Pitt’s issue won’t be recruiting. It’s coaching. Capel will land you top 30 classes. The problem is he doesn’t adjust much during game. You can consistently win with top 5-10 classes with a coach as an “X and O liability”. Can’t do it with 25-30th rated classes. Not talented enough to overcome the deficiencies from the staff.
Anjtrw and I are on the same wavelength on this.
There has been a thesis proposed that Capel is not coaching well because he isn't making needed adjustments. Second half of WVU game is held out as the shining example of this postulated fault.
Certainly this thesis could be valid. On the other hand, coaches can and should only make adjustments to the extent they have payers capable of executing those adjustments.
I have a problem with accepting the failure to adjust, at least basing it mostly on the 2nd half of the WVU game, as the main problem with this team's performance. When you are so outclassed under the basket you need to be able to hit jump shots--both 3-pointers and your mid-range 2s--especially a high percentage of the open ones. Pitt had enough of those open shots in the second half that had they been hitting them the game would have gone down to the wire, IMHO. Instead they hit nothing. That happens sometimes even for a team loaded with good jump shooters and this team is deficient in that regard.
That being the case, I do not see how any adjustment by Capel would have made any appreciable difference in the game. To give him the benefit of the doubt, he possibly just didn't believe any adjustments he had the option to make, given his roster, would have improved matters. What better jump shooters could he have put in the game? Murphy is the only good one. Drumgoole is/was supposed to also be a good one (that is what he was recruited as) but hasn't shown anything at all in that regard as a true freshman through the first 4 games. Johnson and McGowens can only hit them when the shots are uncontested and they are squared up and set. They can't hit them if the shots are being contested.
We obviously need Johnson and McGowens to play team ball; but we also need players other than Murphy hitting jumpers (both 3s and 2s) because our inside game is going to remain limited and the lane clogged against drives otherwise. Personally, am still hoping Drumgoole's jump shooting comes alive. Also, Champagnie appears to have decent form on his jumper so perhaps he can improve his jump shooting accuracy? Either or both happening would make a huge difference.
