather than feeling like he didn't fully explore the recruiting process, he decided to at least visit other schools and make sure he was choosing the right college.
Throughout this process, he has maintained regular communication with the Pitt coaching staff, and he has continued to tell them that he is committed while he looks around. That means Pitt is his priority even while he considers other schools, and the coaches are comfortable with that relationship. The key will be to get him back on campus for an official visit, when they can show him that he really does like Pitt as much as he thought he liked it when he committed the first time. Once they do that, I think Pitt has as good a shot as anybody. I'm not guaranteeing that Clement will stay, but he hasn't actually decommitted either, so I think it's still up in the air.
There have also been some rumors/claims that Clement tried to commit to Notre Dame on his official visit and was rebuffed. I haven't seen any confirmation, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. We do know that Notre Dame has one running back commitment but that recruit has academic issues, so Brian Kelly and his staff are looking at other options. Clement is not the top option, though, as the ND coaches have other recruits ranked higher than him.
If that's all true and Clement still ends up at Pitt, then the coaches will take it. Sometimes you take what you can get and don't get too caught up in how it happened.
If Pitt can keep Clement in the fold, they will be done taking running backs. The Pitt coaches told him that he was going to be their only running back in the class and they have not offered any other running backs since he committed.
However, that doesn't mean they aren't in contact with other running backs. It's prudent to keep open lines of communication with a number of recruits at all positions, regardless of the current commitments.
So if Clement decides to go elsewhere, there are a few targets on the board for the coaches to pursue. Kareem Hunt from Willoughby (Oh.) both have held offers since before Clement committed, and the Pitt coaches have stayed in contact with both of them.
Kemp and Hunt have both told me that they are considering official visits to Pitt; I think we'll see real movement in that direction if things go south with Clement.
The coaches are also keeping an eye on targets like Lancaster Catholic's Lorenzo Woodley, who is on Pitt's radar but more as an athlete than a running back. Pitt has not offered Clay, Woodley, or Ibrahim.
If Pitt has to move on from Clement, I suspect the focus will first be on Kemp and/or Hunt before new offers go out.
2013 target number: 1
Commitments: Corey Clement
Top remaining targets: None
2014
The biggest name we've heard so far in the class of 2014 is Washington's Shai McKenzie. He is having a huge season and already has an offer from Pitt; the coaches have clearly made him a priority.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Pitt take two running backs in the class of 2014. Going forward, here's what the roster will look like (assuming Clement stays with Pitt; if he doesn't, then we'll still assume Pitt gets one back in this class):
2013 - Isaac Bennett (JR), Malcolm Crockett (RS SOPH), Corey Davis (RS SOPH) Rushel Shell (SOPH), Corey Clement (FR)
2014 - Bennett (SR), Crockett (RS JR), Davis (RS JR), Shell (JR), Clement (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Crockett (RS SR), Davis (RS SR), Shell (SR), Clement (JR/RS SOPH)
That assumes two things:
1. Crockett and Davis stay at Pitt until their redshirt senior years. I'm not predicting they will leave, but there are a lot of talented backs on this roster, and so far (albeit in a small sample size) Crockett looks like the odd man out, while Davis doesn't seem to be in the mix.
2. Shell stays four years. I hesitate to assume Shell will leave after his junior season to go to the NFL, but he's off to a hot start and certainly looks the part.
If Crockett and Shell both were to leave early, then Pitt's 2015 roster would have Clement and the recruits from the classes of 2014 and 2015. There's probably at least a reasonable chance of Shell leaving early - again, I'm not predicting it, but the chances seem to be reasonable - so the staff could look to take two backs in the class of 2014 as numbers insurance.
Fullback
It seems a little silly to devote an entire section to fullback, but the coaches want to use a fullback a lot and have already given scholarships to two walk-on fullbacks this year, so the position merits its own mention.
Gateway's Jaymar Parrish is on the board as a fullback/H-back, and he'll fill the allotment in this class.
2013 target number: 1
Commitments: Jaymar Parrish
Top targets: None
2014
With both Mark Giubilato and Adam Lazenga going on scholarship, Pitt should be pretty well set at fullback for the foreseeable future. Assuming both stay on scholarship (and that will probably be the case), here's what the roster will look like:
2013 - David Durham (RS JR), Mark Giubilato (RS JR), Adam Lazenga (RS JR), Jaymar Parrish (FR)
2014 - Durham (RS SR), Giubilato (RS SR), Lazenga (RS SR), Parrish (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Parrish (JR/RS SOPH)
2016 - Parrish (SR/RS JR)
While there will be four fullbacks already on the roster in 2014, the coaches will probably want to sign one in that class, since three of the four will be gone after that season. Fullbacks aren't easy to find in this day and age. The Rivals.com database doesn't currently list any fullbacks in the class of 2014 in the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, or Maryland.
Of course, we'll find fullbacks in those states and some could even turn out to be BCS-level prospects. One recruit to keep an eye on is Greensburg Central Catholic junior Nate Stone. He is listed as a linebacker and is getting recruited for that position, but he told me he wishes more teams used a fullback because he wouldn't mind playing there. Pitt has shown a lot of interest in him already, but most of it seems to be at fullback. He's worth keeping an eye on, though.
Wide receiver
Receiver is an interesting position for Pitt. The Panthers have 12 scholarship receivers on the current roster, which is a lot, and they'll have nine slated to return after three graduate this year. Of course the operative phrase is "slated to return," since there's probably a decent chance that not all of the underclassman receivers will be back.
But those numbers belie the fact that the receiver group lacks top-end talent among the underclassmen. Devin Street is starting to show signs of turning his potential into actual play-making ability, but he will be a redshirt senior in 2013, so his presence doesn't affect the recruiting plan for the class of 2013.
Pitt needs a significant upgrade in receiver talent in this class, and there is one name that rises above the rest: Central Valley's Robert Foster. The best receiver prospect to come out of western Pennsylvania since Jonathan Baldwin, Foster is athletic and explosive, and he can provide the kind of game-breaking skills that this offense needs. The coaches have set themselves up to have a powerful running game, but they need a big-time receiver to open things up in the passing game. Foster can be that player.
He has said that his top three are Pitt, Alabama, and Ohio State, but he has remained largely enigmatic in his recruitment. In fact, it doesn't appear that he is all that interested in the process, whether than means doing interviews or even maintaining regular contact with college coaches. Rushel Shell was the same way (albeit for different reasons) in that he stayed quiet and would fall out of contact with the coaches for periods of time.
In the end, I think the safest bet is that Foster stays home and goes to Pitt. If you don't get too involved in the recruiting process, then it seems natural to assume that you'll take the easiest route and go where you feel comfortable, which is usually the hometown school.
Right there with Foster is Clairton's Tyler Boyd, the other big-time receiver in the WPIAL this year. Boyd has made no secret of the fact that he is enamored with West Virginia's passing game and is leaning to the Mountaineers, but Pitt is not out of it. Former Clairton Bear Manny Williams is a starting linebacker in Pitt's defense, which Boyd has to like seeing, and we have all heard about Boyd's relationship with Pitt receivers coach Bobby Engram. Plus, the Panthers have been doing a good job in the passing game over the last two games, which should assuage some of his other concerns.
