From the desk of Jim Snyder
RU ready for some football?
This past summer we wrote we thought the key game on the Pitt (6-1) schedule would be their Homecoming game with Rutgers (6-0). We wrote if the Panthers wanted to play some really meaningful games in November they would have to beat the Scarlet Knights. The season has played out just about as you would have hoped it would. The winner of this game will get to challenge West Virginia and Louisville for the Big East championship.
Last year Pitt went to Piscataway on six days rest and fell behind 27-0 at the half. Rutgers had 13 days to prepare and had played Villanova and Buffalo the two weeks before. One could make a case that Rutgers had almost 4 weeks to prepare for Pitt. Greg Schiano made radical changes to his offense and caught Pitt flatfooted. The Pitt coaching staff made halftime adjustments and the Panthers rallied in the second half before bowing 37-29. Pitt might have tied the game if Greg Lee had not dropped a pass late in the game. You have to believe this one bothered the Pitt coaching staff a lot. It could be time for revenge. We like Pitt a lot on Saturday. We think they will be ready to play.
One of the things we have really liked over the first half of the season is the Pitt receivers have shown ability to pick up yards after the catch. If there is a defensive back is hanging all over you it is tough to do. This means that often the ball is being delivered when there is still a little separation. Good job so far by Tyler Palko and coach Aubrey Hill’s wideouts.
A little early to be thinking bowls but
Last week Pitt became bowl eligible with the win over Central Florida. However, it might take one more win to insure the Panthers actually play in a bowl.
This week officials from the Sun Bowl and International Bowl will be at Heinz Field to look at both Pitt and Rutgers. Quite frankly Pitt is not is great shape as it relates to bowls this year.
The Big East extended their agreement with the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte through the 2009 season. However, this bowl can take Navy once during the term of the agreement. Navy is 5-2. After they get beaten by Notre Dame (again) they play Duke, Eastern Michigan, Temple, and Army. You have to figure they will pick up a couple of wins going down the stretch and if they do they are headed for Charlotte.
Should Pitt end up tied with West Virginia, Louisville or Rutgers it is very possible the Panthers will get the short end of the straw. The failure of Pitt fans to travel in recent years could catch up with them.
The Pitt football program is probably two years away from where their alums would like it to be. If you are looking for a bowl trip to somewhere warm this year it is best that Pitt keeps the current winning streak going for as long as possible.
Hoops recruiting summary
Pitt landed center Cassin Diggs this week. We can hardly wait to hear Bill Hillgrove and Dick Groat saying the Diggs and Biggs are playing in the Panther front court.
Pitt now has five verbal commitments. Pitt has verbal commitments from Cassin Diggs (6’ 10”), Gary McGhee (6’ 10”), Brad Wanamaker (6’ 3 1/2”), Darnell Dodson (6’ 6 ½”) and DeJuan Blair (6’7”).
In case you missed Chris Peak’s post yesterday on the Center Court at the Pete message board four-star center Anthony McClain (6’ 11”) is scheduled to be in Pittsburgh this weekend for an official visit. One “birdie” says Pitt will over recruit this year. This could mean they are concerned one or more players may not qualify. McClain himself could be a question mark academically. Rivals.com has McClain ranked as the No. 6 center prospect in the country and the No. 43 player overall. McClain played AAU basketball for the DC Assault. Pitt’s new Director of Basketball Operations, David Cox, was once a coach with the DC Assault program.
Pitt also is still recruiting Herb Pope. Pitt is over recruiting. Who knows if Pope will be eligible? He could still end up in a prep school. You never stop recruiting.
Does Rivals have your correct address?
Rivals.com will be shipping the annual recruiting yearbooks the end of this month. To show you what a mobile society we are something like 10,000 subscribers have already corrected their address. Do we have yours? There are links at the top of both premium boards.
Get your selections in for Pick’em
The Pitt-Rutgers game is one of the tie breakers this week.
Rutgers video highlights
We are not expecting Rutger’s video highlights until sometime late on Monday.
The Wire is coming
Rivals.com will launch a new product on Monday called the Wire.
