Most Pitt talent in a long time, and Im going to show you why

[steel_curtain]

Get ready to see talent.

Paris Ford



George Hill



Thomas Macvittie



Phil Cambell

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3034084/highlights/184243387/v2

Ruben Flowers

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3461920/highlights/224376376/v2

 

[mdpitt]

Get ready to see talent.

Paris Ford

View embedded media

George Hill

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Thomas Macvittie

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Phil Cambell

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3034084/highlights/184243387/v2

Ruben Flowers

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3461920/highlights/224376376/v2

I would actually encourage everyone to watch those videos. Year in and year out recruiting is a bit of a waste of time as a fan because so many kids just don't make it at the next level. These films ( including the qb) all have some Jordan Whitehead, Tyler Boyd and Revis in them. The QB was the most surprising with a sense of just making stuff happen. You can just kind of tell they will all make it happen.

 

[steel_curtain]

I would actually encourage everyone to watch those videos. Year in and year out recruiting is a bit of a waste of time as a fan because so many kids just don't make it at the next level. These films ( including the qb) all have some Jordan Whitehead, Tyler Boyd and Revis in them. The QB was the most surprising with a sense of just making stuff happen. You can just kind of tell they will all make it happen.

-Im not one to be big into the whole twitter frenzy, but I checked out a few recruits just to see what they had to say. Lamont Wade's comments today are pretty interesting. I had it Pitt vs Ohio State before for Wade. I think Wade is a Pitt lean now.

 

[Gregory25]

Campbell is a beast!

 

[vegasgreed]

-Im not one to be big into the whole twitter frenzy, but I checked out a few recruits just to see what they had to say. Lamont Wade's comments today are pretty interesting. I had it Pitt vs Ohio State before for Wade. I think Wade is a Pitt lean now.

What did Wade say?

 

[steel_curtain]

What did Wade say?

Lamont Wade

"What if a recruit already knew where he was going, but he just wanted to take officials to like use them as lil short get aways"?

 

[steel_curtain]

-Quayshon Alexander also just reopened his recruitment tonight and decommitted from Nebraska Just visited Pitt. 4* DE, offers from everyone. Duzzi on Fire

 

[LCFP79]

Anyone know how fast George Hill is? He looks like a jumbo-sized TD blowing past people.

 

[deepelemblues]

Lamont Wade

"What if a recruit already knew where he was going, but he just wanted to take officials to like use them as lil short get aways"?

THIS IS LITERALLY UNPOSSSIBLE

Kids do not go on visits just to have a good time at college campuses hundreds of miles away from home!

 

[Parkview57]

QB impressive vs a pretty strong d-line.

 

[Tuckabuckaway]

Those clips should excite every Pitt fan! Talent showcase. You should have to be over 18 to watch some of that $hit.

Ford is gonna be a Superstar, Hill could build his own island at corner, Macvittie's release is QUICK...and great feet, Campbell is Thor's hammer in cleats and Flowers not only has tremendous size but channels Randy Moss. Pass me another cup.

 

[PittPharmacy1989]

Anyone know how fast George Hill is? He looks like a jumbo-sized TD blowing past people.

I thought I read he ran a 10.75 100 meter, which would be slightly faster than Jordan Whitehead. Impressive if true. He looks fast in his highlights.

 

[raleighpanther]

Now this is the way to evaluate our recruiting class! Actually looking at the players directly to see what kind of skills they have. Campbell inexplicably has only 3 stars. He may be the best of the bunch.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Now this is the way to evaluate our recruiting class! Actually looking at the players directly to see what kind of skills they have. Campbell inexplicably has only 3 stars. He may be the best of the bunch.

By watching highlight clips?

No, it's not. The correct way to evaluate a recruiting class would be for a knowledgeable evaluator to watch actual game film, of the whole game not carefully selected clips, and indeed of multiple games and not just one, while focusing on the one guy you are interested in and pretty much ignoring the rest of it, other than the level of opposition that was being provided. And then of course you would want to be able to see them in person, preferably at a camp that you are running but also if possible to watch them actually play a game in person. You know, the way that actual college coaches evaluate potential recruits that they might be interested in.

There are no major college football coaches who sit there and watch these highlight clips and decide to offer a guy based on that. For the simple fact that they are highlight clips. If some defensive lineman makes a handful of good plays all game long and the rest of the game he's getting destroyed by the offensive lineman across from him you don't see all those plays that the guys is getting destroyed on in these clips. You only see the good. For the most part folks like us don't know how good the opponent is that the players are going against in these clips. For instance maybe that defensive lineman is destroying that kid lined up across from him because that kid is a 16 year old backup who is playing his first high school game ever because the kid who normally starts is hurt and can't play. And so on.