I still think Boyd ends up at WVU, but I won't count Pitt out just yet. I will say that I'll be surprised if he goes anywhere other than Pitt or WVU.
Outside the WPIAL, Pitt is in great shape with Cranford (NJ) receiver Reginald Green. He took an official visit to Pitt for the Virginia Tech game, and we heard some talk the night after the game that he might have committed or was very close. Green himself acknowledged that he was close to committing but held off. Either way, Pitt obviously looks like it is in a strong position with Green.
The coaches are looking for Foster, Boyd and/or Green to complement South Fayette's Brian Lemelle is still on the board, and the coaches have kept in contact with him, but I don't think he's as high on the board as Foster, Boyd, and Green.
In the end, I think Pitt gets Foster and Green.
2013 target number: 2-3
Commitments: Zach Challingsworth
Top targets: Reginald Green
2014
Pitt already has a few offers out to junior receivers. Elijah Zeise is also now being projected as a receiver after initially looking like a safety prospect. I would say Pitt is the leader for both Williams and Zeise at this point, and those two would give the Panthers two of the top 2014 prospects in the state if they committed.
Pitt also offered Englewood (NJ) Dwight Morrow athlete Dorian Baker and he likes the Panthers quite a bit, but his recruitment is probably going to grow quite a bit and it's tough to gauge where he'll land when more offers come in.
Tight end
The Pitt coaches made it clear from the start that they need and want a lot of tight ends. I recall Greg Hart, who has since committed to Nebraska, telling me that the coaches told him they wanted seven or eight tight ends on the roster. So you can imagine how they felt when they inherited a roster that had three tight ends. Sure, they had a talented freshman in JP Holtz on the way, but the numbers were low.
And the low numbers were compounded for the future by the fact that Hubie Graham is a senior, so the coaches set out to land a bunch of tight ends in this class.
Scott Orndoff was about as much of a sure thing as there could be, since he originally committed to Wisconsin. When he made that commitment, Pitt was running a spread offense and the coaching staff had little interest in a big, traditional tight end. When the coaching change happened, though, it was only a matter of time before Orndoff made the flip, which he did in the spring.
Over the summer, the coaching staff also found Tony Harper, an athlete from Toledo (Oh.) St. John's. Harper was working at linebacker in the morning session of one of Pitt's prospect camps, but linebackers coach Chris Haering introduced him to tight ends coach Joe Rudolph during the midday break, and Harper joined Rudolph's group in the afternoon. That was a Saturday, and by Monday Harper had an offer and had committed.
Harper is more along the lines of an athletic tight end, and he'll function in a role similar to that of Drew Carswell, who is a tight end and occasionally lines up next to a tackle, but also finds himself in the slot or in the backfield just as often.
Similarly, former Brashear athlete Manasseh Garner transferred to Pitt in the last month. Garner spent two years at Wisconsin before deciding to transfer, and some credit goes to Badgers' head coach Bret Bielema for helping to convince Garner to go home to Pittsburgh rather than transferring down a level where he could play immediately. Garner will sit out this season and then have two years to play at Pitt; so far, he has not practiced while he nurses an injury, but he definitely passes the eyeball test. Garner is tall, looks very athletic, and has put on a lot of muscle since his time in the City League.
So the roster going forward looks like this:
2013 - Manasseh Garner (RS JR), Drew Carswell (RS JR), Brendan Carozzoni (RS JR), JP Holtz (SOPH), Scott Orndoff (FR), Tony Harper (FR)
2014 - Garner (RS SR), Carswell (RS SR), Carozzoni (RS SR), Holtz (JR), Orndoff (SOPH/RS FR), Harper (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Holtz (SR), Orndoff (JR/RS SOPH), Harper (JR/RS SOPH)
2016 - Orndoff (SR/RS JR), Harper (SR/RS JR)
As always there are a few caveats:
- Orndoff could easily grow into an offensive tackle. He still plans to be a tight end, but more than a few people who have seen him play have said that a move onto the line is very much a possibility.
- Carozzoni's future is in question. Despite the coaches' desires to play a lot of tight ends, Carozzoni has not seen the field this season. When Pitt deployed its jumbo package on the goal-line against Gardner-Webb, Mike Shanahan lined up as the third tight end (he was between the right tackle and another tight end). And when the coaches emptied the benches in the fourth quarter of that game, Carozzoni did not play. Unless there's an injury I'm not aware of (and I don't think that's the case), the writing seems to be on the wall.
If you move Orndoff to the offensive line and remove Carozzoni from the roster, the 2013 and 2014 groups drop from six players to four, leaving the coaches right where they are this season. Devon Edwards is still on the board with an offer and he took an official visit two weeks ago, but he's looking at visits to Nebraska, West Virginia, Cincinnati, and Kentucky, so his decision is yet to come.
As far as I can tell at this point, it seems like the staff will take Edwards if he commits or just be set with Orndoff and Harper if Edwards opts to go elsewhere.
2013 target number: 2-3
Commitments: Tony Harper
Top targets: Devon Edwards
2014
The staff will take at least two tight ends in the class of 2014 regardless of whether or not they get Devon Edwards in this class. They are already targeting guys like Tyler Schneider, who came in from New Jersey for the Virginia Tech game. There are other names we've found as well, and we're working to get more info on them.
Pitt should be able to land two or three good tight ends in the class of 2014, particularly as they continue to prominently feature Hubie Graham, JP Holtz, and Drew Carswell as mainstays of the offense.
Offensive line
The Pitt coaches knew right away that offensive line would be a recruiting priority. Perhaps it's a bit disingenuous to say that, since the offensive line is always a priority in recruiting, but the Pitt staff inherited a group that needed significant upgrades, and those upgrades will take several classes to fully implement.
So the coaches set out to sign a bunch of linemen, and they started off with tackle Carson Baker to Reese, and they currently sit at two in the class.
The biggest target who is still on the board has been the coaches' biggest target all along: four-star tackle Dorian Johnson from Belle Vernon. Johnson has been tight with the Pitt coaches throughout the recruiting process, and the Panthers were arguably the favorite heading into the summer. In fact, Johnson was expected to commit to Pitt in June, and by his own admission he very nearly did just that.
Then he took an unofficial visit to Penn State in late June, and he committed to the Nittany Lions the next day. That was a blow to Pitt's recruiting and a major loss; there's really no other way to spin it. But when the NCAA announced that it was going to levy harsh punishment on Penn State for the Jerry Sandusky cover-up, Johnson reconsidered.
Rather than attend a school facing a bowl ban and scholarship reductions, Johnson re-opened his recruitment. From the start - or rather re-start - Pitt has been at the top of the list once again for Johnson, which makes sense: Pitt was one of his two finalists the first time around, and now the other finalist is out of the mix. Added to the mix this time are Ohio State and Virginia Tech.
