Spring Game - LBs

[9nationalchampionships]

I think we are another year away from this group being special.


Here are the LBs on the roster now:


Bam Bradley

Saleem Brightwell

Mike Caprara

Dominic Cuono

James Folston

Matt Galambos

Nico Lodovico

Anthony McKee

Jim Medure

Brian Popp

Quintin Wirginis


+ Anxious to see Brightwell and McKee play

++We add Pine and Pugh in the summer

 

[TheOriginalPittMan]

I think we are another year away from this group being special.


Here are the LBs on the roster now:


Bam Bradley

Saleem Brightwell

Mike Caprara

Dominic Cuono

James Folston

Matt Galambos

Nico Lodovico

Anthony McKee

Jim Medure

Brian Popp

Quintin Wirginis


+ Anxious to see Brightwell and McKee play

++We add Pine and Pugh in the summer

I do think you'll see a big improvement from the group this year because of better Dline play this year. Having Price, Hendrix and Edwards at DE this year is going to be huge. Our DTs should be much better this year as well. Jarrett looks like he is in much better shape already and I expect Watts or Camp will make an impact here. This should free up our LBers to make more plays.

Three olb in particular should be in a better position. Brightwell and McKee are pretty athletic and have enough size to take on college blockers (I thought Grigsby got eaten alive by P5 blockers last year). MLB is unfortunately not much more athletic this year unless Pine or Pugh play,but at least they should be up against less blockers because the Dline.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Folston was moved to Dline I think.
Some of these guys may not make it to fall.

 

[Swervin27]

I do think you'll see a big improvement from the group this year because of better Dline play this year. Having Price, Hendrix and Edwards at DE this year is going to be huge. Our DTs should be much better this year as well. Jarrett looks like he is in much better shape already and I expect Watts or Camp will make an impact here. This should free up our LBers to make more plays.

Three olb in particular should be in a better position. Brightwell and McKee are pretty athletic and have enough size to take on college blockers (I thought Grigsby got eaten alive by P5 blockers last year). MLB is unfortunately not much more athletic this year unless Pine or Pugh play,but at least they should be up against less blockers because the Dline.

I think it's overly optimistic to believe our DT situation will be better this year.. Also question your comment on McKee and brightwell being big enouth to take on college blockers. Definitely to be determined on that.. Our DE situation will be so much better though, almost has to be..

 

[raleighpanther]

Agree with Swervin. McKee and Brightwell are very athletic, and attack on D the way you expect out of Narduzzi players. But both were at about 200 lbs coming out of HS. Its hard to imagine that they will be bigger than Grigsby, who is listed at 220, by the start of the season.
And while there is no question that our DTs will be much better in two years, we did lose three senior players at the position. Watts and Camp are much more talented than the seniors were at this age, but replacing seniors with true freshman is an issue.
When Watts, Camp, and what expect will be great 2017 DT recruits are here for awhile, the DT position will be a strength rather than a weakness. That will be true at LB, CB, and safety as well.

 

[TheOriginalPittMan]

Agree with Swervin. McKee and Brightwell are very athletic, and attack on D the way you expect out of Narduzzi players. But both were at about 200 lbs coming out of HS. Its hard to imagine that they will be bigger than Grigsby, who is listed at 220, by the start of the season.
And while there is no question that our DTs will be much better in two years, we did lose three senior players at the position. Watts and Camp are much more talented than the seniors were at this age, but replacing seniors with true freshman is an issue.
When Watts, Camp, and what expect will be great 2017 DT recruits are here for awhile, the DT position will be a strength rather than a weakness. That will be true at LB, CB, and safety as well.

Grigsby played at no bigger than 205. Doesn't matter what he was listed at, they inflate those numbers. McKee and Brightwell are both larger than Grigsby. Our DT situation will be better. If anything they do not lose anyone of consequence and they have another year of conditioning. Look at Jarrett, Jr is already better conditioned than last year (see below, he is in much better shape). Additionally we are adding two playmakers to the position, I expect one of them to step up and at least take snaps as the #2 DT.

