TOS is reporting Paris Ford
- Thread starter Panther_in_Kentucky
- Start date
Will Ford start against PSU? No
Will Ford RS this year? No
Will Ford play this year? Yes
My post assumes he doesn't have health issues going forward.
Will Ford RS this year? No
Will Ford play this year? Yes
My post assumes he doesn't have health issues going forward.
If he redshirts it's because he was forced to take an "academic redshirt" by the NCAA for being under a 2.3 GPA in his core courses. Everyone around here knows he's not going to still be playing at Pitt as a 5th year senior so a redshirt is pointless.
So some of you guys have him penciled in as a sure-fire future NFL player before he ever takes a live rep at Pitt.
Do you not understand how ridiculous that is?
What is ridiculous is redshirting our best recruit in a while because he is behind and the thought is he can't catch up. Who are the great players from last year that he has to beat out? Dennis Briggs and Stocker? You cant be serious. He is like a Ferrari and they are like a couple of Ford Focus. Sure he may crash and burn a few times, but, I can live with the mistakes while he learns. You all act like we have Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu as safeties on this team. He has two weeks of practice prior to game day. I sure don't have this guy annointed as a surefire player on Sunday's but I think, and this is no disrespect to Briggs or Stocker, he is blessed with ability that they could only dream of having. The Ferrari will pass those Fords and it aint gonna take long.
BTW, it is hilarious PSN is now claiming they already knew about Paris Ford being eligible last week and were just keeping it quiet to let HCPN announce it. They published an article on Saturday saying they expected him to be deemed eligible early next (now this week) week. Of course it was a piece by Nick Gordon, which was full of complete BS about the clearinghouse process in the first place. Amazing they don't/didn't do any fact checking to at least make things plausible. They contradict themselves at every turn.
Troy Polamalu didn't get on the field until his sophomore year. Ed Reed redshirted as a freshman. Those are 2 of the best safeties of all time.
Ford has a lot of talent, but there's a lot more to playing safety than that. Honestly a whole bunch of you guys don't seem to grasp that concept even remotely. You have no idea what the job of playing college football entails.-and make no mistake it's a job. It's an 8-10 hour day for the players before classes start, and a 15-16 hour day once school is in session. Practice, weights, position meetings, film study, study table, etc etc etc.
If he doesn't redshirt, he will likely get situational reps at most unless our DBs get hit with injuries. I could see him getting on the field in certain offensive packages and nickel defensive packages, and on special teams. Barring injuries to others, I don't see him starting. Frankly, it looks to me like he will need to put on some muscle before he's ready to play a full game at safety as well.
He has a lot of talent and if he stays healthy he should be an impact player for us. Just not this year.
I never said he was a sure fire NFL anything. I'm saying that one way or the other, there's a really good chance he's not at Pitt in year 5. He has a TON of talent but a TON of issues so word is if he's eligible we use him and a redshirt isn't going to happen unless it's NCAA mandated.
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Do you think that it is possible that Reed and Polamolu didn't play right away because of the caliber of the teams that they played on? I hope you are not equating Pitt's 2017 roster with the USC and Miami teams that these two played on. Is it so unreasonable to you that a recruit who was essentially a top 50 player coming out of high school, just might be a little better than some of the upperclassmen who have been here a while? I think he would be a great free safety. As you said, he may need a little size and strength added to play strong safety, but Whitehead will be the man there when he returns from suspension.
Also as you say, and I would agree, the coaches see them practice everyday and will make the right decision for the team. I am willing to bet that you are going to hear some good things about Ford in the next two weeks heading into the season. They can try to play it slow so as not to apply any extra pressure on the kid, but the coaches already know what they have in Ford. They will cut him loose and see what he can soak up in the next two weeks of practice.
Should you wind up being correct and he only plays special teams and a few offensive snaps, I sure as hell hope the Duzz redshirts him. I just don't think you will be right this time.
I've heard this thrown out a few times. Has there been any confirmation that Ford will be forced to take an academic redshirt this year?
I wasn't even aware the NCAA had this option? I thought with the NCAA you were either qualified or not qualified. I didn't know the NCAA would let you be in school but not allowed to play sports for a year.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
Sucks that the BWI, "Pitt fan's excuse for Ford" thread won't yield any joy for them. They seemed to be looking forward to it.
https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaa...hirt--policy-beginning-in-2016-154443204.html
That link explains how it works
While I understand this coaching staff is not completely forthcoming with details regarding their players, for many different reasons, I still can't wrap my head around the reasoning for a coach/program not announcing Ford taking an academic redshirt if that's what is required in this situation. There's really no benefit to withholding this information.
For that reason alone, I'm willing to guess that he is cleared to play, but is a long shot due to so much missed practice time.
For that reason alone, I'm willing to guess that he is cleared to play, but is a long shot due to so much missed practice time.
I mean, HCPN said it would be "a miracle if he doesn't redshirt" so that is most we have heard from Pitt. Pretty dumb Pitt is so secretive about this stuff. No matter, the win is just getting him into Pitt and not having to re-recruit. If he isn't eligible to play, just get him ready for next year on the field and in the classroom and unleash him in 2018.
If he survives in school for that long ... if he couldn't swing a 2.3 in high school work, it's a question ... Pitt surely has tutors and such, but won't coddle and nurse him (aka forge his work) to the full extent other serious football programs will. But other than that caveat, agreed that just getting him in and off the Prep school/JUCO circuit is at least something.
As far as the secrecy, he definitely tried to douse expectations with what he said. But to leave any kind of glimmer that the guy would be permitted to be put on the field if dire situations arose (aka like Hamlin was) when in reality, he's absolutely not permitted to play, is a bit shady to the paying customers. But it's hardly the worst fraud that's been perpetrated on us...
Meh. All he has to do is pass 6 credit hours each fall/spring semester with at least a 2.0 this first year. You'd have to literally try not to do that. And by the end of 2018-19 have about 48 hours with a 2.0. I sure as hell hope he can at least manage that. Essentially all these guys need to do is go 9-9-6 (Fall, Spring, Summer) with a 2.0 (most in the easiest track possible) and they are good.
I sure as hell hope so as well. But we've seen others who couldn't or wouldn't bother.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
I say we give him the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.
Sure, but many might say not being able to get a 2.3 in core gpa in high school when he has been a clear D1 recruit for 3 years and even had a summer makeup proves that.
Him, I have no problem with. Pitt's willingness or ability to manipulate his eligibility properly, I definitely do.