Johnson will take official visits to all three schools and will probably like what he sees at Ohio State (I suspect his experience in Blacksburg, Va., will be considerably less impressive if he doesn't visit on game day). Urban Meyer can be a convincing recruiter, but when it's all said and done, I think Johnson ends up staying home and picks Pitt. We spoke to Johnson this week about his recruitment, and here's what he had to say.
If the coaches land Johnson, they'll be looking for one more offensive lineman to fill out the class. The smart money is on West Catholic's Jaryd Jones-Smith. As has been documented on this site, Jones-Smith has set several visits to Pitt, only to have each of them fall through for various reasons. Don't take that as an indication of his interest level, though; Jones-Smith is quite interested in Pitt, and once he visits, I suspect the Panthers will land his services.
If Pitt could get Johnson and Jones-Smith, the coaches will be plenty happy with the haul. There have been some questions about junior college players, and there are even a few who have offers, but from we've been told, the Pitt coaches just aren't enamored with the available JUCO's and will likely sign only high school players in this class.
2013 target number: 4
Commitments: Aaron Reese
Top targets: Eric Tetlow
2014
Assuming Pitt lands Johnson and Jones-Smith to go with Baker and Reese, here's what the roster will look like:
2013 - Zenel Demhasaj (SR) Juantez Hollins (RS SR), Cory King (RS SR), Ryan Schlieper (RS SR), Arthur Doakes (RS JR), Shane Johnson (RS JR), Tom Ricketts (RS JR), Matt Rotheram (RS JR), Artie Rowell (RS SOPH), Adam Bisnowaty (RS FR), Gabe Roberts (RS FR), Carson Baker (FR), Aaron Reese (FR), Dorian Johnson (FR), Jaryd Jones-Smith (FR)
2014 - Doakes (RS SR), S. Johnson (RS SR), Ricketts (RS SR), Rotheram (RS SR), Rowell (RS JR), Bisnowaty (RS SOPH), Roberts (RS SOPH), Baker (SOPH/RS FR), Reese (SOPH/RS FR), D. Johnson (SOPH/RS FR), Jones-Smith (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Rowell (RS JR), Bisnowaty (RS JR), Roberts (RS JR), Baker (JR/RS SOPH), Reese (JR/RS SOPH), D. Johnson (JR/RS SOPH), Jones-Smith (JR/RS SOPH)
And those seven will be back in 2016. As always there are a few caveats:
- Freshman walk-on John Guy is probably a strong candidate for a scholarship in the future. The coaches liked what he was doing early in training camp, but an injury has him on the sidelines.
- The future isn't promised to anyone, particularly the eight linemen who are current redshirt sophomores or older. Demhasaj likely won't be back for 2013, and you have to wonder about Doakes, whose contributions have been very light to this point.
- You also have to wonder about the realistic expectations of contributions from those players. Shane Johnson could step up next season and replace Ryan Turnley at center (he volunteered to take snaps as the emergency center this year), but more than a few of those upperclassmen seem to be on tenuous ground.
So the coaches can't lay back on recruiting linemen in the class of 2014. They already have offers out to guys like Jarrett LaRubbio, but that number will grow considerably as the fall progresses and spring arrives. This staff might look to sign four offensive linemen in the classes of 2013, 2014, 2015, and possibly 2016 in order to add some significant numbers to the position on future rosters.
Defensive line
And just like that, we're on to the defense.
11 scholarship linemen aren't quite as many as a coaching staff would like when it's running a 4-3 scheme, but that's what the Pitt coaches inherited and that's what they have had to work with this season. That's why a true freshman - Darryl Render - and a redshirt freshman - Devin Cook - have played quite a bit through the first four games.
The numbers issue on the current roster stems from the fact that Pitt has brought in seven new linemen in the last three classes combined. Averaging just over two linemen per class isn't enough, so the current staff knows it needs to add numbers in the class of 2013.
So far, they've been doing just that with commitments from ends Tyrique Jarrett.
There are a few defensive end targets still on the board like Antoine Miles from Canton, Oh. But the Pitt coaches appear to be comfortable with the trio of Maclean, Soto, and Conner, so as long as those three stay solid, the staff should be done with ends in this class. Conner did show some hesitation when he committed, but he told me this week that he has stayed in regular contact with the Pitt coaches and things seem to be pretty solid there.
At tackle, the staff would like to add at least one more. Jarrett is a solid start to the class; after him, the coaches are looking at Philadelphia George Washington's Kenton Gibbs, who decommitted from Illinois and is considering an official visit to Pitt.
Additionally, we've also heard that Pitt has started showing some increased interest in Prescott (Wisc.) defensive tackle Nick Jacobsen, and we'll see what we can find out about his interaction with Pitt. The JUCO question has also come up regarding defensive linemen, but the situation is more or less the same as on the offensive line: the coaches just don't rate the available JUCO linemen very highly, and they'll keep the focus on high school (and prep, in the case of Jarrett) players.
Overall, Pitt is in good shape with Moody and should emerge as the leader once he takes his official visit. If they can land Moody, I think they'll feel good about signing three ends and two tackles in this class.
2013 target number: 4-6 total (2-3 ends, 2-3 tackles)
Commitments: a href=http://rivals.yahoo.com/pittsburgh/football/recruiting/player-James-Conner-134427>James Conner, Tyrique Jarrett
Top targets: Kenton Gibbs
2014
Once again, we'll take a look at the current roster as it projects down the road.
Tackles
2013 - Aaron Donald (SR), Tyrone Ezell (RS SR), LaQuentin Smith (JR), Khaynin Mosley-Smith (JR), Darryl Render (SOPH), Terrell Jackson (RS FR), Tyrique Jarrett (FR)
2014 - Smith (SR), Mosley-Smith (SR), Render (JR), Jackson (RS SOPH), Jarrett (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Render (SR), Jackson (RS JR), Jarrett (JR/RS SOPH)
2016 - Jackson (RS SR), Jarret (SR/RS JR)
Ends
2013 - Jack Lippert (RS SR), TJ Clemmings (RS JR), Bryan Murphy (RS JR), Devin Cook (RS SOPH), James Conner (FR), Luke Maclean (FR), Shakir Soto (FR)
2014 - Clemmings (RS SR), Murphy (RS SR), Cook (RS JR), Conner (SOPH/RS FR), Maclean (SOPH/RS FR), Soto (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Cook (RS SR), Conner (JR/RS SOPH), Maclean (JR/RS SOPH), Soto (JR/RS SOPH)
2016 - Conner (SR/RS JR), Maclean (SR/RS JR), Soto (SR/RS JR)
At tackle, they are sitting good with seven for 2013 (eight if you figure that the coaches will sign a second tackle in addition to Jarrett). And they have a good foundation for 2014 with six scholarship tackles plus that year's freshmen.
Similarly, the defensive end position gets instantly restocked with the addition of three freshmen, and Pitt should have eight scholarship ends on the roster next season. And only one will graduate after 2013, so most of those players will be back for 2014 and beyond.