 

[Pghfan]

Grigsby played at no bigger than 205. Doesn't matter what he was listed at, they inflate those numbers. McKee and Brightwell are both larger than Grigsby. Our DT situation will be better. If anything they do not lose anyone of consequence and they have another year of conditioning. Look at Jarrett, Jr is already better conditioned than last year (see below, he is in much better shape). Additionally we are adding two playmakers to the position, I expect one of them to step up and at least take snaps as the #2 DT.

I believe our DT situation will ultimately be better, just not next year. For our lb situation to be anything other than a disaster, we need two undersized lbs who have yet to play a down to be ready from day 1. Similar to DT, it will be better but only after some growing pains

 

[cruzer]

I think we are another year away from this group being special.


Here are the LBs on the roster now:


Bam Bradley

Saleem Brightwell

Mike Caprara

Dominic Cuono

James Folston

Matt Galambos

Nico Lodovico

Anthony McKee

Jim Medure

Brian Popp

Quintin Wirginis


+ Anxious to see Brightwell and McKee play

++We add Pine and Pugh in the summer

We also add Reynolds to the group.

 

[MajorMajors]

I do think you'll see a big improvement from the group this year because of better Dline play this year. Having Price, Hendrix and Edwards at DE this year is going to be huge. Our DTs should be much better this year as well. Jarrett looks like he is in much better shape already and I expect Watts or Camp will make an impact here. This should free up our LBers to make more plays.

Three olb in particular should be in a better position. Brightwell and McKee are pretty athletic and have enough size to take on college blockers (I thought Grigsby got eaten alive by P5 blockers last year). MLB is unfortunately not much more athletic this year unless Pine or Pugh play,but at least they should be up against less blockers because the Dline.

I wouldn't count out Wirginis having an impact at MLB. After another spring practice, he should be ready to turn it loose in the fall.

Go Pitt.

 

[Pghfan]

I wouldn't count out Wirginis having an impact at MLB. After another spring practice, he should be ready to turn it loose in the fall.

Go Pitt.

Yeah I'm sure he was just waiting for his time to shine, it should all come together this year.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Neal would have started here next season as the MLB if Pitt where close to his home in McKeesport. like Auburn is!

 

[thebadby2]

I think we are another year away from this group being special.


Here are the LBs on the roster now:


Bam Bradley

Saleem Brightwell

Mike Caprara

Dominic Cuono

James Folston

Matt Galambos

Nico Lodovico

Anthony McKee

Jim Medure

Brian Popp

Quintin Wirginis


+ Anxious to see Brightwell and McKee play

++We add Pine and Pugh in the summer

I do think you'll see a big improvement from the group this year because of better Dline play this year. Having Price, Hendrix and Edwards at DE this year is going to be huge. Our DTs should be much better this year as well. Jarrett looks like he is in much better shape already and I expect Watts or Camp will make an impact here. This should free up our LBers to make more plays.

Three olb in particular should be in a better position. Brightwell and McKee are pretty athletic and have enough size to take on college blockers (I thought Grigsby got eaten alive by P5 blockers last year). MLB is unfortunately not much more athletic this year unless Pine or Pugh play,but at least they should be up against less blockers because the Dline.

While we should be better at DE, we lost both starting DTs, so I think it's overly optimistic to except the DL play to be better overall than it was last year. The freshmen DTs will play but can't be expected to play at the same level as the 2 seniors we just lost.

Brightwell and McKee are unknowns and haven't played a snap in a college football game yet. They were both undersized coming into Pitt and red-shirted. I'd be interested to know what their current weights are after a full year of S&C at Pitt. Bottom line is nobody outside the coaches knows whether whether either is ready to contribute. Pine is an OLB who needs to get a bit bigger and stronger. Pugh will need to get bigger. Both are highly likely to redshirt. I expect Wirgins will play a lot this year. Folston might be back to LB since that is the much thinner position than DE right now.

Lot of question marks with the depth, but the 3 starters are pretty much etched in stone. While Galambos has been productive, he isn't great, and the other 2 are below average P5 starters. LB stands to be a definite weakness of our defensive unit this year.

