Panther's Prey

Panthers land SG Chris Jones

2012-02-27T23:46:00.000-05:00

As I suspected would happen once they offered, 6'5" SG Chris Jones of (Teaneck (HS) NJ has committed to the Panthers for the class of 2012. He joins 7'0" center Steven Adams and 6'3" PG James Robinson in the class.

Jones is not an elite athlete, but he's a good athlete who has great length, and can shoot, pass, and defend. Most of all, he is one of those players that has a certain kind of "it" factor in that he's a winner, he's smart, and he usually makes the right play at the right time.

Jones was not considered a high major prospect entering the season but he's been excellent all year for Teaneck, who are currently 27-0.

Panthers offer California juco DT for 2013

2012-02-27T15:33:00.000-05:00

The Panthers are hurting for defensive linemen depth so looking to remedy the situation they have offered 6'3" 305 pound Marquel Combs of Pierce College in Los Angeles, CA. Combs, a native of Memphis, TN has also been offered by Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Mississippi, Kansas State, Arizona, Utah, and Texas Tech.

Desmond Robinson named RB coach

2012-02-27T14:44:00.001-05:00

Panther alum Desmond Robinson has been named the RB coach. Robinson, a native of Atlanta, was a linebacker and defensive end at Pitt and played in the 1976 National Championship Game. The 55-year old spent most of his career as a defensive coach, but most recently coached running backs at Notre Dame, West Virginia, and Syracuse.

Brooks Bollinger to be the QB coach

2012-02-27T01:12:00.002-05:00

It's been rumored for awhile, but former Wisconsin and NFL quarterback Brooks Bollinger is the new Pitt QB coach. The 32-year old North Dakota native was the starting quarterback for Wisconsin in 2002 when Paul Chryst was the tight ends coach. In his college career, he threw for 5,511 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions, while also rushing for 1,850 yards and 26 touchdowns. A former 6th round pick of the NY Jets, Bollinger played for six seasons in the NFL, playing in 21 games and starting 10. His last two seasons of professional football were with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. Most recently he was the head football coach for Hill-Murray HS in St. Paul, Minnesota. Bollinger becomes the sixth Chryst hire with Wisconsin ties, but two of those, Bob Bostad and Eddie Faulkner, left the program already for other jobs.

Pittsburgh 54 Louisville 57

2012-02-26T16:46:00.000-05:00

The Panthers season continues to go down the drain and now they are dangerously close to not even making the NIT. They drop to 15-14 with two games left.

J.J. Moore was once again the best player on the floor for Pitt and that's possible great news for the future. This time he led the team with 16 points while adding 7 rebounds and 3 steals.

On the downside, once again the so-called veteran leaders let the team down. Ashton Gibbs continues to ruin his legacy with 4 points. Tray Woodall had 4 points, but also had 6 turnovers and an awful shot attempt at the end of the game. Nasir Robinson added 8 points and 11 rebounds but missed two huge free throws at the end.

Dante Taylor started and chipped in with 11 points and 5 rebounds, but the bench, outside of Moore, contributed little with a combined 7 points in 38 minutes. In fact, Talib Zanna played 10 minutes and John Johnson played just two minutes.

Patrick Kugler chooses Michigan

2012-02-25T17:03:00.000-05:00

One of Pitt's top targets, North Allegheny offensive guard Patrick Kugler, has made a verbal commitment to Michigan. While it would have been great to land him, some kids simply have no interest and it's apparent that Kugler had no interest in Pitt. If the trend continues with the top local prospects then it will be a major problem, but that has yet to happen. As for offensive linemen, I think Pitt will land Belle Vernon's Dorian Johnson and I think that would be an excellent offensive line addition.

Current known football offer list

2012-02-22T01:19:00.000-05:00

These are the known offers from the current staff, verified by myself. Some offers listed in other places were offers made by the former staff and have not yet been "re-offered" by the formal staff, and many never will be because they don't fit what the new staff wants. These are likely not the only offers since there are always a few that are unknown to the public, but this almost all of them. There will be many more as time goes by and clearly the staff is mostly concentrating just on western PA and some of Ohio as of now. I will update every few weeks or so.

Quarterbacks:

Malik Zaire, Archbishop Alter HS (Kettering, OH)- Highly athletic 6'1" 190 pounder with other offers from Ohio State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin. He recently visited Pitt and loved it, and also is a big fan of Paul Chryst and Joe Rudolph. I still think Pitt has a very real shot to land him, especially with Ohio State involved with so many other top QBs from Ohio.

Chavis Rawlins, Monessen HS (Monessen, PA)- For now, we'll put him here but the 6'3" 190 pounder will probably end up at wide receiver or safety at the next level. If you believe him on twitter he wants to get away from the area to play college but you never know. Right now his only other offer is Akron but he should get more major offers eventually.

Running Backs:

David Williams, (Philadelphia, PA)- The 6'1" 190 pound speedster saw his offers go through the roof after he ran a 4.44 at a recent combine. Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Rutgers are some of his many offers. He hasn't even chosen which high school he will play at next let alone college, but right now I don't see the Panthers having much of a chance at all.

Wide Receivers:

Robert Foster, Central Valley HS (Monaca, PA)- By now every Pitt fan knows about him. He is a must get and I still think it will come down to either Pitt or Ohio State.

Shelton Gibson, Cleveland Heights HS (Cleveland Heights, OH)- Big time 6'1" 170 pound speed demon. Ohio State and Auburn have offered and are his two leaders right now, so it's not looking good for this one.

Jalin Marshall, Middletown HS (Middletown, OH)- One of the best athletes in the country, but has already committed to OHIO STATE, where he will first be given a chance at quarterback but will almost guaranteed be moved to receiver.

Tyler Boyd, Clairton Area HS (Clairton, PA)- The 6'1" 165 pound Boyd can also project as a safety but it seems almost criminal for him not to have the ball in his hands. He's a local, Pitt has landed Clairton players in the past, and he's an elite prospect. The Panthers really need to land him but somebody like West Virginia or Penn State could steal him, and both of them have offered. As of this moment, I'm not as optimistic as I once was.

