Excellent analysis and spot on why Pitt has so many obstacles to overcome on Recruiting as it Rebuilds Pitt Football Program. It is just Coach Pat Narduzzi & Staff 3rd year, but 4 & 5 Star Recruiting will not happen overnight.
Going up against Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State Coaches, Programs, Attendance, Boosters Support in the West is hard to attract and so behind in Top 25 Wins, Conference 10+ Win Season, Conference & Division Championship. Pitt Coaching can grab a few but harder to ever overcome the advantages built in Ohio from those Programs.
Looking to the East, Franklin & Staff and Penn State Strong Program is and always will be hard to overcome for Pitt. They have it all, Resources, Game Day Atmosphere, White Outs, Booster Support, and Recruiting Summer camps. Along with Franklin's own personality that is dynamic to anyone that meets and greets him. Add in Big Ten Income Money to Rutgers, Maryland and Temple revivals are Pitt Challenges there are just a few too like in the West.
Staying Pennsylvania is upward climb as High School Talent Dwindles and Penn State, Notre Dame, and add in Ohio State and Michigan can grab the few Gems Pitt was able to acquire in the 1970s-80s but those time have changed. There is just not enough Talent in Western Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania and usually only Ten 4 & 5 Stars Recruits that get divided up and even Penn State can't keep them in the state.
Looking North, Syracuse, BC and even UConn have it tougher in grabbing New England and New York combine even with less Blue Chips Recruits than Pennsylvania. Penn State is still strong there too and closer too. These Schools actually compete in New Jersey to get some 2 and 3 Stars Sleepers too.
Looking South is going against SEC & ACC Programs from Virginia to Florida and all are involved and inviting and provide excitement on Game Day. All the Top Coaches are just as good and way ahead in having their Programs Rebuilt, Reloading and Location wise closer and warmer. Washington DC, West Virginia are lucky to provide Ten Recruits together. WVU has had a steady Program with many assets such as Winning Top 25, Attendance Game Day Atmospherics, and Boosters and struggles to keep up with Pitt, and is now relying on many more JUCO as well. Every Conference gets involve in the South now and especially in Florida where there are so many Florida, FSU & Miami take what they want and leave the rest to USF, FMU, and UCF and the rest of SEC, ACC. B!G, and Big12.
It is going to take great Coaching like at TCU, KSU, and GT that does not get many 4 & 5 Star Recruits but have had Top 25 Winning Rankings of 10+ Wins. Steady Coaches Staying Stability like Northwestern that provides a special place for Recruits to play sooner and have to learn the game faster.
Pitt can be awful Proud of their All Americans, NCAA Records, NFL Records, All Pros, and Pitt Players Alumni in Hall of Fames, but it is not enough to rely on Rebuilding the Program even with ACC Revenues. These are Pitt Traditions but by no means enough for like Chris Peak said......"All Top Recruits think they are going to the NFL anyhow no matter where they play."
Smart Recruits will choose Pitt to play earlier and faster but not enough right now in the numbers Pitt needs to compete and beat Top 25 Teams. Certainly not in just 2 years while just rebuilding a Program that will be steady, stable, and Coaches staying resisting the Stepping Stones and still selling Pitt. Against Top Programs already Rebuilt with Always more Resources to attract Top Recruits.
Recruiting at Pitt has to depend Great Coaching Recruits and Players Up as a Teams that show up executing Great Game Plans against better Talent right now. It can be done because most CFB Wins come from 2 to 3 Top Recruits-Players making 4 to 6 Game Changing Plays.
Pitt is Rebuilding the Program in just 3rd Head Coach and 5th ACC year and has to prove Wins more doing it with less, and has to establish Top 25 Winning just to compete with all the Regional Teams above whose Programs are already established.
Just changing attitudes led to 8-5 in 2015, taking steps to beat top 10 teams in 2016 and going 8-5 was good, but Pitt has so much more to do better to break into Top 25 in Winning, and even more to break into Top 25 Recruiting Rankings.
Pitt has to use JUCO Band Aids until it can attract the Recruits needed to Win 10+ Games over 1 to 5 years to 10 years.
So Little Done & So Much More To Do!
