We talk often about local recruiting and it's importance. @chrispeak can you provide us some context of the "strength" or quality of the WPIAL today compared to other well regarded recruiting areas? For my fellow patrons as well as the board moderators, when do you think the WPIAL was at it's strongest and how does it compare today?
Looking at our roster these are the players we enter the next season with from the WPIAL. (Order by positional grouping, no real significance.)
1) Alex Bookser (RS SR, Very solid college guard entering his final season.)
2) Tony Pilato (RS Junior who may see playing time in 2018)
3) Brandon Ford (RS Soph, we'll see in Spring.)
4) Jake Kradel (Probably a RS)
5) Blake Zubovic (Probably a RS)
6) Grant Carrigan (RS FR, Maybe a tackle? Wait and see.)
7) Tyler Sear ( SOPH, Maybe a good TE, wait and see. Got mins as a true Freshman.)
8) Tre Tipton (RS JR, Injury plagued WR. Maybe he plays in 2018?)
9) Aaron Matthews (JR, Appears to be a steady possession WR. )
10) Rashad Wheeler (RS Soph, 2nd string DT.)
11) David Green (Probably RS)
12) Devin Danielson (Probably RS)
13) Noah Palmer (Probably RS)
14) Elijah Zeise (Serviceable LB who should probably be 2nd string as a RS SR)
15) Quintin Wirginis (RS SR, Closest thing we have to a starting MLB. We'll see.)
16) Seun Idowu (RS SR, Former Walk On has grown into a solid ACC LB)
17) Dane Jackson (Good College CB, RS JR.)
18) Therran Coleman (RS Soph, Is he a CB, Safety? Able to stay healthy?)
19) Damar Hamlin (RS Junior. Safety, can he remain healthy long enough to develop?)
20) Dennis Briggs (RS SR. Should start at Duquesne.)
21) Phil Campbell (RS Soph, work in progress.)
22) Bricen Garner (RS Soph, played admirably in early minutes. Hope for continued improvement.)
23) Paris Ford (RS FR, the messiah's second cousin. If only we had 4 of these in each class.)
Just over 25% of the scholarship players at Pitt are WPIAL guys.
5 Are currently HS Senior's reporting in the summer.
Most have not earned enough playing time to sufficiently evaluate their ability. (I know some will try to make that an evaluation of it's own and I won't argue it.)
14 of the 22 will be entering their 3rd (or greater) year on campus this summer.
6 of them play safety.
So are we effective enough in the WPIAL? Is the WPIAL stockpiled with enough talent to support Pitt and Penn St.? Let the discussion begin.
Looking at our roster these are the players we enter the next season with from the WPIAL. (Order by positional grouping, no real significance.)
1) Alex Bookser (RS SR, Very solid college guard entering his final season.)
2) Tony Pilato (RS Junior who may see playing time in 2018)
3) Brandon Ford (RS Soph, we'll see in Spring.)
4) Jake Kradel (Probably a RS)
5) Blake Zubovic (Probably a RS)
6) Grant Carrigan (RS FR, Maybe a tackle? Wait and see.)
7) Tyler Sear ( SOPH, Maybe a good TE, wait and see. Got mins as a true Freshman.)
8) Tre Tipton (RS JR, Injury plagued WR. Maybe he plays in 2018?)
9) Aaron Matthews (JR, Appears to be a steady possession WR. )
10) Rashad Wheeler (RS Soph, 2nd string DT.)
11) David Green (Probably RS)
12) Devin Danielson (Probably RS)
13) Noah Palmer (Probably RS)
14) Elijah Zeise (Serviceable LB who should probably be 2nd string as a RS SR)
15) Quintin Wirginis (RS SR, Closest thing we have to a starting MLB. We'll see.)
16) Seun Idowu (RS SR, Former Walk On has grown into a solid ACC LB)
17) Dane Jackson (Good College CB, RS JR.)
18) Therran Coleman (RS Soph, Is he a CB, Safety? Able to stay healthy?)
19) Damar Hamlin (RS Junior. Safety, can he remain healthy long enough to develop?)
20) Dennis Briggs (RS SR. Should start at Duquesne.)
21) Phil Campbell (RS Soph, work in progress.)
22) Bricen Garner (RS Soph, played admirably in early minutes. Hope for continued improvement.)
23) Paris Ford (RS FR, the messiah's second cousin. If only we had 4 of these in each class.)
Just over 25% of the scholarship players at Pitt are WPIAL guys.
5 Are currently HS Senior's reporting in the summer.
Most have not earned enough playing time to sufficiently evaluate their ability. (I know some will try to make that an evaluation of it's own and I won't argue it.)
14 of the 22 will be entering their 3rd (or greater) year on campus this summer.
6 of them play safety.
So are we effective enough in the WPIAL? Is the WPIAL stockpiled with enough talent to support Pitt and Penn St.? Let the discussion begin.
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