Rob Wheelright, Walnut Ridge HS (Columbus, OH)- If the hometown Buckeyes offer then it's probably all over, but either way he'll probably stay in the Big 10. Michigan, Nebraska, and Wisconsin are some of his offers.

Brian Lemelle, Bishop McDevitt HS (Harrisburg, PA)- Quick, sure handed 5'11" 170 pounder that also got a recent Penn State offer.

Tight Ends:

Adam Breneman, Cedar Cliff HS (Camp Hill, PA)- The No. 1 ranked tight end prospect in the country has over 30 offers and counting. Pitt is a long shot, to say the least.

Scott Orndoff, Seton-LaSalle HS (Pittsburgh, PA)- Anybody who reads this site knows how good I think this kid is. He is currently a Wisconsin commit, but I think Pitt has an excellent chance. Technically Pitt didn't tell him that he was offered, but common sense tells you that he is and the Panthers for whatever reason just assumes he knows.

Offensive Linemen:

Patrick Kugler, North Allegheny HS (Wexford, PA)- One of the better offensive guard prospects in the country and a must get for the Panthers, but with Bob Bostad moving on and Kugler not talking about Pitt a lot, I'm starting to get the feeling that the Panthers have ground to make up. I can definitely see him ending up in the Big 10.

Dorian Johnson, Belle Vernon Area HS (Belle Vernon, PA)- Excellent 6'6" 280 prospect that has loads of potential. He has about a dozen offers including Penn State, West Virginia, and Virginia Tech but Pitt is definitely the favorite as of now.

Defensive Linemen:

Billy Price, Fitch HS (Austintown, OH)- Big time defensive tackle that has already committed to OHIO STATE.

Taco Charlton, Pickerington Central HS (Pickerington, OH)- Elite defensive end that has already committed to MICHIGAN.

Linebackers:

Ben Gedeon, Hudson HS (Hudson, OH)- Many major offers, including Ohio State. The Panthers don't have a chance.

Delton Williams, Cathedral Prep HS (Erie, PA)- At 6'2" and 200 pounds he can play at linebacker and safety. His only other offer so far is Toledo but he is highly athletic and could be an excellent addition.

Defensive Backs:

None

There are only 17 players with known, verifiable offers, but like I said, there will be many, many more. But the staff is clearly concentrating on western PA and Ohio first. In fact, they only let Tyler Boyd he was still offered just two days ago. Over the next few months, expect the number of offers to triple. Only then will we get a good idea of where the Panthers stand with whom they have offered.

The early Chryst regime

2012-02-20T12:28:00.001-05:00

He hasn't been the head coach for long, but let's look at how things are going for Chryst so far, the good and bad. To be blunt, if you see all positive in this or all negative in this then you're not being realistic. No matter how you look at it, though, it's been very eventful for less than two months on the job.

1. Chryst was great at the press conference announcing his hiring. He was not polished but he was sincere and showed much more stoic charisma than many could have guessed. Since then, however, we haven't heard much from him.

2. Chryst hired away Bob Bostad, Joe Rudolph, and Dave Huxtable from Wisconsin. Bostad and Rudolph were huge coups.

3. Bostad left to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

4. Running back coach Eddie Faulkner left to join Wisconsin not longer after being hired.

5. Chryst hired some potentially good young assistants in Bobby Engram, Matt House, and Chris Haering.

6. Chryst had trouble finding a DL coach then hired Inoke Breckterfield, who was fired after one season at UCLA and only has west coast ties. While he may end up doing a great job, the hiring was suspect, especially when nobody on the staff has recruiting ties to New Jersey, Washington, DC, Florida, or eastern PA.

7. Chryst still hasn't found a replacement for RB coach Eddie Faulkner.

8. Chryst and his staff has moved at a slower pace then his competitors on the recruiting trail. Penn State, West Virginia, and Ohio State have already invited groups of prospects for junior days and other events, while Pitt has yet to announce when their junior day will be held. The staff has also offered significantly less scholarship offers initially, even amongst top rated PA players, and have had less contact with recruits than most of their competitors.

As we can see, there are some good things, some bad things, and some things that are still to be determined. But what we do know is that Chryst has an excellent offensive mind. That shouldn't change. Chryst and Rudolph also proved at Wisconsin that they don't need to recruit stars, they make stars.

Those are the facts. My opinion is that the Pitt administration continually fires 8 win coaches and replaces them with more 8 win coaches that will be fired, too. To me, Chryst has enough brains and offensive expertise to be an 8 win coach at Pitt. What he needed to be better than that is a great staff and to be able to recruit extremely well. The staff started out excellently with Bostad and Rudolph. Then Bostad left, an out of the blue DL coach was hired, and a RB coach still isn't hired. So my initial excitement over the staff has waned some. But that doesn't mean there still isn't hope. House, Engram, Haering, and even Breckerfield may turn out to be excellent recruiters for all we know. Time will tell.

Speaking of recruiting, Wisconsin did well with lesser recruits, that's true. But it was a process that took many years, first started by Barry Alvarez. They had their system down and did it well. Maybe Chryst and his staff can do the same, but they also don't have the recruiting restraints that they had at Wisconsin.

Above all, this is the point I want to make. There are much better prospects available to Pitt and with better prospects, Pitt needs to make a killing if they want to do better than 8 wins. And with an all out assault in recruiting, they can make a killing. If Pitt is ever going to be excellent again, and if Chryst is going to be a coach who can do better than 8 wins, he can NOT let the elite WPIAL prospects go. Wisconsin had to turn average prospects into players because they had no choice. There aren't a lot of elite players in that state. But Pitt has them right in their backyard. Bottom line, if the Pitt staff lands Robert Foster, Patrick Kugler, Tyler Boyd, Scott Ordoff, and Dorian Johnson, then they have the makings of a team that has an offense that could seriously contend in the ACC in the future, and has the potential to be a legitimate top 20 team, if not better. If Chryst doesn't land a great recruiting class locally then he is still too good of a coach not to fail miserably, but we all know what 8 wins gets you at Pitt.