The Sagarin computer rankings
The Sagarin computer rankings have the Big East as the 4th best conference. They are not far behind the Big Ten in theses computer rankings. The Big East is ahead of the Big 12 and the ACC which is ranked No. 6. The Big East is done playing non-conference games as are most of the other conferences. These rankings do not figure to change much this year. This is very good news for the Big East Conference. Mike Tranghese has to be smiling from ear to ear in Providence, Rhodes Island.
Football recruiting summary
Pitt will host five players from Florida this weekend for official visits. Running back Xavier Stinson, cornerback Akeem Auguste and safety Eain Smith from Chaminade Madonna in Hollywood, Florida will all visit. Pitt defensive tackle Gus Mustakas went to the same high school. Here’s hoping Gus has another big game
In addition offensive tackle Branden Curry (6’ 6” 300) from Boyd Anderson High and defensive end Adewale Ojomo from Miami Hialeah are also scheduled to visit.
In addition to the official visitors Pitt will host a large number of local players for unofficial visits. These are mostly players that have already committed plus a few uncommitted senior and a large number of juniors from the Class of 2008. The last we heard they had confirmed that 65 prospects would visit and this number could grow to almost 100.
Perry’s Cameron Holland committed to North Carolina in July. There have been reports that he might be wavering. The Pitt coaches have stayed in contact as they do with many recruits. There had been reports that he would stop by the UPMC complex this week for a visit but he was a no show the last we heard. Last night Virginia beat North Carolina. The Tarheels dropped to 1-6 on the year. They still have to play Notre Dame, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech. Folks in Carolina are starting to wonder if their coach John Bunting is going to survive. It won’t be long before recruits begin to notice.
Toney Clemons is scheduled to announce next week. The fact that he is making this decision after returning from an official visit from Michigan is a very bad sign. To make things worse he has not bothered to take an official visit to Pitt. We hope you saw Chris Peak’s post on the Between Fifth & Forbes message board about his sister having a falling out with the Pitt track coach and that she is no longer with the track team. Toney Clemons has had a disappointing senior season at Valley so far. Clemons, however, has two things you can not teach. Size and speed. I hate to say it but it look like he will be a Wolverine.
Pitt will have a week off after the Rutgers game. The Pitt coaches will use this time to hit the recruiting trail (this happens at every school that has an off week). We hear that Dave Wannstedt and Dave Walker are headed for Milford Academy the first of the week. We suspect it is no accident that the running back coach will be along. They will be there to check on Pitt commit Aundre Wright but they will be pitching [/B]LeSean McCoy[/B] while they are there. Milford has a couple of dozen athletes with the athletic talent to play Division 1 football (if they get their grades in order). A few others that have shown some interest in Pitt are 4-star linebacker Jermaine Pierce (Syracuse commit), defensive tackle Charles Deas (LSU), defensive end Ismyl Johnson (Michigan State commit) and 3-star defensive back Devin Parish. We have photos of Aundre Wright, LeSean McCoy, Jermaine Pierce and Ismyl Johnson in the Milford photo gallery.
Quite frankly once you get beyond Aundre Wright and LeSean McCoy the one that interests me is 4-star linebacker Jermaine Pierce. He stopped by the Pitt facilities with LeSean McCoy so there is some interest there. In addition there is a need with Pitt graduating a pile of linebackers.
Milford has a couple of dozen Division 1 prospects. Most are there because they could not get it done on the classroom. With the new NCAA rules on graduating players you can not back up the bus and take a bunch of these guys. On the other hand you can gamble on 2-3 if there are surrounded by the right players.
Coming attractions
Later today the Pantherlair will have another photo gallery of pictures taken at practice this week at the UPMC complex. We also continue our series of Talking Pitt Football. This week Chris Peak interviews wide receiver Oderick Turner. We will also have a follow up interview with Cassin Diggs from Cloud Community College. Chris also has an article on C.J. Davis and the O-Line.
The War Room is targeted towards our premium customers. We ask that all information reported in the War Room MUST stay right here! That’s the way this deal works. When this information is repeated outside of the Between Fifth and Forbes forum it only cheapens the price of yours and every other die-hard who have purchased premium services. The War Room is one of our more popular features...thank you all for keeping the information on this board.
This post was edited on 10/20 1:17 PM by Jim Pantherlairif(GetAdminCookie() != 0) {document.write(' (Revisions[/URL])');}
RU ready for some football?