The idea that some people have here that they can tell if guys are going to be great college players or not simply by watching these highlight clips with no other context is laughable. The people whose jobs depend on figuring these things out certainly don't do it that way.

For whatever it matters (and it's not a whole lot), Campbell only has three stars because people who have seen a lot more than some highlight clips gave him that grade. Does that mean that they are correct? Of course not. But if all you ever did was watch these highlight clips you'd think everyone was a great player.

 

[Piranha]

8-4 and a very good recruiting class in year 1. The future is bright.

 

[steel_curtain]

By watching highlight clips?

No, it's not. The correct way to evaluate a recruiting class would be for a knowledgeable evaluator to watch actual game film, of the whole game not carefully selected clips, and indeed of multiple games and not just one, while focusing on the one guy you are interested in and pretty much ignoring the rest of it, other than the level of opposition that was being provided. And then of course you would want to be able to see them in person, preferably at a camp that you are running but also if possible to watch them actually play a game in person. You know, the way that actual college coaches evaluate potential recruits that they might be interested in.

There are no major college football coaches who sit there and watch these highlight clips and decide to offer a guy based on that. For the simple fact that they are highlight clips. If some defensive lineman makes a handful of good plays all game long and the rest of the game he's getting destroyed by the offensive lineman across from him you don't see all those plays that the guys is getting destroyed on in these clips. You only see the good. For the most part folks like us don't know how good the opponent is that the players are going against in these clips. For instance maybe that defensive lineman is destroying that kid lined up across from him because that kid is a 16 year old backup who is playing his first high school game ever because the kid who normally starts is hurt and can't play. And so on.

The idea that some people have here that they can tell if guys are going to be great college players or not simply by watching these highlight clips with no other context is laughable. The people whose jobs depend on figuring these things out certainly don't do it that way.

For whatever it matters (and it's not a whole lot), Campbell only has three stars because people who have seen a lot more than some highlight clips gave him that grade. Does that mean that they are correct? Of course not. But if all you ever did was watch these highlight clips you'd think everyone was a great player.

-sorry Joe, but that is complete bullshit. Bullshit. BULLSHIT. Because Penn State offered Paris Ford after seeing 1play, the first play in the video above. Ford was interviewed and said so in another video because that highlight clip spread like wildfire right after it happened. Its also on YouTube.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

sorry Joe, but that is complete bullshit. Bullshit. BULLSHIT. Because Penn State offered Paris Ford after seeing 1play, the first play in the video above. Ford was interviewed and said so in another video because that highlight clip spread like wildfire right after it happened. Its also on YouTube.

And of course everything you read on the internet is obviously true.

If you think that Penn State knew nothing at all about Paris Ford before they saw one video clip of him and then they saw that one clip and decided to offer him based only on that without any other knowledge of him what so ever then you are even dumber than I thought. Dumb. DUMB.

I mean how completely incompetent would Penn State's whole recruiting apparatus have to be for them to have not known anything at all or even seen any film at all of a guy like Ford before they saw that one clip? We can hate on Penn State all we want and we can laugh at what we perceive is the lack of in game coaching ability from their head coach, but the idea that you are espousing, that their whole recruiting setup is completely and utterly incompetent, is not born out by the facts.

 

[steel_curtain]

Actually, its a video interview of Paris

And of course everything you read on the internet is obviously true.

If you think that Penn State knew nothing at all about Paris Ford before they saw one video clip of him and then they saw that one clip and decided to offer him based only on that without any other knowledge of him what so ever then you are even dumber than I thought. Dumb. DUMB.

I mean how completely incompetent would Penn State's whole recruiting apparatus have to be for them to have not known anything at all or even seen any film at all of a guy like Ford before they saw that one clip? We can hate on Penn State all we want and we can laugh at what we perceive is the lack of in game coaching ability from their head coach, but the idea that you are espousing, that their whole recruiting setup is completely and utterly incompetent, is not born out by the facts.

Actually, its a video interview of Paris Ford. And its Paris Ford's actual words updating his recruiting before he committed to Pitt. Unless of course you are calling our best recruit Paris Ford a complete liar.