It's only been two months that Chryst has been at Pitt and the 2013 recruiting class is just a little over two weeks old. But Pitt needs to be aggressive. Find a running back coach who can recruit in a strong recruiting area. Recruit like hell in PA and OH especially, but be aggressive in neighboring states, too. Maybe they will turn up the heat soon. Maybe methodical is part of their process and they know exactly what they're doing. None of us know what they're thinking and none of know how it will turn out. But I want Chryst to succeed because, one, I like him personally, and, two, I'm sick of having 8 win coaches get fired.

Bob Bostad to Tampa Bay Bucs according to reports

2012-02-18T11:33:00.000-05:00

Pitt has lost their offensive line guru to the Tampa Bucs, according to FoxSports.com. Slow recruiting and some suspect hiring of coaches were bad enough but the loss of Bostad would be devastating.

Some Pitt football recruiting updates

2012-02-17T16:46:00.000-05:00

Ohio quarterback Malik Zaire is visiting on Monday. If he likes the school and the city then Pitt has a real chance to land him. One thing is for sure, though- this is one kid that Chad Voytik won't be there to recruit.

Seton-LaSalle tight end Scott Orndoff visited this weekend and even though Pitt hasn't told him that the has an offer for some reason, the visit went well. He still says that he's committed to Wisconsin but most Wisconsin people I talk to say they don't expect him to sign with them. It seems with Paul Chryst and Joe Rudolph on the staff of the hometown team, the Panthers have to be the favorite at this point.

Wyomissing linebacker Alex Anzalone is one of the fastest risers in the east. He recently got offers from Ohio State and Alabama to go with Florida, Michigan State, South Carolina, Notre Dame, West Virginia, and at least a dozen more. Pitt has not offered him and has had little or no contact with him.

Philadelphia running back David Williams is becoming a national recruit after running a 4.44 at a recent combine. He has added offers from Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Michigan State, as well as many others. The previous Pitt staff offered Williams and he said they were his early favorite, but the new staff has yet to talk to him.

Central Dauphin linebacker Zayd Issah offer list now stands at five with UConn, Maryland, Virginia, Rutgers, and Temple. Pitt has not had contact with him.

Erie Cathedral Prep linebacker/safety Delton Williams is a player that can really rise up the rankings over the next year. Pitt recently offered him and his only other offer is Toledo so far.

Philadelphia 6'8" offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey just picked up an offer from Notre Dame. Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Rutgers are some of those that have offered him so far. Pitt has't offered him or talked to him yet.

McKeesport linebacker Hodari Christian and Hickory athlete DeShawn Coleman both visited West Virginia and picked up their first major offer. Pitt is recruiting both but hasn't offered either yet.

Montour wide receiver Devin Wilson has an offer from North Carolina State, his first major offer.

Monessen athlete Chavas Rawlins has reportedly picked up an offer from Illinois to go with offers from Pitt and Akron.

Bishop McDevitt wide receiver Brian Lemelle just picked up an offer from Penn State. The previous Pitt staff offered but the new Pitt staff has not yet, nor have they talked to him.

Clairton wide receiver/safety Tyler Boyd has recently visited West Virginia and is also planning a visit to Penn State. No visit to Pitt yet and none planned, though Pitt has offered.

New Jersey linebacker Buddy Brown held an offer from the previous staff, as well as the likes of Penn State, Wisconsin, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Rutgers. The new staff hasn't contacted him.

North Allegheny offensive guard Patrick Kugler is picking up many more major offers including Michigan, Notre Dame, and Florida. He is planing visits to Michigan, Michigan State, Florida, and Florida State but has not visited Pitt since the new staff took over and none are planned.

Why Pitt basketball will be better next season

2012-02-15T17:13:00.000-05:00

1. The absence of Ashton Gibbs- I hate that it has to come to this, but his career did not have the great ending that everybody hoped for. I don't care if he is averaging a team high 16.7 ppg, or is making 39.8% of the his threes and 85.4% of his free throws. Those are just statistics. Pitt is not about statistics. Pitt is about leadership, toughness, consistency, and heart. Gibbs showed little of any of those traits. In the offseason I was told that Gibbs really wanted out of college and when he was told he wasn't good enough to get into the NBA, he sulked and pouted. Unfortunately that continued into the season. When he was on, he was the Gibbs of old. When things didn't go his way, he moped, complained, and failed to show the leadership that a senior, and best player on the team should display. He would even refuse to talk to the media after games sometimes, something a true leader would never do.

Bottom line, many can't grasp that losing a player with Gibbs' statistical output could be a good thing, but every year in sports a team loses a player with great stats only to become better. Stats aren't everything. Teamwork, chemistry, leadership, and heart is what wins in any sport, and even more so in Pitt basketball. Without those traits, three pointers will mean nothing in the end. And Gibbs did not have those traits this season.

2. The absence of Nasir Robinson- This is not the same as Gibbs. Robison is what he is, and what he truly is, is not a starting power forward in the Big East. The fact that he was for two seasons is the fault of Jamie Dixon, not Robinson. There is a place for Robinson on any team. He works hard, has talent, and has heart. But he was woefully overmatched as a 6'5" (at best) power forward in a league as good as the Big East. He would best serve the team coming off the bench where his enthusiasm and passion would give the team a spark.

Robinson was forced to play the four because of the failure of Talib Zanna, Dante Taylor, and Khem Birch to seize the position. Birch's departure has been well documented, but Zanna and Taylor are true centers in Pitt's system. Dixon likes his power forwards to be mobile and good passers. Perfect examples are Levon Kendall, Chevon Troutman, and for awhile, Sam Young. Zanna and Taylor, while not bad players, are not ideal fours for Pitt. Unfortunately Dixon's inability to find a quality four means either Zanna or Taylor will have to be the starting four next season. They will still get minutes at center but will finally be forced to play more at the four because of...