This past summer we wrote we thought the key game on the Pitt (6-1) schedule would be their Homecoming game with Rutgers (6-0). We wrote if the Panthers wanted to play some really meaningful games in November they would have to beat the Scarlet Knights. The season has played out just about as you would have hoped it would. The winner of this game will get to challenge West Virginia and Louisville for the Big East championship.
Last year Pitt went to Piscataway on six days rest and fell behind 27-0 at the half. Rutgers had 13 days to prepare and had played Villanova and Buffalo the two weeks before. One could make a case that Rutgers had almost 4 weeks to prepare for Pitt. Greg Schiano made radical changes to his offense and caught Pitt flatfooted. The Pitt coaching staff made halftime adjustments and the Panthers rallied in the second half before bowing 37-29. Pitt might have tied the game if Greg Lee had not dropped a pass late in the game. You have to believe this one bothered the Pitt coaching staff a lot. It could be time for revenge. We like Pitt a lot on Saturday. We think they will be ready to play.
One of the things we have really liked over the first half of the season is the Pitt receivers have shown ability to pick up yards after the catch. If there is a defensive back is hanging all over you it is tough to do. This means that often the ball is being delivered when there is still a little separation. Good job so far by Tyler Palko and coach Aubrey Hill’s wideouts.
A little early to be thinking bowls but
Last week Pitt became bowl eligible with the win over Central Florida. However, it might take one more win to insure the Panthers actually play in a bowl.
This week officials from the Sun Bowl and International Bowl will be at Heinz Field to look at both Pitt and Rutgers. Quite frankly Pitt is not is great shape as it relates to bowls this year.
The Big East extended their agreement with the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte through the 2009 season. However, this bowl can take Navy once during the term of the agreement. Navy is 5-2. After they get beaten by Notre Dame (again) they play Duke, Eastern Michigan, Temple, and Army. You have to figure they will pick up a couple of wins going down the stretch and if they do they are headed for Charlotte.
Should Pitt end up tied with West Virginia, Louisville or Rutgers it is very possible the Panthers will get the short end of the straw. The failure of Pitt fans to travel in recent years could catch up with them.
The Pitt football program is probably two years away from where their alums would like it to be. If you are looking for a bowl trip to somewhere warm this year it is best that Pitt keeps the current winning streak going for as long as possible.
Hoops recruiting summary
Pitt landed center Cassin Diggs this week. We can hardly wait to hear Bill Hillgrove and Dick Groat saying the Diggs and Biggs are playing in the Panther front court.
Pitt now has five verbal commitments. Pitt has verbal commitments from Cassin Diggs (6’ 10”), Gary McGhee (6’ 10”), Brad Wanamaker (6’ 3 1/2”), Darnell Dodson (6’ 6 ½”) and DeJuan Blair (6’7”).
In case you missed Chris Peak’s post yesterday on the Center Court at the Pete message board four-star center Anthony McClain (6’ 11”) is scheduled to be in Pittsburgh this weekend for an official visit. One “birdie” says Pitt will over recruit this year. This could mean they are concerned one or more players may not qualify. McClain himself could be a question mark academically. Rivals.com has McClain ranked as the No. 6 center prospect in the country and the No. 43 player overall. McClain played AAU basketball for the DC Assault. Pitt’s new Director of Basketball Operations, David Cox, was once a coach with the DC Assault program.
Pitt also is still recruiting Herb Pope. Pitt is over recruiting. Who knows if Pope will be eligible? He could still end up in a prep school. You never stop recruiting.
Does Rivals have your correct address?
Rivals.com will be shipping the annual recruiting yearbooks the end of this month. To show you what a mobile society we are something like 10,000 subscribers have already corrected their address. Do we have yours? There are links at the top of both premium boards.
Get your selections in for Pick’em
The Pitt-Rutgers game is one of the tie breakers this week.
Rutgers video highlights
We are not expecting Rutger’s video highlights until sometime late on Monday.
The Wire is coming
Rivals.com will launch a new product on Monday called the Wire.