Still, the coaches shouldn't get too comfortable with the influx of numbers coming next season. Skimping on linemen in a recruiting class is what got Pitt into this position as it is, so the coaches will need to keep pumping the position full of new players, which means I'd expect to see at least two ends and two tackles in the class of 2014.
Linebacker
Linebacker is an interesting position for Pitt. There were a lot of question marks and inexperience on the roster heading into this season. But a bunch of those inexperienced players are getting valuable experience this season, so when Shane Gordon comes back as a redshirt senior and Eric Williams is a redshirt junior next year, they will have a full year of starting experience under their belts.
The perception of the linebacker position also shifted in training camp when freshmen Deaysean Rippy and Bam Bradley were moved from safety to linebacker. That added two talented players to the position, which changes the whole look of the group.
Now, instead of needing three or maybe four linebackers in the class, Pitt could probably get by with two. The coaches have a commitment from Haverford School linebacker Matt Galambos, which means they're looking for at least one more.
There are several options for that additional one or two recruits at linebacker. [/URL]Zayd Issah is also back on the market after decommitting from Penn State, but he seems to be looking elsewhere.
We've also reported several times about Youngstown Mooney's Courtney Love, the Nebraska commit who visited Pitt at least twice over the summer. He has maintained his commitment to Nebraska but has left the door open for more official visits.
Pitt is also still actively recruiting Alton Meeks. The three-star prospect from Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips is listed in the Rivals.com database as a quarterback, but Pitt has recruited him as a linebacker. Even though Meeks is committed to Cincinnati, he is considering Pitt and even spoke with head coach Paul Chryst last week. He is interested in taking an official visit to Pitt but doesn't want to jeopardize his status with the Cincinnati coaches.
If Pitt misses on Benton, Johnson, Love, Issah and Meeks, then they could move on a recruit like three-star Wilson linebacker he would be very interested if Pit offered.
I don't think they'll need to send out any new offers, though; I think they'll get one of those other five (probably Benton; maybe Meeks) and call it a day. If you look at The Scholarship Board, you'll see that there are three linebackers with sophomore eligibility (Ejuan Price, Todd Thomas, Eric Williams), two with redshirt freshman eligibility (Jason Frimpong, Nicholas Grigsby), and four with freshman eligibility (Rippy, Bradley, Mike Caprara, Devon Porchia). Even if a Todd Graham recruit like Frimpong decides to pursue his interests elsewhere, Price is taking a redshirt this season and will retain sophomore eligibility next year. So the class-by-class for the 2013 season will look like this:
Senior eligibility - 3
Junior eligibility - 2
Sophomore eligibility - 3
Redshirt freshman eligibility - 4
That's a back-loaded position that doesn't really have any holes in terms of numbers-per-class. Adding two freshman linebackers to the 2013 roster will suffice, although if more than one of those five targets wants to commit, they'll certainly take him.
2013 target number: 2-3
Commitments: Matt Galambos
Top targets: [/URL]Alton Meeks
2014
So far we list Gateway junior Pitt is his current leader.
I would expect Pitt to go for at least two and probably three linebackers in the class of 2014.
Defensive back
Pitt has some holes on the roster at cornerback. K'Waun Williams, Cullen Christian, and Lafayette Pitts make up the entirety of upperclassmen depth, although there are three true freshmen on the roster. And with Jahmahl Pardner's injury, all three true freshmen figure to redshirt.
That kind of back-loading makes for an interesting situation in recruiting corners for this class. Pitt could probably take as many as three corners in the class of 2013 (they seem to be headed that way), but the coaches could also get away with only two.
Right now, that's where Pitt stands, with commitments from getting closer to setting up visits and Pitt certainly seems to be in good shape, but it seems like Northwestern is the primary competition, and this one could go to the Wildcats.
Pitt doesn't have any commitments at safety, but the current roster is a bit more spread out at that position than at cornerback. Here's what it looks like for next year:
Senior eligibility - 1
Junior eligibility - 2
Sophomore eligibility - 2
Redshirt freshman eligibility - 1
They'll need at least one safety in the class, and two is a safer bet for keeping the position stocked. At this point, though, it doesn't look like there are a lot of options. Howard could be a safety, which is a possibility the coaches will consider, and they are also active with Richmond (Va.) Hermitage safety Brian Brown, who visited for the Virginia Tech game and seems to be favoring Pitt.
I think they'll sign one safety in this class, either Brown or an athlete who emerges in his senior season. The coaches could also have plans on moving a player to safety from another position.
2013 target number: 4 total defensive backs
Commitments: Titus Howard
Top targets: Brian Brown
2014
Pitt will want a couple more cornerbacks and safeties in the class of 2014, and the first place to look for quality defensive backs is Aliquippa. The Quips have junior Troy Vincent, the son of the former NFL player of the same name, but Vincent will likely land a bunch more offers.
Like a lot of positions, defensive backs often emerge throughout their junior seasons and in the spring camp circuit.
Okay, I think we hit on every position. I didn't address the specialists, but you all know that Pitt has two commitments, and I think we can all safely assume that the coaches won't be pursuing any others. Next week we'll touch on some overviews of the class and a few other recruiting topics, but I'm looking at the word count on this piece right now and it's somewhere around 6,000, so I think we can call it a day for this week's edition of In the Pitt.
This post was edited on 9/28 8:53 AM by Chris Peak
Welcome back to In the Pitt, Panther-Lair.com's rundown on everything going on in Pitt recruiting. It's been awhile since we cracked open a new edition of In the Pitt, so we've got a lot to cover.
What follows is a breakdown of Pitt's recruiting at each position. We'll look at targets, needs, and commits in the class of 2013, as well as roster projections and some early looks at 2014 targets. A few useful resources to keep handy as we work through this:
The offer sheet
The commitment list
The Scholarship Board
The commitment list tells you who Pitt has locked up for the current class, the offer sheet tells you who is still available, and the Scholarship Board tells you what the roster looks like for this season and beyond. That last one is important as we project target numbers for the recruiting classes, and the setup of the Scholarship Board allows you to move classes forward and see what the roster will look like in the coming seasons. We'll draw on that quite a bit as we go through each position.
Quarterback
Pitt's quarterback recruitment is pretty easy to decipher right now: Kent (Oh.) Roosevelt's Chavas Rawlins; they got one and they're done.
2013 target number: 1
Commitments: Tra'von Chapman
Top remaining targets: None
2014
With Chapman on board, Pitt's near-future at the quarterback position shapes up like this:
2013 - Tom Savage, Chad Voytik, Trey Anderson, Tra'von Chapman
2014 - Chad Voytik, Trey Anderson, Tra'von Chapman
2015 - Chad Voytik, Tra'von Chapman
2016 - Chad Voytik, Tra'von Chapman
For 2014, Blackhawk's Chandler Kincade is still committed to Pitt. The coaches have told him he is a priority in the class, and while both sides seem to still be getting more and more comfortable with each other, it seems like there is a clear understanding from both Pitt and Kincade. I think the coaches will continue to evaluate junior quarterbacks because that's the prudent thing to do, but I could see them sticking with Kincade.