3. The arrival of Steven Adams- Trust me when I tell you, unless Adams totally looks lost as a freshman, and that's doubtful, he will only be at Pitt for one season. That doesn't mean he will average 20 points and 10 rebounds for Pitt as a freshman. In fact, it may be more like 10 points and 8 rebounds a game. But his value will go well beyond just his stats. There's a reason why every basketball team in history does their best to get 7'0" tall players, why they get drafted in the first round despite mediocre production, and why they get paid tens of millions of dollars in the NBA even if they aren't all-stars.

A player of Adams' size and talent has a trickle down effect on every teammate who is on the floor with him. On either end of the floor, Adams will have to be accounted for and game planned for because he will cause terrible matchup problems. With such attention on him, the rest of the team gets more freedom. Suddenly, when a player drives, the low post defender assigned to Adams can't leave him because he knows a quick pass to Adams would be a guaranteed two points. Defenses would also have to collapse on Adams meaning perimeter shooters will have an extra second to get off a shot. On defense, he will control the paint. No player in the league will be strong enough to push him out of there. A Panthers defender gets beat on the perimeter and gets into the lane? Well, good luck because the next person you will run into is an athletic 7'0" monster. Those are things that won't show up in the box score, but will win Pitt games.

4. The arrival of James Robinson- The 6'3" point guard won't begin the season as a starter, and may not be a starter all season unless he pushes Tray Woodall to the two, but make no mistake about it, Robinson will play a lot next season. And that's great news for Pitt. Physically and mentally strong, Robinson is the true point guard that the Panthers have missed since Levance Fields graduated. When he steps on the floor for the first time, he will already be the best defender and ball handler of any guard on the roster. He is not a great athlete, but he was born to be a quarterback on the basketball court, and when things get iffy at the end of the game, or when the defensive pressure is about to sink the Panthers, look for him to have the ball in his hands. There are plays at the end of a game that don't show up in the statistics, but are the difference between winning and losing. The Pitt teams of recent years made those plays. The current Panthers have not. Robinson will help to bring that skill back.

5. The continued development of Lamar Patterson- I know a lot of Pitt fans don't have faith in Patterson but as a redshirt sophomore he is actually a pretty good player already, and he should only get better. His defense is lacking, and he has to get better at that facet of his game, but he can score in the paint and from beyond the arc, he can pass, and he can rebound. In fact, despite being only 6'5", he is probably more of the Pitt type of four than Zanna or Taylor. But assuming he stays at the three, the inside presence of Adams, combined with the departure of the Panthers two top scorers, could mean Patterson becomes a much bigger part of the offense. In fact, I don't think it's crazy to see him perhaps getting 12-15 ppg, combined with his excellent passing and rebounding.

6. Better ball protection- The Panthers success over the last decade was not because they were more talented, it was because they were more efficient. A major part of that efficiency was not giving the ball away. That changed this season. Woodall was the biggest culprit and he will be the main ball handler again next season. But as I previously stated, it's likely that Robinson will handle a good portion of the ball handing next season, and he protects the ball with his life. The next two biggest culprits are Robinson and Gibbs, and both will be gone. John Johnson has also been adept at protecting the ball and as of now he will be the starting two.

7. Better defense- This one is simple. Neither Gibbs nor Robinson were even mediocre defensively while Adams and Robinson are both excellent defensively. The very fact that Pitt will have a center and a point guard who are excellent defenders will go a long way in making the entire defense better.

Summary- Don't get me wrong. I'm saying that the Panthers are guaranteed to be a top ten team again next year. But I do think they will be an NCAA team again. That may sound crazy considering the two top scorers are graduating, but there is much more to basketball than scoring. I don't mean to continue to dump on Gibbs and Robinson, but because they are the two main players on this team, this season was doomed from the beginning. Gibbs was a very good player for three years, but he checked out last year. Robinson was overmanned. Neither can play defense, neither are highly talented athletically, and neither are vocal leaders. That's not who you want leading your team. And in basketball, where there are only five players on the floor at once, two players can make a big difference.

Who will be the new leaders? That's the question. Woodall, Patterson, and Taylor are probably the best bets, but it remains to be seen. Adams and Robinson have the charisma that true leaders have but they will be freshmen. And the team is still without an ideal shooting guard or power forward so that's another problem.

But Pitt is always a perfect example of the phrase "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts". A seven footer here, a tough ball handler there, a little more experience throughout, and a chance to regroup with a much better attitude. Put it all together and I think the Panthers are a top 25 team again.

Update on Pitt basketball recruiting

2012-02-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

2012:

Kaza Keane, Christian Faith Center Academy (Creedmor, NC) - Why are the Panthers recruiting the 6'2" 180 pound point guard from Toronto when they already have James Robinson? Obviously Pitt would love to have two excellent point guards but who has that luxury? And why would the top point guard from Canada come to Pitt when they already have their point guard of the future? If Jamie Dixon convinces Keane to come in as a combo guard who will see the floor a lot then that's one thing, and while he's still not the two guard size Pitt needs, he does have the skills to play the position. He is a consistently good three point shooter, a good defender, and excellent quarterbacking skills (though sometimes he gets unnecessarily flashy with his passes). Having he and Robinson on the court at the same time could be very good. Though Pitt hasn't offered yet (despite reports), Dixon has been watching him a lot lately since Keane recently reclassified to 2012. He is taking the SAT in March but does have a 3.2 GPA so eligibility shouldn't be a problem.