The Sagarin computer rankings
The Sagarin computer rankings have the Big East as the 4th best conference. They are not far behind the Big Ten in theses computer rankings. The Big East is ahead of the Big 12 and the ACC which is ranked No. 6. The Big East is done playing non-conference games as are most of the other conferences. These rankings do not figure to change much this year. This is very good news for the Big East Conference. Mike Tranghese has to be smiling from ear to ear in Providence, Rhodes Island.
Football recruiting summary
Pitt will host five players from Florida this weekend for official visits. Running back Xavier Stinson, cornerback Akeem Auguste and safety Eain Smith from Chaminade Madonna in Hollywood, Florida will all visit. Pitt defensive tackle Gus Mustakas went to the same high school. Here’s hoping Gus has another big game
In addition offensive tackle Branden Curry (6’ 6” 300) from Boyd Anderson High and defensive end Adewale Ojomo from Miami Hialeah are also scheduled to visit.
In addition to the official visitors Pitt will host a large number of local players for unofficial visits. These are mostly players that have already committed plus a few uncommitted senior and a large number of juniors from the Class of 2008. The last we heard they had confirmed that 65 prospects would visit and this number could grow to almost 100.
Perry’s Cameron Holland committed to North Carolina in July. There have been reports that he might be wavering. The Pitt coaches have stayed in contact as they do with many recruits. There had been reports that he would stop by the UPMC complex this week for a visit but he was a no show the last we heard. Last night Virginia beat North Carolina. The Tarheels dropped to 1-6 on the year. They still have to play Notre Dame, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech. Folks in Carolina are starting to wonder if their coach John Bunting is going to survive. It won’t be long before recruits begin to notice.
Toney Clemons is scheduled to announce next week. The fact that he is making this decision after returning from an official visit from Michigan is a very bad sign. To make things worse he has not bothered to take an official visit to Pitt. We hope you saw Chris Peak’s post on the Between Fifth & Forbes message board about his sister having a falling out with the Pitt track coach and that she is no longer with the track team. Toney Clemons has had a disappointing senior season at Valley so far. Clemons, however, has two things you can not teach. Size and speed. I hate to say it but it look like he will be a Wolverine.
Pitt will have a week off after the Rutgers game. The Pitt coaches will use this time to hit the recruiting trail (this happens at every school that has an off week). We hear that Dave Wannstedt and Dave Walker are headed for Milford Academy the first of the week. We suspect it is no accident that the running back coach will be along. They will be there to check on Pitt commit Aundre Wright but they will be pitching [/B]LeSean McCoy[/B] while they are there. Milford has a couple of dozen athletes with the athletic talent to play Division 1 football (if they get their grades in order). A few others that have shown some interest in Pitt are 4-star linebacker Jermaine Pierce (Syracuse commit), defensive tackle Charles Deas (LSU), defensive end Ismyl Johnson (Michigan State commit) and 3-star defensive back Devin Parish. We have photos of Aundre Wright, LeSean McCoy, Jermaine Pierce and Ismyl Johnson in the Milford photo gallery.
Quite frankly once you get beyond Aundre Wright and LeSean McCoy the one that interests me is 4-star linebacker Jermaine Pierce. He stopped by the Pitt facilities with LeSean McCoy so there is some interest there. In addition there is a need with Pitt graduating a pile of linebackers.
Milford has a couple of dozen Division 1 prospects. Most are there because they could not get it done on the classroom. With the new NCAA rules on graduating players you can not back up the bus and take a bunch of these guys. On the other hand you can gamble on 2-3 if there are surrounded by the right players.
Coming attractions
Later today the Pantherlair will have another photo gallery of pictures taken at practice this week at the UPMC complex. We also continue our series of Talking Pitt Football. This week Chris Peak interviews wide receiver Oderick Turner. We will also have a follow up interview with Cassin Diggs from Cloud Community College. Chris also has an article on C.J. Davis and the O-Line.
The War Room is targeted towards our premium customers. We ask that all information reported in the War Room MUST stay right here! That’s the way this deal works. When this information is repeated outside of the Between Fifth and Forbes forum it only cheapens the price of yours and every other die-hard who have purchased premium services. The War Room is one of our more popular features...thank you all for keeping the information on this board.
This post was edited on 10/20 1:17 PM by Jim Pantherlairif(GetAdminCookie() != 0) {document.write(' (Revisions[/URL])');}
