His class was done yesterday (Wednesday). I'm pretty sure it was Narduzzi who said that when he spoke with the media earlier this week.
Paris Ford . Status update?
- Thread starter tetonpanther
- Start date
His class was done yesterday (Wednesday). I'm pretty sure it was Narduzzi who said that when he spoke with the media earlier this week.
What difference does it make?
In light of injuries....suspensions...schedule.....
This team is 7-5 with Ford or without him.
In light of injuries....suspensions...schedule.....
This team is 7-5 with Ford or without him.
You don't believe Ford would help out during the first 3 games of the season with Whitehead out?
On defense, I think it's less likely he could make much difference right away. Tailback and WR are positions where that is the most likely for a pure freshman to immediately have (positive) impact. Hopefully his raw ability could bear quick fruit on special teams. But i would be really surprised if he would be able to take command in the secondary with basically 10 days of camp experience.
Whitehead was able to have impact for sure immediately, and i know fans have similar hopes here. But he had more time, and was also freelancing out there that first year, it seemed. Flip side, a guy like Hamlin was lost when thrown in and asked to perform within a scheme. So you'd also need to know what they'd ask Ford to actually try to do.
But who knows. Guys can surprise (though more often at TB or WR as mentioned). It would be a surprise for sure though, it shouldn't be an expectation.
At this point no. Let say he get cleared today. He now has 5 day acclimatization period. Assuming Pitt practices Saturday he won't be in full pads until next Thursday practice. That gives him 1 week of preseason practice and 1 week of game prep to be ready to play. Outside of special teams it is very doubtful that he makes any impact until much later in the season. That best case scenario. It a difficult transition and even more difficult if you miss the teaching early in camp. If it drags out much longer a red shirt would not surprise me.
Per the NCAA regs, if Paris Ford is not on the current 105 player roster, he wont be eligible to be added or practice until the first day of Fall classes.
You don't know if he is or not. If they brought in only 104 they can add him. In addition you may replace a player due to injury. Pitt has had several guys hurt and not practicing. So he could possibly replace them.
17.10.2.1.2 Limit on Number of Participants—Bowl Subdivision. [FBS] In bowl subdivision football, there shall be a limit of 105 student-athletes who may engage in practice activities prior to the institution’s first day of classes or prior to the fifth day before the day of the institution’s first contest, whichever occurs earlier. (Adopted: 1/11/94, Revised: 12/15/06, 4/26/17 effective 8/1/17)
17.10.2.1.2.1 Replacement of Student-Athlete Who Voluntarily Withdraws. [FBS] A student-athlete who has voluntarily withdrawn from an institution’s team, has departed the practice site and no longer will engage in any preseason activities may be replaced with another student-athlete without including that individual in the institution’s 105-participant preseason practice limitation. (Adopted: 1/10/95)
17.10.2.1.2.2 Replacement of Student-Athlete Due to Injury or Illness. [FBS] A student athlete who sustains an injury or illness that prevents further participation in preseason practice activities may be replaced with another student-athlete without including that individual in the institution’s limitation on number of individuals who may participate in preseason practice. The replaced student athlete shall cease participation in all athletically related activities (including team meetings and film review) and shall not resume participation in athletically related activities before the institution’s first day of classes or first contest, whichever occurs first. The replaced student-athlete may continue to receive preseason practice expenses. (Adopted: 1/17/09)
Starting the season against PSU and OSU, Narduzzi is going to trot out there the same DB's from last year most likely.
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I'll give Hamlin a pass based on him being injured and trying to tough it out in a few games last season.
If Ford takes up one of the safety positions, particularly if he takes Whitehead's job of ensuring no one gets behind the secondary, I can't believe it would take more than 2 weeks to get up to speed. I hated that Whitehead was forced into this position last year with the lack of options Narduzzi had at the time.
I'm sure the coaching staff would have loved to have Ford the past couple of weeks to prepare him mentally for the upcoming season, but he still may be the best option at Safety given his natural ability.
Do you think Hamlin will be part of the group? Thankfully Webb graduated at the Safety position.
If he had the opportunity (it was actually possibly via "getting an A, not a B+, in English 4") to gain eligibility this summer and couldn't do it, I wouldn't ever count on him getting to Pitt. Huge loss, if true, but all the information out there has been crap so far. I want him eligible now just to make sure he gets to Pitt, not because I think he can really impact the 2017 season, at this point.