Sheldon Jeter, Beaver Falls HS (Beaver Falls, PA)- The Panthers aren't looking for a three right now, but it's not often that a high major prospect is in their area. And now that the 6'8" 215 pound Jeter has gotten stronger and bigger he could be an ideal "mobile 4" that Pitt likes, due to his ability to shoot, pass, and handle. Pitt has not offered yet, but Dixon is monitoring closely. Wisconsin, Penn State, and South Carolina have offered.

Andrew Young, Monterey Peninsula College (Monterey, CA)- Now this would be an interesting addition. Young is a 6'9" 235 pound power forward prospect from the west coast who is dominating the California junior college circuit. He was an athletic 6'6" high school slacker in high school so he got no offers. Instead of sulking he went to Monterey Peninsula and developed into a 6'9" man child with a 3.9 GPA. Young is athletic, can defend, run, and step out and shoot from time to time. As a low post passer, he is exceptional which is exactly what Pitt looks for in their fours.

Young was born in Eugene, OR but moved to Monterey during high school. He is open to leaving the west coast and playing in both the Big East and ACC has to be a helluva sales pitch. With Khem Birch moving on there is a spot for a true four (Talib Zanna and Dante Taylor do not have the power forward skills that Pitt covets) and Young would be an exciting option. Many big time programs are watching him and when his season ends in two weeks, things will start to get serious. One of those who may be there waiting to talk to him could be Pitt who has already been out to watch him in person.

Torian Graham, Christian Faith Center Academy (Creedmoor, NC)- The much travelled guard recently enrolled in his fourth school which obviously raises red flags. As a player, the 6'4" 175 pound shooting guard has star potential. Graham is a consistent deep threat, long armed, a good ball handler, and can flat out dunk on anybody or anything that stands in his way. He committed to NC State at one point then said it was too soon. Not long ago he committed again but almost as quickly rescinded the verbal commitment. While that may look a little flakey, it's believed that as soon as he was committed the second time, he was told that his academics would prevent NC State from taking him at that time. It's believed that he still wants to join the Wolf Pack's great recruiting class, but Pitt is one of a handful of schools monitoring his academics just in case NC State decides to cut the chord. He also may have to be reclassified to 2013, but the Panthers are right to do their due diligence on him. It would take a lot of things to happen for him to fall Pitt's way, including being able to get into Pitt academically, but his off the charts talent is worth the effort.

Chris Jones, Teaneck HS (Teaneck, NJ)- As of just a month ago, Jones was seen as a low- or mid-major prospect. But recently bigger schools have become interested in the 6'5" 190 pound sleeper. He can shoot, is has good athleticism, and has great length to play the two. Most of all, he has that certain "it" factor, not only as a player but as a leader and person, that makes many evaluators think he could develop into a gem down the road. Dixon has been watching him closely lately.

2013:

Austin Colbert, Hotchkiss School (Lakeville, CT)- The New Jersey native has many attributes that Pitt desires at the four. He is long and lanky at 6'9" and 205 pounds, he can run the floor well, plays good defense, is a superior shot blocker, and can shoot out to 15 feet. But he obviously needs to get stronger and his rebounding needs work. Too often he stays outside of the paint. If he ever gets stronger and more aggressive he could be a helluva of a player. He is also a high character person and a great student. Pitt has offered as has Georgetown, Seton Hall, Miami, and Xavier are some of his offers.

Beejay Anya, DeMatha Catholic HS (Hyattsville, MD)- If there was ever a kid who was meant to be a Pitt center, it's this beast. At 6'8" and 265 pounds, he is a monster who is simply too strong and wide for anybody to push out of the blocks. If that's not impressive enough, his well documented wingspan is an absurd 7'9". Before the last few months, that was not enough to make Anya a top 50 prospect because athletically he lacked mobility and explosion. But both of those traits have improved a lot lately thanks to a big weight loss, and now he is considered a top 20 prospect. He has been offered not only by Pitt but also Georgetown, Maryland, Ohio State, Syracuse, Texas, UCLA, Louisville, Kansas and many more. But Anya is close friends with teammate, and incoming Pitt point guard, James Robinson, who is already recruiting Anya hard. A lot may depend on what the status of Steven Adams is at the time. If he is still a projected lottery pick that appears to be moving on after one year, then that would no doubt appeal to Anya. If Adams is staying around then Pitt's chances will probably be nil.

Mike Young, Hudson Catholic HS (Jersey City, NJ)- This rugged 6'8" 210 pound power forward reminds me a lot of Talib Zanna in that he may not have a huge upside, but he's solid in a lot of errors and should be at least a solid contributor at a high major program. His ruggedness and strength are his best features and he also displays a solid inside game with decent athleticism and strong hands. Rebounding is his main strength. He is a Pittsburgh native who went to Hudson Catholic to improve his game, and Pitt has offered, as has West Virginia, Florida, Seton Hall, Rutgers, and Miami.

Kris Jenkins, Gonzaga College HS (Washington, DC)- Before the season, this power forward was a lightly recruited tweener. Now he's one of the fastest risers in the country who at 6'5" and 250 pounds has a unique set of skills that has made him nearly impossible to guard lately. His girth is an obvious asset in the paint where his size and athleticism makes him a force, but he can also be a deadly three point shooter, and recently made 6 out of 6 in one game. Penn State, Rutgers, Miami, Xavier, Seton Hall, and Virginia Tech are some of his offers, but Pitt has been watching him closely for the past few weeks.

Rondae Jefferson, Chester HS (Chester, PA)- A top 20 talent, Jefferson is best suited as a three, but the 6'6" 200 pound lefty wants to play the point. His outside shot is mediocre right now so that may be asking a lot, but he has an excellent handle, great length, and is a great slasher through the lane. If Pitt can convince him to play the two where they have a dire need, then maybe he'll go for it. But the competition for his services will be fierce. Pitt has been recruiting hard for a long time and he comes from the same school as Nasir Robinson. His brother is a junior who plays at Temple. Bottom line, he is a hardworking, versatile talent that that is a perfect fit for Pitt. Now Dixon just has to convince him of that.

