You're not far off of what I'm thinking really. We have been down for sure the past few years and that needs to change.
I just think that Dixon really needs to change his recruiting style and bring in better talent. And, I'm not saying to be like Louisville, etc..., like SMF said. The new players don't have to even be five stars, but a mix of 3s and 4s with the occasional 2 star that has other good offers on the table. The past two years, (this year's new class and last years) combines for 1 player that is a 3 star or better and that player is Damon Wilson.
To compete in modern college basketball today and especially the ACC, you need to get talented players to do well. Also, having an explosive scoring guard would be great too. (Been lacking this the past few years)
I hope Dixon proves me wrong and gets Pitt on the right track again by getting Pitt back to Sweet Sixteens and onward, but IMO it all starts in recruiting and he's failed on that level very badly.
Until he fixes this, Pitt won't get back to what it once was.
This year, he will be fighting just for his team to make the NCAA's.
Go Pitt...
Again, not sure where you get your facts. if you are talking about about the '14 and 15 classes, Jeter, Luther, and Johnson are all listed as 3-stars in '14 (even Haughton was 3-star) and Nix was a 3-star last in '15 (to go with Wilson's 4 stars). So I am counting 6 recruits that are 3-stars or better in the last two classes. Really, the only one that will certainly not live up to his "3-star" status is Haughton. Jeter, Luther and Johnson all look like exactly what you would expect in a 3-star, guys with solid skillsets that require a year or two of development at the college level. Reports on Wilson have been very positive, so Nix seems to be the only true unknown left from the two classes. I am leaving Milligan out because he did not receive a recruit rating.
This week two 3-stars and one borderline 4-star (I would venture to guess Manigault is a 4-star in the next evaluation round) are faxing in their LOIs to Pitt. Collectively, Pitt beat out Xavier, VCU, Miami, Memphis, Creighton, Providence, Clemson and Oregon for the group. Not "elite" level recruiting, but these are the type of developmental players that Pitt built it's program on, and we are beating out solid programs to get these players to Oakland.
Previous posters are correct, we have never been an "elite" program, just one with solid sustained success over the last decade plus. The last few times that we have reached for "elite" recruits, results have been poor (Khem Birch, Dante Taylor, even Steven Adams offered pedestrian stats in his one year with Pitt). Khem Birch cost us Jaylen Bond, who fits into the mold of the 3-star developmental players that Jamie has succeeded with. Bond is Temple's captain and leading returning rebounder heading into his senior season.
The last two times Pitt missed the tournament, it experienced exceptionally bad luck. Khem Birch, starting center, leaves midseason, and starting point guard Tray Woodall misses 12 games in 2011-2012. Last season, Pitt lost one likely starter or sixth man, Durand Johnson, to suspension for the entire season, it's starting shooting guard, Cam Wright, missed a large portion of the season, it's backup shooting guard/forward, Cam Johnson, suffered a mysterious season-ending shoulder injury, and in one of the weirdest circumstances I have witnessed as a basketball fan, it's backup point guard, Josh Newkirk, essentially forgot how to simply dribble a basketball.
All teams outside of the UNCs, Dukes, and Kentuckys experience these seasons. And that said, even Kentucky missed the tournament a couple years ago, and UNC experienced the Matt Doherty years.