If you add Kincade to the roster, you have at least three quarterbacks from 2014-16. If they really project Kincade as a franchise quarterback, then they probably don't need another quarterback in the class of 2014. If they want to add numbers and have at least four on the roster from 2014-16, they could look at signing another. But I think they'll stick with one and add another in the class of 2015.
Running back
Pitt is developing quite a reputation for producing running backs, and the Panthers' roster is pretty strong right now:
Ray Graham - Senior
Isaac Bennett - Sophomore
Malcolm Crockett - Redshirt freshman
Rushel Shell - Freshman
Obviously Graham is done after this year, but having at least two more years with the other three makes for a deep position group going forward. As such, the coaches decided to set the target number at one for this class with the plan of signing one very good running back and moving on.
They landed a commitment that fit the bill in Glassboro (NJ) three-star prospect Corey Clement. He committed in mid-June but almost immediately started talking about keeping his recruitment open. That has created one of the prominent on-going storylines in Pitt recruiting.
Clement took an official visit to Nebraska in the first week of the season and visited Notre Dame last weekend; after each visit, he said that he was still committed to Pitt but wanted to continue exploring his options. The only other school - other than Pitt - that Clement wants to visit is Wisconsin, but the date for that visit isn't set.
As it stands, here is what we know about Clement:
He committed to Pitt because he liked the coaches and the school and the campus and everything about it. He was genuinely sold on Pitt. But after he committed, he thought about the fact that Pitt was the only visit he took, so rather than feeling like he didn't fully explore the recruiting process, he decided to at least visit other schools and make sure he was choosing the right college.
Throughout this process, he has maintained regular communication with the Pitt coaching staff, and he has continued to tell them that he is committed while he looks around. That means Pitt is his priority even while he considers other schools, and the coaches are comfortable with that relationship. The key will be to get him back on campus for an official visit, when they can show him that he really does like Pitt as much as he thought he liked it when he committed the first time. Once they do that, I think Pitt has as good a shot as anybody. I'm not guaranteeing that Clement will stay, but he hasn't actually decommitted either, so I think it's still up in the air.
There have also been some rumors/claims that Clement tried to commit to Notre Dame on his official visit and was rebuffed. I haven't seen any confirmation, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. We do know that Notre Dame has one running back commitment but that recruit has academic issues, so Brian Kelly and his staff are looking at other options. Clement is not the top option, though, as the ND coaches have other recruits ranked higher than him.
If that's all true and Clement still ends up at Pitt, then the coaches will take it. Sometimes you take what you can get and don't get too caught up in how it happened.
If Pitt can keep Clement in the fold, they will be done taking running backs. The Pitt coaches told him that he was going to be their only running back in the class and they have not offered any other running backs since he committed.
However, that doesn't mean they aren't in contact with other running backs. It's prudent to keep open lines of communication with a number of recruits at all positions, regardless of the current commitments.
So if Clement decides to go elsewhere, there are a few targets on the board for the coaches to pursue. Kareem Hunt from Willoughby (Oh.) both have held offers since before Clement committed, and the Pitt coaches have stayed in contact with both of them.
Kemp and Hunt have both told me that they are considering official visits to Pitt; I think we'll see real movement in that direction if things go south with Clement.
The coaches are also keeping an eye on targets like Lancaster Catholic's Lorenzo Woodley, who is on Pitt's radar but more as an athlete than a running back. Pitt has not offered Clay, Woodley, or Ibrahim.
If Pitt has to move on from Clement, I suspect the focus will first be on Kemp and/or Hunt before new offers go out.
2013 target number: 1
Commitments: Corey Clement
Top remaining targets: None
2014
The biggest name we've heard so far in the class of 2014 is Washington's Shai McKenzie. He is having a huge season and already has an offer from Pitt; the coaches have clearly made him a priority.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Pitt take two running backs in the class of 2014. Going forward, here's what the roster will look like (assuming Clement stays with Pitt; if he doesn't, then we'll still assume Pitt gets one back in this class):
2013 - Isaac Bennett (JR), Malcolm Crockett (RS SOPH), Corey Davis (RS SOPH) Rushel Shell (SOPH), Corey Clement (FR)
2014 - Bennett (SR), Crockett (RS JR), Davis (RS JR), Shell (JR), Clement (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Crockett (RS SR), Davis (RS SR), Shell (SR), Clement (JR/RS SOPH)
That assumes two things:
1. Crockett and Davis stay at Pitt until their redshirt senior years. I'm not predicting they will leave, but there are a lot of talented backs on this roster, and so far (albeit in a small sample size) Crockett looks like the odd man out, while Davis doesn't seem to be in the mix.
2. Shell stays four years. I hesitate to assume Shell will leave after his junior season to go to the NFL, but he's off to a hot start and certainly looks the part.
If Crockett and Shell both were to leave early, then Pitt's 2015 roster would have Clement and the recruits from the classes of 2014 and 2015. There's probably at least a reasonable chance of Shell leaving early - again, I'm not predicting it, but the chances seem to be reasonable - so the staff could look to take two backs in the class of 2014 as numbers insurance.
Fullback
It seems a little silly to devote an entire section to fullback, but the coaches want to use a fullback a lot and have already given scholarships to two walk-on fullbacks this year, so the position merits its own mention.
Gateway's Jaymar Parrish is on the board as a fullback/H-back, and he'll fill the allotment in this class.
2013 target number: 1
Commitments: Jaymar Parrish
Top targets: None
2014
With both Mark Giubilato and Adam Lazenga going on scholarship, Pitt should be pretty well set at fullback for the foreseeable future. Assuming both stay on scholarship (and that will probably be the case), here's what the roster will look like:
2013 - David Durham (RS JR), Mark Giubilato (RS JR), Adam Lazenga (RS JR), Jaymar Parrish (FR)
2014 - Durham (RS SR), Giubilato (RS SR), Lazenga (RS SR), Parrish (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Parrish (JR/RS SOPH)
2016 - Parrish (SR/RS JR)
While there will be four fullbacks already on the roster in 2014, the coaches will probably want to sign one in that class, since three of the four will be gone after that season. Fullbacks aren't easy to find in this day and age. The Rivals.com database doesn't currently list any fullbacks in the class of 2014 in the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, or Maryland.
Of course, we'll find fullbacks in those states and some could even turn out to be BCS-level prospects. One recruit to keep an eye on is Greensburg Central Catholic junior Nate Stone. He is listed as a linebacker and is getting recruited for that position, but he told me he wishes more teams used a fullback because he wouldn't mind playing there. Pitt has shown a lot of interest in him already, but most of it seems to be at fullback. He's worth keeping an eye on, though.
Wide receiver
Receiver is an interesting position for Pitt. The Panthers have 12 scholarship receivers on the current roster, which is a lot, and they'll have nine slated to return after three graduate this year. Of course the operative phrase is "slated to return," since there's probably a decent chance that not all of the underclassman receivers will be back.