Early PA top 10 list for 2013

2012-02-10T17:55:00.001-05:00

1. Robert Foster, Central Valley HS (Monaca) WR- Pound for pound, considered the best prospect in the state by any competent talent evaluator. Excellent 6'2" size but will have to add some weight to his 180 pound frame. When officially timed he will probably run a 4.5 40 at the moment, but that should improve in college to a 4.45. Even if it doesn't, game speed is not Foster's problem. He is one of those players, like Jerry Rice, who may not be a speed demon when clock timed, but that nobody can seem to cover. Part of that is because of his off the charts quickness, and part of it is because he has the natural elusiveness and running technique that the great game breakers have.

Foster is one of the top three receiver prospects in the country and game breakers of his stature will always get a lot of offers. Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Florida, Oregon, USC, and Florida State are some of the offers and he'll probably have over 50 eventually.

I still think Pitt is the favorite as long as they match the effort that Ohio State is already showing. Beaver County players are all close and they are all at Pitt. Foster is best friends with Todd Thomas, Rushel Shell, Chandler Kincade, Dravon Henry, etc., and all are either at Pitt or expected to go to Pitt. Foster wants to feel comfortable wherever he goes and it's common sense that being close to home with his friends is as comfortable as you can get. If the Panthers falter at all, I expect him to go to Ohio State. I would be extremely surprised if he goes anywhere other than those two.

2. Adam Breneman, Cedar Cliff HS (Camp Hill) TE- While Foster is the undisputed best prospect in the state, Breneman is a very close second. In fact, he is a more unique talent than Foster because he is the new breed of tight end, players like Rob Gronkowski, Vernon Davis, and Jimmy Graham, whose combination of size and speed makes them practically impossible to defend.

At 6'5" and 220 pounds, he will need to add weight, but his great hands, speed, and length makes him a player that can be devastating in the passing game. He's also a high character kid who wants to work hard to reach his very high ceiling.

Breneman lives in central PA and is a huge Penn State fan. Normally he would seem like a Penn State lock, and he there's still a very good chance that he will end up there. But like all of Penn State's recruiting in the near future, one has to wonder if the present controversy will prevent Breneman from going there. If it doesn't bother him, then they're the obvious favorite. If he gets influenced by the media and other coaches who will continually bring up the controversy, and decides that he doesn't want to deal with any potential blowback, then I can see him going to Notre Dame. No matter how you look at it, though, Breneman will have many options with Pitt, Penn State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Miami, and Georgia are just some of his many offers, and it's a list that continues to grow.

3. Patrick Kugler, North Allegheny HS (Wexford) OG- Foster and Breneman aren't the only truly elite prospects as Kugler is pretty much right up there with them. At 6'5" and 270 pounds, he needs to get bigger, but he has the great frame to do so. To go with his great length, he also has great feet. He needs to get physically stronger and hit the weight room, but overall he is an excellent football player already, and not just a lineman who projects to be a good football player some day. A lot of that has to do with his great techniques thanks to his father, Sean Kugler, who is the current offensive line coach of the Steelers.

He has offers from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Florida State, Miami, Virginia tech, Tennessee, Stanford, Stanford, Boise State, Washington, and South Carolina already and many more will follow. But this is one player that Pitt can't afford to lose and quite frankly there's no reason to lose him. They have maybe the best college offensive line coach in the country in Bob Bostad right down the road and Kugler's father will surely know that.

4. David Williams, (Philadelphia) RB- Williams played this past season at West Catholic HS in Philadelphia, one of the biggest talent producers in the state in recent years, but the school is closing. As of now, Williams has not decided which school he will play for next year. Whoever gets him is in for a treat, though.

Williams is a solid 6'0" and 185 pounds but could easily add another 20 pounds of muscle in the future. He runs strong, and actually despite his lack of big size, he often runs between the tackles. But without a doubt his legit 4.4 speed and elite quickness and athleticism are his best traits.

Running backs with the ability to run both inside the tackles and have breakaway speed are obviously in high demand and Pitt, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Rutgers, Virginia, South Carolina, Arizona, and Arizona State are some of his offers. He was big on Pitt when the previous staff was there, but now with them gone and Rushel Shell in the program they are probably long shots now. If I had to guess, I think he will leave the state.

5. Justin Moody, George Washington HS (Philadelphia) DT- Defensive linemen are at a premium, especially ones that are as talented at this kid. That's why it's hard to understand why this 6'3" 265 pound tackle only holds a Rutgers offense at this time. Not only is he fast and athletic, but he is a highly productive player who is simply relentless on the field. He's also proved his physical talents at various combines in the eastern part of the state and should excel at bigger camps and combines this spring. His mentor is former George Washington star Shariff Floyd, the former No. 1 PA player who is now at Florida, so if the Gators eventually offer, they could be the favorite.

6. Tyler Boyd, Clairton Area HS (Clairton) S/WR- Yet another elite prospect, Boyd has been an absolute terror in PA high school football over the last two seasons for the powerhouse Clairton Bears. At 6'1" and 160 pounds, he needs to gain 40 pounds or so in the future, but he has legit 4.4 speed and superior athleticism. He can project as a safety or wide receiver, and he could also be an excellent kick and punt returner.

Being from a small school, his offer list may never be as large as it should be but Pitt, Virginia Tech, Boston College, and Arizona have thrown their hats in the ring and more will follow. Pitt has had a pipeline to Clairton so they have to be considered a major contender but if an elite program outside of the state comes at him hard I can definitely see him leaving the area.

7. Dorian Johnson, Belle Vernon Area HS (Belle Vernon) OT- One of the fastest rising recruits in the east and there's no reason why he doesn't keep going up in stature. Great 6'6" length with superb footwork. Has all the makings of an elite left tackle at the next level once he adds to his 275 pound frame. Extremely mobile and can really move down the field well. Pitt, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Boston College, and Cincinnati are some of his early offers but once coaches see him run at combines this spring, I expect his offer list to rise sharply.