 

[thebadby2]

[

-sorry Joe, but that is complete bullshit. Bullshit. BULLSHIT. Because Penn State offered Paris Ford after seeing 1play, the first play in the video above. Ford was interviewed and said so in another video because that highlight clip spread like wildfire right after it happened. Its also on g.

This just in: every recruit has an impressive highlight film. Every D1 recruit will stand out in game film where 90% of the other kids on the field will not play beyond high school. Did you see Jester Weah's highlight vid? Looks like Terrell Owens. Yet he can't get on the field for Pitt. Joe is 100% right. And that is no reflection one way or the other on your original post that this is the most talented class we've had in a long time, it may well prove to be-but certainly not based on some highlight films.

And a player like Paris Ford doesn't need a highlight film, he's a human highlight film whose reputation precedes him in the coaching and recruiting world.

 

[steel_curtain]

[

This just in: every recruit has an impressive highlight film. Every D1 recruit will stand out in game film where 90% of the other kids on the field will not play beyond high school. Did you see Jester Weah's highlight vid? Looks like Terrell Owens. Yet he can't get on the field for Pitt. Joe is 100% right. And that is no reflection one way or the other on your original post that this is the most talented class we've had in a long time, it may well prove to be-but certainly not based on some highlight films.

And a player like Paris Ford doesn't need a highlight film, he's a human highlight film whose reputation precedes him in the coaching and recruiting world.

I guess you and Joe are both calling Paris Ford a liar. Either way, don't watch the clips then. You two can read about our recruits instead and look at star rankings.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Actually, its a video interview of Paris Ford. And its Paris Ford's actual words updating his recruiting before he committed to Pitt. Unless of course you are calling our best recruit Paris Ford a complete liar.

So what you are saying is that there was a kid who was nationally known as one of the best sophomores in the country who was from an area that Penn State recruits all the time, and that the coaches at Penn State had no idea that he even existed until they saw one play off a highlight clip of him, whereby they immediately decided to offer the kid a scholarship with no other information at hand. If you don't recognize how completely and utterly moronic that statement is then I just don't know what to say.

 

[steel_curtain]

So what you are saying is that there was a kid who was nationally known as one of the best sophomores in the country who was from an area that Penn State recruits all the time, and that the coaches at Penn State had no idea that he even existed until they saw one play off a highlight clip of him, whereby they immediately decided to offer the kid a scholarship with no other information at hand. If you don't recognize how completely and utterly moronic that statement is then I just don't know what to say.

So Penn State has been watching Ford since he was a high school freshmen? Penn State is just that great that they know about all these high school freshmen no one else has heard of before they are nationally known? Interesting, OK, if you say so.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

look at star rankings.

I don't pay attention to star rankings. Kaezon Pugh didn't magically become a better football player a week or two ago when Rivals changed him from the three star recruit to a four star recruit. If you want to know the quality of a recruit look at the schools that are recruiting him and who has offered a scholarship (in as much as you can get accurate information on that). For instance Pugh was being recruited by good programs all over the country, Miami, Auburn, Arizona, etc. If people didn't think he was a good player he wouldn't be getting offers like that. The coaches at Nebraska and Virginia Tech didn't care how many stars Rivals gave him, they cared that they thought he could help them win football games.

 

[steel_curtain]

I don't pay attention to star rankings. Kaezon Pugh didn't magically become a better football player a week or two ago when Rivals changed him from the three star recruit to a four star recruit. If you want to know the quality of a recruit look at the schools that are recruiting him and who has offered a scholarship (in as much as you can get accurate information on that). For instance Pugh was being recruited by good programs all over the country, Miami, Auburn, Arizona, etc. If people didn't think he was a good player he wouldn't be getting offers like that. The coaches at Nebraska and Virginia Tech didn't care how many stars Rivals gave him, they cared that they thought he could help them win football games.

I honestly couldn't give a rats ass about a players offer sheet. Aaron Donald got offered by Pitt, I think Toledo, and Akron. Pugh looks ok. I like the guys I have above. I like all Pitts players. But I was impressed most by the above players. Campbell was the NJ state player of the year. That alone tells me his 3 star ranking is questionable. After seeing Campbell 's stats and his video, the kid looks like a complete beast to me. But that's my opinion.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

So Penn State has been watching Ford since he was a high school freshmen? Penn State is just that great that they know about all these high school freshmen no one else has heard of before they are nationally known? Interesting, OK, if you say so.

They wouldn't have had to have been watching him as a freshman to have known about him after his sophomore year was over. I mean you do understand that the time frame you are talking about is December of last year, after the high school football season was over, don't you?