 

[Swervin27]

While we should be better at DE, we lost both starting DTs, so I think it's overly optimistic to except the DL play to be better overall than it was last year. The freshmen DTs will play but can't be expected to play at the same level as the 2 seniors we just lost.

Brightwell and McKee are unknowns and haven't played a snap in a college football game yet. They were both undersized coming into Pitt and red-shirted. I'd be interested to know what their current weights are after a full year of S&C at Pitt. Bottom line is nobody outside the coaches knows whether whether either is ready to contribute. Pine is an OLB who needs to get a bit bigger and stronger. Pugh will need to get bigger. Both are highly likely to redshirt. I expect Wirgins will play a lot this year. Folston might be back to LB since that is the much thinner position than DE right now.

Lot of question marks with the depth, but the 3 starters are pretty much etched in stone. While Galambos has been productive, he isn't great, and the other 2 are below average P5 starters. LB stands to be a definite weakness of our defensive unit this year.

I agree with a lot of this but I expect either Pugh or more likely, Pine, to not redshirt. I just think you need at least one of them based on depth.. In a perfect world, yes you redshirt both. Add to it that Bradley is out for spring due to injury (Not that this effects the freshman who wont be here til August but it just shows injuries could play into it).

Can you get thru a season with 4 OLBs? I don't know. Plus, maybe Pine or Pugh can beat out McKee or Brightwell. I too am curious to see their weight. Both came in under 200, hope to heck they put on at least 20 pounds, at least..

 

[oldpantherfan]

Neal would have started here next season as the MLB if Pitt where close to his home in McKeesport. like Auburn is!

What a stupid comment ? Is that all people posts ? And no don't say sarcasm. it's just stupid.

 

[Swervin27]

Neal would have started here next season as the MLB if Pitt where close to his home in McKeesport. like Auburn is!

I don't even understand what you are trying to say.

 

[thebadby2]

I agree with a lot of this but I expect either Pugh or more likely, Pine, to not redshirt. I just think you need at least one of them based on depth.. In a perfect world, yes you redshirt both. Add to it that Bradley is out for spring due to injury (Not that this effects the freshman who wont be here til August but it just shows injuries could play into it).

Can you get thru a season with 4 OLBs? I don't know. Plus, maybe Pine or Pugh can beat out McKee or Brightwell. I too am curious to see their weight. Both came in under 200, hope to heck they put on at least 20 pounds, at least..

You're probably right. I mean we have mostly walk-on depth. Not a good situation.

I expect a position change or two to shore it up. The freshmen will not be ready to play right away.

For all the credit PC receives for recruiting O linemen and RBs, he deserves equal or greater criticism for all but ignoring the other side of the LOS. The cupboard was truly close to bare and we are seeing the effects now. It was pretty obvious the whole time he was at Pitt that he was completely hands off with his defense, including recruiting. It's one thing if you have a strong, experienced DC to handle that, but we had a rookie DC who was in way over his head.

The head coach is responsible for all aspects of the program. Chryst approached the job by simply continuing along as a glorified OC.

For this and many other reasons, I don't miss him one bit.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Did that Mich transfer end up anywhere yet? Gant?
Maybe Jalen Williams move?

 

[chethejet]

The recruiting is getting better at LBer. No question the rebuilding will take a couple of years of recruiting and experience. But Narduzzi did address the DT and DB area big time and by 2017 Pitt will be a highly ranked defense. The only major questions for that year are QB and WR. If the QB recruit can come on to make plays, Pitt will be a very tough out in the coastal.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

TJ Neal said he was transferring to be closer to home. He chose Auburn! He would have started for us this year if he transferred to PITT.

I don't even understand what you are trying to say.

 

[Swervin27]

TJ Neal said he was transferring to be closer to home. He chose Auburn! He would have started for us this year if he transferred to PITT.

he has the rest of his life to live in McKeesport, no need to rush it. Enjoy your youth young man, McKeesport will always be here..