As for where he ends up, Pitt is the obvious favorite. He's already said he's a Pitt fan and the Panthers main recruiter, Joe Rudolph, is a Belle Vernon alum.

8. Mike McGlinchey, William Penn Charter School (Philadelphia) OT- A left tackle with a big wingspan is what every football team wants and you can't get much bigger than the 6'8" McGlinchey. He is only 280 pounds so he has a lot of weight to gain to fill out that long frame, but he can move well and even plays basketball and lacrosse. Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia, Rutgers, Boston College, and Maryland are some of his early offers and right now his future destination is totally up in the air.

9. Scott Orndoff, Seton-LaSalle HS (Pittsburgh) TE- To be honest, he's been a Wisconsin commit for a few months so many haven't really looked closely at him closely but he has since opened up his recruitment and I finally got a chance to see his film. All I can say is wow, I had no idea how good this kid was. Kudos to the former Wisconsin, and current Pitt, assistant coach Joe Rudolph, for finding this under the radar tight end because the ceiling on this kid is amazing.

At 6'5" and 250 pounds, he is big and getting bigger, but what makes him special is that he runs like a wide receiver with good speed and exceptional athleticism and running ability. Orndoff was a former quarterback at Seton-LaSalle and is fast enough to run the 100m and 200m in track. He is also an excellent blocker and has huge hands.

It's conceivable that he could stay at Wisconsin but with Rudolph at Pitt, not to mention the tight end friendly offense of Paul Chryst, you have to think that he could very well stay at home and go to Pitt. If he does then Pitt has a potential star in the making.

10. Alex Anzalone, Wyomissing Area HS (Wyomissing) LB- Already a solid 6'3" and 210 pounds but has a frame that can hold a lot more weight. The first thing you notice with him is his speed. This kid can flat out fly and as a running back he routinely breaks long runs where he makes the defenders look like they're standing still.

He has eight offers already, including Virginia, Rutgers, Northwestern, Maryland, and Boston College, but expect bigger programs to get involved.

Could Pitt's new starting QB be Danny O'Brien?

2012-02-09T16:40:00.002-05:00

Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien is reportedly looking to transfer. The 6'3" 215 pound O'Brien is a former ACC Rookie of the Year and Freshman All-American after he threw for 2,438 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions in 2010.

Via twitter, O'Brien stated that "Contrary to rumor, I'm still a Terp". Technically, while true, most observers point out that O'Brien didn't say he will continue to be a Terp in the near future. In fact, it is believed that O'Brien, a third year sophomore, can graduate after the spring semester ends on May 20. At that time O'Brien can become a graduate transfer and will not have to sit out a year if he wants to play for another school. If he transfers before he graduates he would have to sit out a year.

O'Brien's sophomore year was not as successful, but most people associated with Maryland football feels it has to do with the change of offense incorporated by new head coach Randy Edsall who went from pro-style to the spread. O'Brien had trouble in the offense and his production dropped. To make matters worse, Maryland's talent plummeted (24 transfers and counting since Edsall was hired), including the departure of No. 1 draft pick receiver Torrey Smith. Then on Nov. 12 O'Brien broke a bone in his upper, non-throwing arm.

While it's still way too early to know if Pitt will be a contender for O'Brien, the list of suitors is expected to be long. O'Brien is a very good quarterback who could be NFL caliber if developed properly. Needless to say, this is the perfect time to have Paul Chryst, who is known as an offensive genius, and just came off a highly successful season with another graduate transfer, Russell Wilson.

O'Brien's addition to the Panthers would obviously be huge. Even though he would miss Pitt's spring practice, he would almost assuredly start the season opener or not long after. It would also allow Chad Voytik to redshirt one year and serve as backup in another. By the time he would start he would be a third year sophomore and could presumably hit the ground running on the way to being a potential three year starter.

The school that may be the biggest obstacle for the Panthers could be Vanderbilt, whose head coach, James Franklin, was the offensive coordinator for Maryland during O'Brien's big redshirt freshman season. O'Brien is very close to Franklin and reportedly even helped Franklin pack his desk when he got the Vanderbilt job. He is also comfortable with Franklin since he knows he was already successful for him in the past. But Vanderbilt already has six quarterbacks on the roster next season, not including O'Brien. It's unknown whether or not that would have an effect at all on O'Brien's decision. Another factor helping Vanderbilt is that O'Brien is a business major and the school has one of the business schools in the country.

An even bigger obstacle could be Maryland itself, who could possibly deny a transfer to a future ACC opponent, especially one that could develop into a big rivalry.

South Florida 63 Pittsburgh 51

2012-02-08T21:19:00.001-05:00

Well, it's not officially over yet, but unless Pitt goes on an unreal tear, they will not be playing in the NCAA tournament this year.

Tray Woodall was the leading scorer with 11 points and he became the only Panther to get into double figures in the last minute, on an uncontested layup. He also had 5 rebounds, just 2 assists, and 4 fouls.

Ashton Gibbs played very poorly and came away with just 4 points on 2-9 from the floor. Amazingly he attempted just one three pointer (and missed), and had no free throw attempts. What a total lack of leadership when the team needs it most.

J.J. Moore came off the bench for 9 points, while Nasir Robinson added 8 points and 4 rebounds, and Talib Zanna had 8 points and 5 rebounds.

The Panthers shot 34.6% from the floor while USF shot an incredible 57.5%, thanks to the Panthers matador defense in the lane.

Pitt is now 15-10 overall and 4-8 in the Big East. The next game is noon Sunday at Seton Hall.

Bears name an OL coach

2012-02-08T17:26:00.001-05:00

And that coach is former Tampa Bay coach Tim Holt. That means Bob Bostad is staying, which is obviously great news.

Two football notes

2012-02-08T14:39:00.000-05:00

As expected, OG Chris Jacobson is getting a rare sixth year of eligibility due to the fact that he lost the majority of two seasons due to injury. This is good news not only for Jacobson but also for the program, who needs all the help it can get.