But those numbers belie the fact that the receiver group lacks top-end talent among the underclassmen. Devin Street is starting to show signs of turning his potential into actual play-making ability, but he will be a redshirt senior in 2013, so his presence doesn't affect the recruiting plan for the class of 2013.
Pitt needs a significant upgrade in receiver talent in this class, and there is one name that rises above the rest: Central Valley's Robert Foster. The best receiver prospect to come out of western Pennsylvania since Jonathan Baldwin, Foster is athletic and explosive, and he can provide the kind of game-breaking skills that this offense needs. The coaches have set themselves up to have a powerful running game, but they need a big-time receiver to open things up in the passing game. Foster can be that player.
He has said that his top three are Pitt, Alabama, and Ohio State, but he has remained largely enigmatic in his recruitment. In fact, it doesn't appear that he is all that interested in the process, whether than means doing interviews or even maintaining regular contact with college coaches. Rushel Shell was the same way (albeit for different reasons) in that he stayed quiet and would fall out of contact with the coaches for periods of time.
In the end, I think the safest bet is that Foster stays home and goes to Pitt. If you don't get too involved in the recruiting process, then it seems natural to assume that you'll take the easiest route and go where you feel comfortable, which is usually the hometown school.
Right there with Foster is Clairton's Tyler Boyd, the other big-time receiver in the WPIAL this year. Boyd has made no secret of the fact that he is enamored with West Virginia's passing game and is leaning to the Mountaineers, but Pitt is not out of it. Former Clairton Bear Manny Williams is a starting linebacker in Pitt's defense, which Boyd has to like seeing, and we have all heard about Boyd's relationship with Pitt receivers coach Bobby Engram. Plus, the Panthers have been doing a good job in the passing game over the last two games, which should assuage some of his other concerns.
I still think Boyd ends up at WVU, but I won't count Pitt out just yet. I will say that I'll be surprised if he goes anywhere other than Pitt or WVU.
Outside the WPIAL, Pitt is in great shape with Cranford (NJ) receiver Reginald Green. He took an official visit to Pitt for the Virginia Tech game, and we heard some talk the night after the game that he might have committed or was very close. Green himself acknowledged that he was close to committing but held off. Either way, Pitt obviously looks like it is in a strong position with Green.
The coaches are looking for Foster, Boyd and/or Green to complement South Fayette's Brian Lemelle is still on the board, and the coaches have kept in contact with him, but I don't think he's as high on the board as Foster, Boyd, and Green.
In the end, I think Pitt gets Foster and Green.
2013 target number: 2-3
Commitments: Zach Challingsworth
Top targets: Reginald Green
2014
Pitt already has a few offers out to junior receivers. Elijah Zeise is also now being projected as a receiver after initially looking like a safety prospect. I would say Pitt is the leader for both Williams and Zeise at this point, and those two would give the Panthers two of the top 2014 prospects in the state if they committed.
Pitt also offered Englewood (NJ) Dwight Morrow athlete Dorian Baker and he likes the Panthers quite a bit, but his recruitment is probably going to grow quite a bit and it's tough to gauge where he'll land when more offers come in.
Tight end
The Pitt coaches made it clear from the start that they need and want a lot of tight ends. I recall Greg Hart, who has since committed to Nebraska, telling me that the coaches told him they wanted seven or eight tight ends on the roster. So you can imagine how they felt when they inherited a roster that had three tight ends. Sure, they had a talented freshman in JP Holtz on the way, but the numbers were low.
And the low numbers were compounded for the future by the fact that Hubie Graham is a senior, so the coaches set out to land a bunch of tight ends in this class.
Scott Orndoff was about as much of a sure thing as there could be, since he originally committed to Wisconsin. When he made that commitment, Pitt was running a spread offense and the coaching staff had little interest in a big, traditional tight end. When the coaching change happened, though, it was only a matter of time before Orndoff made the flip, which he did in the spring.
Over the summer, the coaching staff also found Tony Harper, an athlete from Toledo (Oh.) St. John's. Harper was working at linebacker in the morning session of one of Pitt's prospect camps, but linebackers coach Chris Haering introduced him to tight ends coach Joe Rudolph during the midday break, and Harper joined Rudolph's group in the afternoon. That was a Saturday, and by Monday Harper had an offer and had committed.
Harper is more along the lines of an athletic tight end, and he'll function in a role similar to that of Drew Carswell, who is a tight end and occasionally lines up next to a tackle, but also finds himself in the slot or in the backfield just as often.
Similarly, former Brashear athlete Manasseh Garner transferred to Pitt in the last month. Garner spent two years at Wisconsin before deciding to transfer, and some credit goes to Badgers' head coach Bret Bielema for helping to convince Garner to go home to Pittsburgh rather than transferring down a level where he could play immediately. Garner will sit out this season and then have two years to play at Pitt; so far, he has not practiced while he nurses an injury, but he definitely passes the eyeball test. Garner is tall, looks very athletic, and has put on a lot of muscle since his time in the City League.
So the roster going forward looks like this:
2013 - Manasseh Garner (RS JR), Drew Carswell (RS JR), Brendan Carozzoni (RS JR), JP Holtz (SOPH), Scott Orndoff (FR), Tony Harper (FR)
2014 - Garner (RS SR), Carswell (RS SR), Carozzoni (RS SR), Holtz (JR), Orndoff (SOPH/RS FR), Harper (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Holtz (SR), Orndoff (JR/RS SOPH), Harper (JR/RS SOPH)
2016 - Orndoff (SR/RS JR), Harper (SR/RS JR)
As always there are a few caveats:
- Orndoff could easily grow into an offensive tackle. He still plans to be a tight end, but more than a few people who have seen him play have said that a move onto the line is very much a possibility.
- Carozzoni's future is in question. Despite the coaches' desires to play a lot of tight ends, Carozzoni has not seen the field this season. When Pitt deployed its jumbo package on the goal-line against Gardner-Webb, Mike Shanahan lined up as the third tight end (he was between the right tackle and another tight end). And when the coaches emptied the benches in the fourth quarter of that game, Carozzoni did not play. Unless there's an injury I'm not aware of (and I don't think that's the case), the writing seems to be on the wall.
If you move Orndoff to the offensive line and remove Carozzoni from the roster, the 2013 and 2014 groups drop from six players to four, leaving the coaches right where they are this season. Devon Edwards is still on the board with an offer and he took an official visit two weeks ago, but he's looking at visits to Nebraska, West Virginia, Cincinnati, and Kentucky, so his decision is yet to come.
As far as I can tell at this point, it seems like the staff will take Edwards if he commits or just be set with Orndoff and Harper if Edwards opts to go elsewhere.
2013 target number: 2-3
Commitments: Tony Harper
Top targets: Devon Edwards
2014
The staff will take at least two tight ends in the class of 2014 regardless of whether or not they get Devon Edwards in this class. They are already targeting guys like Tyler Schneider, who came in from New Jersey for the Virginia Tech game. There are other names we've found as well, and we're working to get more info on them.
