This is not a hard offense to get excited about. If I’m coming to Pitt to either – stay for years a la Narduzzi did as a coordinator at MSU OR coming for a year to get paid by the SEC – This is a pretty compelling depth chart:
LT: Brian O’Neill RS JR – 6’6 300 lbs and can score TDs. Yes please. Returning starter (at RT)
LG: Alex Bookser RS JR – 6’6 315 lbs. Starter in ’16 at RG.
C: Alex Officer RS SR – 6’4’’ 335 lbs. Starter in ‘16
RG: TBD
RT: Jaryd Jones-Smith RS SR – 6’7’’ 325 lbs. Backup RT in ’16.
Losing LT and LG and moving the right side over to the left, center returns. Insert Jones-Smith at RT and perhaps Baker or Reese at RG. Sweet caroline this is a gigantic offensive line.
RB: Darrin Hall JR – or Qadree Ollison RS JR – 1,000 yds in 2015 or Chawntez Moss FR –
We obviously lose a legend in Connor but the three guys we have are all talented in their own right – heck Ollison was ACC rookie of the year in ’15.
If we stop right here this feels like the type of offense that can continue to average 200 yds on the ground.
WR: Jester Weah RS SR – 6’3’’ 210 lbs and averaged over 23 yds per catch in ’16 with 795 yards and 9 TDs. FYI state sprint champ in high school 10.7 100 and 6.39 55 meter.
WR: Quadree Henderson JR – Electrifying ‘slot’ receiver type – 3 KO returns for touchdowns
TE: TBD
Playmakers returning as starters at WR. TE looks thin right now. Intriguing WR3 and WR4 in Aaron Mathewes SO and Maurice French SO.
QB: Max Browne RS SR – 6’5 225 lbs. transfer from USC where he was captain in ’16. #1 QB recruit out of HS in ’13.
Obviously we won’t know what we’re getting from the QB spot until the live bullets start flying – but it shouldn’t be crazy to think this kid can put together a Mitch Trubisky type of year. But given our ability to run the ball we may not even need that level of output.
Potential offensive coordinator in their first year get 3 returning lineman, 3 capable RBs, a NFL level WR (Weah) and electrifying slot WR (Henderson), and a former #1 recruit / 2016 USC Captain QB via transfer. Sure there will be 2 ‘new’ OL to break in, and TE is thin, but this would seem to be a pretty strong group to be inheriting. Mean while the group would conceivably only be losing 2 OL, QB, and Weah in ’17, with McV being primed to step in to the starting QB role for 3 seasons starting in ’17.
Oh yeah the schedule (D ranked per ESPN total Defense stats through 12/14)
Youngstown State (FCS)
Miami (23)
NC State (25)
@ Virginia Tech (36)
@ Penn State (45)
@ Georgia Tech (63)
@ Duke (68)
UNC (70)
Virginia (92)
Oklahoma State (106)
@ Syracuse (121)
Rice (123)
LT: Brian O’Neill RS JR – 6’6 300 lbs and can score TDs. Yes please. Returning starter (at RT)
LG: Alex Bookser RS JR – 6’6 315 lbs. Starter in ’16 at RG.
C: Alex Officer RS SR – 6’4’’ 335 lbs. Starter in ‘16
RG: TBD
RT: Jaryd Jones-Smith RS SR – 6’7’’ 325 lbs. Backup RT in ’16.
Losing LT and LG and moving the right side over to the left, center returns. Insert Jones-Smith at RT and perhaps Baker or Reese at RG. Sweet caroline this is a gigantic offensive line.
RB: Darrin Hall JR – or Qadree Ollison RS JR – 1,000 yds in 2015 or Chawntez Moss FR –
We obviously lose a legend in Connor but the three guys we have are all talented in their own right – heck Ollison was ACC rookie of the year in ’15.
If we stop right here this feels like the type of offense that can continue to average 200 yds on the ground.
WR: Jester Weah RS SR – 6’3’’ 210 lbs and averaged over 23 yds per catch in ’16 with 795 yards and 9 TDs. FYI state sprint champ in high school 10.7 100 and 6.39 55 meter.
WR: Quadree Henderson JR – Electrifying ‘slot’ receiver type – 3 KO returns for touchdowns
TE: TBD
Playmakers returning as starters at WR. TE looks thin right now. Intriguing WR3 and WR4 in Aaron Mathewes SO and Maurice French SO.
QB: Max Browne RS SR – 6’5 225 lbs. transfer from USC where he was captain in ’16. #1 QB recruit out of HS in ’13.
Obviously we won’t know what we’re getting from the QB spot until the live bullets start flying – but it shouldn’t be crazy to think this kid can put together a Mitch Trubisky type of year. But given our ability to run the ball we may not even need that level of output.
Potential offensive coordinator in their first year get 3 returning lineman, 3 capable RBs, a NFL level WR (Weah) and electrifying slot WR (Henderson), and a former #1 recruit / 2016 USC Captain QB via transfer. Sure there will be 2 ‘new’ OL to break in, and TE is thin, but this would seem to be a pretty strong group to be inheriting. Mean while the group would conceivably only be losing 2 OL, QB, and Weah in ’17, with McV being primed to step in to the starting QB role for 3 seasons starting in ’17.
Oh yeah the schedule (D ranked per ESPN total Defense stats through 12/14)
Youngstown State (FCS)
Miami (23)
NC State (25)
@ Virginia Tech (36)
@ Penn State (45)
@ Georgia Tech (63)
@ Duke (68)
UNC (70)
Virginia (92)
Oklahoma State (106)
@ Syracuse (121)
Rice (123)