He's a guy who was all section as a sophomore, who some people felt should have made the PG and Trib's all area teams. And you don't think that a school that recruits this area hard all the time had ever even heard of him before.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I honestly couldn't give a rats ass about a players offer sheet.

Because you're dumb.

Aaron Donald is the exception, not the rule. Alabama recruits better players than Troy. Ohio State recruits better players than Akron. Miami recruits better players than Florida Atlantic. And so on. Of course it isn't foolproof, but if you can't even understand that then your opinion on this is worth just about nothing.

 

[Teh Teh]

I think seeing videos IS the way to see how players play rather than see their rivals star rating.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I think seeing videos IS the way to see how players play rather than see their rivals star rating.

If you were watching whole games, sure. But highlight clips? Do you ever see a clip of the receiver who has suspect hands dropping a pass? Do you ever see clips of the running back who can't seem to hang on to the ball fumble? Do you ever see the offensive tackle who lacks a little quickness have a defensive end blow past him like he's a traffic cone and destroy the quarterback? Of course not, because these clips are all about putting the best foot forward for these kids. Instead you see the receiver making a nice catch. You see the running back get a nice gain. You see the offensive tackle keep his guy off the quarterback. And so on.

 

[steel_curtain]

Agreed. Who isn't impressed with 4.3-4.4 speed? Who isn't impressed with a player making diving catches, hurdling players, crushing a player with a big hit on defense, making game breaking ankle breaking jukes? Only on a Pitt board can this ridiculisness be brought up. I watch a lot of high school videos. Color me unimpressed by most of them or mildly impressed. If anyone wants to show me a more impressive video of someone over Paris Ford, I want to see it.

 

[Teh Teh]

If you were watching whole games, sure. But highlight clips? Do you ever see a clip of the receiver who has suspect hands dropping a pass? Do you ever see clips of the running back who can't seem to hang on to the ball fumble? Do you ever see the offensive tackle who lacks a little quickness have a defensive end blow past him like he's a traffic cone and destroy the quarterback? Of course not, because these clips are all about putting the best foot forward for these kids. Instead you see the receiver making a nice catch. You see the running back get a nice gain. You see the offensive tackle keep his guy off the quarterback. And so on.

Short answer ... yes! You can see it on highlight clips. I see it all the time, you can tell if a player actually has legit speed or good technique or if it's a case of a good system or legit god given ability. Maybe if you suck at picking up those things then you'd be right

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

How can you tell on one of these clips if a player has great speed or if he's playing against a team that doesn't have fast players? If a running back breaks a long run and the defensive back can't catch him how do you know if that's because the running back runs a 4.4 40 or if it's because he runs a 4.7 but the defensive guy chasing him only runs a 4.9?

Simple answer, you can't. Unless you know the quality and abilities of the opponents you have no context for these kinds of things merely from looking at highlights. That's why coaches don't recruit off of highlight clips, they recruit off of game films. If you watch a whole game you can better understand the context that the player is making (or not making) plays in.

 

[OriginalEther]

There's a reason why I never watch highlight tapes.

 

[Parkview57]

1. Tangibles or measurables to get started ( but not necessarily the end).
Speed & Strength(Combine type+ HS Track/field etc,) , Height, weight.
2. Highlight film assessment (vision, cuts, acceleration, ability to shed blocks, reaction, etc.,)
3. Total Game Film assessment (same as above, also adjustment to situation or opponent, effort, etc.)
4. Intangibles, grades, love for the game, work ethic reputation, perhaps view athlete in other sports.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*5. The staff's professional opinion of who really is a player, based on their experience and knowledge at this level
*6. The staff's ability and knowledge of understanding their system and being able to pinpoint and find players to fit their system to a T.

Here is how I understand it in general. At numbers 5 and 6, coaching becomes an art, not a science, thus the talent of the HC, and his staff, becomes crucial over time.

 

[steel_curtain]

How can you tell on one of these clips if a player has great speed or if he's playing against a team that doesn't have fast players? If a running back breaks a long run and the defensive back can't catch him how do you know if that's because the running back runs a 4.4 40 or if it's because he runs a 4.7 but the defensive guy chasing him only runs a 4.9?

Simple answer, you can't. Unless you know the quality and abilities of the opponents you have no context for these kinds of things merely from looking at highlights. That's why coaches don't recruit off of highlight clips, they recruit off of game films. If you watch a whole game you can better understand the context that the player is making (or not making) plays in.