Pitt should be able to land two or three good tight ends in the class of 2014, particularly as they continue to prominently feature Hubie Graham, JP Holtz, and Drew Carswell as mainstays of the offense.
Offensive line
The Pitt coaches knew right away that offensive line would be a recruiting priority. Perhaps it's a bit disingenuous to say that, since the offensive line is always a priority in recruiting, but the Pitt staff inherited a group that needed significant upgrades, and those upgrades will take several classes to fully implement.
So the coaches set out to sign a bunch of linemen, and they started off with tackle Carson Baker to Reese, and they currently sit at two in the class.
The biggest target who is still on the board has been the coaches' biggest target all along: four-star tackle Dorian Johnson from Belle Vernon. Johnson has been tight with the Pitt coaches throughout the recruiting process, and the Panthers were arguably the favorite heading into the summer. In fact, Johnson was expected to commit to Pitt in June, and by his own admission he very nearly did just that.
Then he took an unofficial visit to Penn State in late June, and he committed to the Nittany Lions the next day. That was a blow to Pitt's recruiting and a major loss; there's really no other way to spin it. But when the NCAA announced that it was going to levy harsh punishment on Penn State for the Jerry Sandusky cover-up, Johnson reconsidered.
Rather than attend a school facing a bowl ban and scholarship reductions, Johnson re-opened his recruitment. From the start - or rather re-start - Pitt has been at the top of the list once again for Johnson, which makes sense: Pitt was one of his two finalists the first time around, and now the other finalist is out of the mix. Added to the mix this time are Ohio State and Virginia Tech.
Johnson will take official visits to all three schools and will probably like what he sees at Ohio State (I suspect his experience in Blacksburg, Va., will be considerably less impressive if he doesn't visit on game day). Urban Meyer can be a convincing recruiter, but when it's all said and done, I think Johnson ends up staying home and picks Pitt. We spoke to Johnson this week about his recruitment, and here's what he had to say.
If the coaches land Johnson, they'll be looking for one more offensive lineman to fill out the class. The smart money is on West Catholic's Jaryd Jones-Smith. As has been documented on this site, Jones-Smith has set several visits to Pitt, only to have each of them fall through for various reasons. Don't take that as an indication of his interest level, though; Jones-Smith is quite interested in Pitt, and once he visits, I suspect the Panthers will land his services.
If Pitt could get Johnson and Jones-Smith, the coaches will be plenty happy with the haul. There have been some questions about junior college players, and there are even a few who have offers, but from we've been told, the Pitt coaches just aren't enamored with the available JUCO's and will likely sign only high school players in this class.
2013 target number: 4
Commitments: Aaron Reese
Top targets: Eric Tetlow
2014
Assuming Pitt lands Johnson and Jones-Smith to go with Baker and Reese, here's what the roster will look like:
2013 - Zenel Demhasaj (SR) Juantez Hollins (RS SR), Cory King (RS SR), Ryan Schlieper (RS SR), Arthur Doakes (RS JR), Shane Johnson (RS JR), Tom Ricketts (RS JR), Matt Rotheram (RS JR), Artie Rowell (RS SOPH), Adam Bisnowaty (RS FR), Gabe Roberts (RS FR), Carson Baker (FR), Aaron Reese (FR), Dorian Johnson (FR), Jaryd Jones-Smith (FR)
2014 - Doakes (RS SR), S. Johnson (RS SR), Ricketts (RS SR), Rotheram (RS SR), Rowell (RS JR), Bisnowaty (RS SOPH), Roberts (RS SOPH), Baker (SOPH/RS FR), Reese (SOPH/RS FR), D. Johnson (SOPH/RS FR), Jones-Smith (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Rowell (RS JR), Bisnowaty (RS JR), Roberts (RS JR), Baker (JR/RS SOPH), Reese (JR/RS SOPH), D. Johnson (JR/RS SOPH), Jones-Smith (JR/RS SOPH)
And those seven will be back in 2016. As always there are a few caveats:
- Freshman walk-on John Guy is probably a strong candidate for a scholarship in the future. The coaches liked what he was doing early in training camp, but an injury has him on the sidelines.
- The future isn't promised to anyone, particularly the eight linemen who are current redshirt sophomores or older. Demhasaj likely won't be back for 2013, and you have to wonder about Doakes, whose contributions have been very light to this point.
- You also have to wonder about the realistic expectations of contributions from those players. Shane Johnson could step up next season and replace Ryan Turnley at center (he volunteered to take snaps as the emergency center this year), but more than a few of those upperclassmen seem to be on tenuous ground.
So the coaches can't lay back on recruiting linemen in the class of 2014. They already have offers out to guys like Jarrett LaRubbio, but that number will grow considerably as the fall progresses and spring arrives. This staff might look to sign four offensive linemen in the classes of 2013, 2014, 2015, and possibly 2016 in order to add some significant numbers to the position on future rosters.
Defensive line
And just like that, we're on to the defense.
11 scholarship linemen aren't quite as many as a coaching staff would like when it's running a 4-3 scheme, but that's what the Pitt coaches inherited and that's what they have had to work with this season. That's why a true freshman - Darryl Render - and a redshirt freshman - Devin Cook - have played quite a bit through the first four games.
The numbers issue on the current roster stems from the fact that Pitt has brought in seven new linemen in the last three classes combined. Averaging just over two linemen per class isn't enough, so the current staff knows it needs to add numbers in the class of 2013.
So far, they've been doing just that with commitments from ends Tyrique Jarrett.
There are a few defensive end targets still on the board like Antoine Miles from Canton, Oh. But the Pitt coaches appear to be comfortable with the trio of Maclean, Soto, and Conner, so as long as those three stay solid, the staff should be done with ends in this class. Conner did show some hesitation when he committed, but he told me this week that he has stayed in regular contact with the Pitt coaches and things seem to be pretty solid there.
At tackle, the staff would like to add at least one more. Jarrett is a solid start to the class; after him, the coaches are looking at Philadelphia George Washington's Kenton Gibbs, who decommitted from Illinois and is considering an official visit to Pitt.
Additionally, we've also heard that Pitt has started showing some increased interest in Prescott (Wisc.) defensive tackle Nick Jacobsen, and we'll see what we can find out about his interaction with Pitt. The JUCO question has also come up regarding defensive linemen, but the situation is more or less the same as on the offensive line: the coaches just don't rate the available JUCO linemen very highly, and they'll keep the focus on high school (and prep, in the case of Jarrett) players.
Overall, Pitt is in good shape with Moody and should emerge as the leader once he takes his official visit. If they can land Moody, I think they'll feel good about signing three ends and two tackles in this class.
2013 target number: 4-6 total (2-3 ends, 2-3 tackles)
Commitments: a href=http://rivals.yahoo.com/pittsburgh/football/recruiting/player-James-Conner-134427>James Conner, Tyrique Jarrett
Top targets: Kenton Gibbs
2014
Once again, we'll take a look at the current roster as it projects down the road.