Is that Paris Ford at the 36 second mark on the Kennywood video on Pitt Live Wire. It looks like him and he's not wearing the Pitt-provided t-shirt which would make sense since he isnt a student yet and cant get anything from Pitt. Maybe he bought his own ticket to join the team? The fact that Pitt showed this video could mean nothing or it could be a tease that they expect him to be eligible
pittdan77
Athletic Director
Pittsburgh Sports Now reported yesterday that Ford is waiting for clearance from the NCAA. The implied assumption is that it's just a question of getting the rubber stamp. Here's hoping that's it.
They have reported like 4 different things and dates. They clearly don't know and are just stringing people along for clicks.
Why do I get the feeling that Ford will.never play a down for Narduzzi???
Either he ends up elsewhere or Narduzzi leaves....
The best recruit in many years and likely won't get here.. I hope I'm wrong on both counts....until then
Pitting.........again.....
Either he ends up elsewhere or Narduzzi leaves....
The best recruit in many years and likely won't get here.. I hope I'm wrong on both counts....until then
Pitting.........again.....
pittdan77
Athletic Director
That's what happens when you require athletes to be students.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
No clue. It would be odd for him to be hanging around if he weren't destined to be cleared but what do I know?
The only positive would be that he got the sliding scale numbers, but it is held up because for some reason he took an unapproved course this summer to get there. I just don't think PSN has any real information. In fact, I doubt they even have an idea of the process.
Pittsburgh Sports Now is pure click bait. They just beg recruits on twitter for info, no connections. If there was anything to report, im sure Chris Peak would have done so.
That's not the point or the reason a lot of PITT fans aren't real happy right now.
Imagine the team with Whitehead, with the other dismissed and suspended players.
Yes Ford will help but he wont be the difference between maybe a 10-2, 9-3 and a 7-5 season which is the likely outcome at this time!
Not sure why our players didn't and probably still don't understand the definition of team!
TEAM is defined and reinforced by the coaching staff on most well disciplined teams!
That's a whole different topic (RE: suspensions). The point of my post is that Ford brings an incredible skillset to the field at a position of great need, especially with the suspension of Whitehead.
No one on this board will question the selfishness of players like Whitehead, Wirginis, Taleni, Bookser, et al. who put themselves before the team in making terrible decisions.
Let them play since the idea of a " student athlete" is a joke for the majority of P5 athletes. Just ask Alabama's Saban or Clemson's Daba or the UNC basketball program coaches going way back!
Again this is why I support MINORS for the NFL and the NBA just like the MLB and NHL.
They can all make a bit less and set up these programs!
There are some who are interested in their academics and their sport helmuts off to them!
This post almost sounds like you think it is Narduzzi's fault??? Ford cant make grades, Hamlin is hurt and Whitehead did roids... that is potentially 3/4th of the starting lineup out for reasons out of Narduzzi's control.
You have to admit we recruiting very well at DB the past 2 years.
Lack of practice and reps would more likely leave him confused. That sometimes can be overcome with raw athleticism... But more often the lack of experience will slow down a fast player to mere mortal. He who hesitates is usually lost.
And before I'm willing to crucify the suspended group, I'd need to know what all of them did, other than just Bookser. Ironically, Bookser likely deserved more than he got. So either the others did horrible things three times or more (in Taleni's case) worse than Bookser... or the admin overreacted and acted inconsistently in forcing the discipline on Duz. I think we can agree the latter is definitely possible.
As a good customer, I hope the info leaks sometime so I can at least have context in what happened, since the suspensions will contribute to a likely disappointing first month of the season.
Very few players can come in as true freshmen and play immediately unless they are difference makers. Do you believe Paris is a difference maker?
Agree I have long thought a NFL minor league system should be a reality. It would help but schools like bama would just be recruiting 4 star troubled kids instead of 5 star guys as there wouldn't likely be more than 16 or so teams with 50 kids or 800 total spread out over 4 years.
Hamlin was hurt when we recruited him. Ford was an academic question when we recruited him. Whitehead has been in his program for two years. So, yes, this is HCPN's program and his fault.
So, you believe Narduzzi should not have recruited these players in the first place?
We need Ford in a big way. Even with clearance, its unlikely at this point he's much of a contributor against PSU and OSU. First, he's missed 3 weeks of camp. Second, in nearly every case, Narduzzi plays the experienced guy early in the season in big games. That is why we will probably see Briggs as a starter at safety in the early big games, its not because he's the best player, more because he's the experience player. Most likely, same goes for Stocker and Motely if injuries don't get in the way. Motely is already injured though.
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