OK, take speed out. Show me another player that has better hands than Paris Ford. Show me a player making diving catches, catching 50 yard bombs over the shoulder, beatin double teams, hurdling players, etc. Cherry pick any recruit you want in high school. Bama, whoever, I want to see it at the high school level a better set of hands than Paris Ford. The guy is a human highlight reel. Show me a more impressive video where I want to say wow that was awesome after seeing it.

 

[vegasgreed]

+1. That is dumb.

Because you're dumb.

Aaron Donald is the exception, not the rule. Alabama recruits better players than Troy. Ohio State recruits better players than Akron. Miami recruits better players than Florida Atlantic. And so on. Of course it isn't foolproof, but if you can't even understand that then your opinion on this is worth just about nothing.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

1. Tangibles or measurables to get started ( but not necessarily the end).
Speed & Strength(Combine type+ HS Track/field etc,) , Height, weight.
2. Highlight film assessment (vision, cuts, acceleration, ability to shed blocks, reaction, etc.,)
3. Total Game Film assessment (same as above, also adjustment to situation or opponent, effort, etc.)
4. Intangibles, grades, love for the game, work ethic reputation, perhaps view athlete in other sports.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*5. The staff's professional opinion of who really is a player, based on their experience and knowledge at this level
*6. The staff's ability and knowledge of understanding their system and being able to pinpoint and find players to fit their system to a T.

Here is how I understand it in general. At numbers 5 and 6, coaching becomes an art, not a science, thus the talent of the HC, and his staff, becomes crucial over time.

Excellent Post Thank You!

 

[steel_curtain]

Short answer ... yes! You can see it on highlight clips. I see it all the time, you can tell if a player actually has legit speed or good technique or if it's a case of a good system or legit god given ability. Maybe if you suck at picking up those things then you'd be right

Thank goodness in regard to that. Majors didn't watch a single Tony Dorsett game. He didn't even see him until after his senior year was finished. Interesting how that goes. TD used to play cornerback in high school. Everyone said he was to small to play running back. Until an opportunity came, and the rest is history.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

OK, take speed out. Show me another player that has better hands than Paris Ford. Show me a player making diving catches, catching 50 yard bombs over the shoulder, beatin double teams, hurdling players, etc. Cherry pick any recruit you want in high school. Bama, whoever, I want to see it at the high school level a better set of hands than Paris Ford. The guy is a human highlight reel. Show me a more impressive video where I want to say wow that was awesome after seeing it.

Nice Quote as a Signature....I like these Quotes too:

"Know this: James Conner will not face this challenge alone," Narduzzi said in the release. "We are all going to be right beside him every step of the way. And the day that he is declared cancer free, we will all celebrate like we do after one of his patented touchdown runs. James has never backed down from an opponent, and we all know this is a battle he will win."

AND

"I will play football again. I will be at Heinz Field again," Conner said. "I have the best coaches and teammates in the country. I thank God I chose Pitt because now I also have the best doctors in the country, and together we will win. I know this city has my back."

How and why Pitt has always been able to say with Pride......Where do we get such Students, Recruits, and Players every year and in every Decade since 1900s? They leave this homes and High Schools and accept a Pitt Scholarship and they focus on their studies, learning to play better and contribute to life on and off the field!

Then they choose Pitt even when other think there are better places to learn and be adored by fans that forget them as soon as they are gone,m but not Pitt Fans?

These special Student Athletes have always not been ashamed or regret coming to Pitt even when Pitt was not winning!

Pitt is like a beacon of light in a foggy bottom that causes life learning events in players with the desire and talent to make themselves better.

This can be seen in The Consensus All American Listing, All Century Teams, Hall Of College and NFL Fames, and especially College and Pro Players of the Years in the NFL not as specks lost at sea, but as Giants standing with Giants in USC, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Miami and Texas!

How can anyone being a Pitt Fan not be proud of Players like Conner, Whitehead, Boyd, Fitzgerald, Revis, McCoy, Dorsett, Fralic, Brown, Covert, Jackson, Doleman, Green, Marino, Ditka, Schottenheimer, Schmidt, Goldberg and too numerous to mention and only a few University can match as the rest look up at Pitt with envy!

Where do we get such Student Athletes like Conner says more about Pitt than anything anyone can Brand and why Traditions are important because they keep attracting the Best Men and Women?

I am so proud of this Pitt Football Program and University!