Tackles
2013 - Aaron Donald (SR), Tyrone Ezell (RS SR), LaQuentin Smith (JR), Khaynin Mosley-Smith (JR), Darryl Render (SOPH), Terrell Jackson (RS FR), Tyrique Jarrett (FR)
2014 - Smith (SR), Mosley-Smith (SR), Render (JR), Jackson (RS SOPH), Jarrett (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Render (SR), Jackson (RS JR), Jarrett (JR/RS SOPH)
2016 - Jackson (RS SR), Jarret (SR/RS JR)
Ends
2013 - Jack Lippert (RS SR), TJ Clemmings (RS JR), Bryan Murphy (RS JR), Devin Cook (RS SOPH), James Conner (FR), Luke Maclean (FR), Shakir Soto (FR)
2014 - Clemmings (RS SR), Murphy (RS SR), Cook (RS JR), Conner (SOPH/RS FR), Maclean (SOPH/RS FR), Soto (SOPH/RS FR)
2015 - Cook (RS SR), Conner (JR/RS SOPH), Maclean (JR/RS SOPH), Soto (JR/RS SOPH)
2016 - Conner (SR/RS JR), Maclean (SR/RS JR), Soto (SR/RS JR)
At tackle, they are sitting good with seven for 2013 (eight if you figure that the coaches will sign a second tackle in addition to Jarrett). And they have a good foundation for 2014 with six scholarship tackles plus that year's freshmen.
Similarly, the defensive end position gets instantly restocked with the addition of three freshmen, and Pitt should have eight scholarship ends on the roster next season. And only one will graduate after 2013, so most of those players will be back for 2014 and beyond.
Still, the coaches shouldn't get too comfortable with the influx of numbers coming next season. Skimping on linemen in a recruiting class is what got Pitt into this position as it is, so the coaches will need to keep pumping the position full of new players, which means I'd expect to see at least two ends and two tackles in the class of 2014.
Linebacker
Linebacker is an interesting position for Pitt. There were a lot of question marks and inexperience on the roster heading into this season. But a bunch of those inexperienced players are getting valuable experience this season, so when Shane Gordon comes back as a redshirt senior and Eric Williams is a redshirt junior next year, they will have a full year of starting experience under their belts.
The perception of the linebacker position also shifted in training camp when freshmen Deaysean Rippy and Bam Bradley were moved from safety to linebacker. That added two talented players to the position, which changes the whole look of the group.
Now, instead of needing three or maybe four linebackers in the class, Pitt could probably get by with two. The coaches have a commitment from Haverford School linebacker Matt Galambos, which means they're looking for at least one more.
There are several options for that additional one or two recruits at linebacker. [/URL]Zayd Issah is also back on the market after decommitting from Penn State, but he seems to be looking elsewhere.
We've also reported several times about Youngstown Mooney's Courtney Love, the Nebraska commit who visited Pitt at least twice over the summer. He has maintained his commitment to Nebraska but has left the door open for more official visits.
Pitt is also still actively recruiting Alton Meeks. The three-star prospect from Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips is listed in the Rivals.com database as a quarterback, but Pitt has recruited him as a linebacker. Even though Meeks is committed to Cincinnati, he is considering Pitt and even spoke with head coach Paul Chryst last week. He is interested in taking an official visit to Pitt but doesn't want to jeopardize his status with the Cincinnati coaches.
If Pitt misses on Benton, Johnson, Love, Issah and Meeks, then they could move on a recruit like three-star Wilson linebacker he would be very interested if Pit offered.
I don't think they'll need to send out any new offers, though; I think they'll get one of those other five (probably Benton; maybe Meeks) and call it a day. If you look at The Scholarship Board, you'll see that there are three linebackers with sophomore eligibility (Ejuan Price, Todd Thomas, Eric Williams), two with redshirt freshman eligibility (Jason Frimpong, Nicholas Grigsby), and four with freshman eligibility (Rippy, Bradley, Mike Caprara, Devon Porchia). Even if a Todd Graham recruit like Frimpong decides to pursue his interests elsewhere, Price is taking a redshirt this season and will retain sophomore eligibility next year. So the class-by-class for the 2013 season will look like this:
Senior eligibility - 3
Junior eligibility - 2
Sophomore eligibility - 3
Redshirt freshman eligibility - 4
That's a back-loaded position that doesn't really have any holes in terms of numbers-per-class. Adding two freshman linebackers to the 2013 roster will suffice, although if more than one of those five targets wants to commit, they'll certainly take him.
2013 target number: 2-3
Commitments: Matt Galambos
Top targets: [/URL]Alton Meeks
2014
So far we list Gateway junior Pitt is his current leader.
I would expect Pitt to go for at least two and probably three linebackers in the class of 2014.
Defensive back
Pitt has some holes on the roster at cornerback. K'Waun Williams, Cullen Christian, and Lafayette Pitts make up the entirety of upperclassmen depth, although there are three true freshmen on the roster. And with Jahmahl Pardner's injury, all three true freshmen figure to redshirt.
That kind of back-loading makes for an interesting situation in recruiting corners for this class. Pitt could probably take as many as three corners in the class of 2013 (they seem to be headed that way), but the coaches could also get away with only two.
Right now, that's where Pitt stands, with commitments from getting closer to setting up visits and Pitt certainly seems to be in good shape, but it seems like Northwestern is the primary competition, and this one could go to the Wildcats.
Pitt doesn't have any commitments at safety, but the current roster is a bit more spread out at that position than at cornerback. Here's what it looks like for next year:
Senior eligibility - 1
Junior eligibility - 2
Sophomore eligibility - 2
Redshirt freshman eligibility - 1
They'll need at least one safety in the class, and two is a safer bet for keeping the position stocked. At this point, though, it doesn't look like there are a lot of options. Howard could be a safety, which is a possibility the coaches will consider, and they are also active with Richmond (Va.) Hermitage safety Brian Brown, who visited for the Virginia Tech game and seems to be favoring Pitt.
I think they'll sign one safety in this class, either Brown or an athlete who emerges in his senior season. The coaches could also have plans on moving a player to safety from another position.
2013 target number: 4 total defensive backs
Commitments: Titus Howard
Top targets: Brian Brown
2014
Pitt will want a couple more cornerbacks and safeties in the class of 2014, and the first place to look for quality defensive backs is Aliquippa. The Quips have junior Troy Vincent, the son of the former NFL player of the same name, but Vincent will likely land a bunch more offers.
Like a lot of positions, defensive backs often emerge throughout their junior seasons and in the spring camp circuit.
Okay, I think we hit on every position. I didn't address the specialists, but you all know that Pitt has two commitments, and I think we can all safely assume that the coaches won't be pursuing any others. Next week we'll touch on some overviews of the class and a few other recruiting topics, but I'm looking at the word count on this piece right now and it's somewhere around 6,000, so I think we can call it a day for this week's edition of In the Pitt.
This post was edited on 9/28 8:53 AM by Chris Peak