Scott Orndorff, the 6'4" 250 pound class of 2013 tight end from Seton-LaSalle HS in Pittsburgh, committed to Wisconsin months ago. However, now he is opening up his recruitment again. New Pitt QB coach Joe Rudolph was the person responsible for recruiting Orndorff to Wisconsin so I think any rational person can put two and two together to see that there's a good possibility that Orndorff could be a Pitt Panther in the future.

How Pitt can have a top 20 recruiting class

2012-02-07T18:15:00.000-05:00

For the sake of argument, let's say that the Panthers will average 22 players in a class. This is how I feel that it would work ideally, and then how it would look this year with the panthers taking 25 players.

1. Dominate western PA- The Panthers do better than anybody else in the Pittsburgh area for two very obvious reasons. One, they recruit more in their own area than anybody, and two, most kids anywhere prefer to stay close to home. But even though they will always be the most proficient, there is still a lot of room to grow, especially with the elite prospects. Penn State will always get some kids from the area but Ohio State has stolen some of the better prospects over the last few years, and with Urban Meyer they are an even bigger threat. Those two are the biggest threats on a consistent basis. West Virginia has never gotten an elite recruit out of the area and Michigan and Notre Dame, two pests from the past, have not been recruiting in the area as hard lately.

While this area should have the most prospects, recent history shows that there hasn't been as many players taken from this area as one who think. In fact, since Dave Wannstedt became coach, the program adds 5-10 WPIAL prospects in a class.

For the 2013 class, Central Valley wide receiver Robert Foster, North Allegheny guard Patrick Kugler, Belle Vernon tackle Dorian Johnson, and Clairton safety Tyler Boyd would be four elite players that the program simply can't afford to lose. If they can't routinely keep players like this at home then the rest of the steps will not matter because they will never become elite until they can keep the best at home. If an elite player has a connection to another school, or feels they are more of a Penn State type of player then the Panthers obviously will lose that battle. But these four all have natural connections to Pitt, and nobody else, so there is simply no excuse to lose them.

2. Rest of PA- Some of the best players the Panthers ever had were in-state players from outside the WPIAL. Bill Maas, Mark Stepnoski, Tim Lewis, Chris Doleman, and Marc Spindler are five past greats that come to mind. LeSean McCoy, Nate Byham, Henry Hynoski, and Aaron Berry are four who are currently in the NFL, and players like Jarred Holley, Devin Street, Anthony Gonzalez, and Cory King carry on the tradition.

With Penn State having problems with P.R. currently and Greg Schiano gone from Rutgers (and taking his eastern PA recruiters with him), the time is right for the Panthers to make a killing. The biggest coup would be Harrisburg area tight end Adam Brenaman but he is one of the top tight ends in the country with a large amount of national offers already, he is a big Penn State fan, and the new staff has yet to recruit him as hard as others have. For that reason, and until he makes a point to single out Pitt as a major suitor, he will be considered a long shot. But others, like Philadelphia area offensive tackle prospects Mike McGlinchey and Madison O'Connor, running back David Williams, and defensive end Justin Moody, and central PA prospects like linebackers Zayd Issah and Alex Anzalone, are players that the Panthers must go all out for.

3. Ohio- The name of Urban Meyer turns many Pitt fans into a panic but the truth is, he can't get every player in Ohio because he can also recruit nationally and there's only so much room in his class. The Panthers probably won't get an elite player out of Ohio that the Buckeyes desperately want, but this year the state is deep, especially at the offensive line, and I would be shocked if the Panthers didn't get a few good players out of there this year. Especially since Joe Rudolph recruits very well there.

4. Maryland/Washington DC- For some reason the Panthers have not utilized this goldmine. Every year this area is loaded and every year the Panthers are virtually non-existent. This is mind boggling since it's only about 4 and a half hours away and the Maryland Terrapins are not a good football program, though with super recruiter Mike Locksley back they will recruit well locally again. The top program to come into the state is Penn State, thanks to Larry Johnson, Jr. who remains with the program, but again, Penn State could be a hard sell right now. Bottom line, there are at least twenty excellent recruits in this area for 2013 and there's no reason why Pitt can't get two a year with the right recruiter. Two. That's it. They don't have to dominate. They simply have to convince two excellent prospects and that should be very doable.

5. New Jersey- This is another area that has been good to Pitt over the years. The program used to dominate a few decades ago and some of the best players the program ever had came from here. Ironhead Heyward are Keith Hamilton are two greats from the past, and current players like Ray Graham, K'waun Williams, and Bryan Murphy continue the tradition. While the numbers in the state aren't large, there are twenty or so top prospects every year with usually a half a dozen recruited nationally. If the Panthers can nab two a year from the state, including one of the top prospects, then they would be set. Now all they have to do is find a coach who can recruit both eastern PA and New Jersey. Unfortunately, like the Maryland/Washington DC area, there is little evidence early on that the Panthers are hitting this area as hard as they should. Many of the top programs, and even programs like Boston College and Rutgers, are already offering a lot of players in both areas. But there's still time to turn that around.

6. Nationally- One thing that the current Pitt staff has going for them is that at offensive line, quarterback, running back, and tight end, the Panthers have the ability to recruit nationally thanks to Chryst's and Bob Bostad's national reputation. I'm not saying that the Panthers will consistently beat out national powers for the best of the best outside of their normal recruiting area, but they should be able to get a very good national prospect every once in awhile at those positions. Included in this area is Florida, which I know many Panthers fans want to focus on, but the truth is, Pitt would never consistently get enough players out of the state to warrant anything more than a recruiter who hits the entire southeastern seaboard. If that recruiter can get some Florida speed than that would be a great added bonus.

Most recruiting classes range from the high teens to the mid-twenties so let's just average it out and say the usual class will be 22 players. With that in mind, my ideal scenario would be the following.

WPIAL- 7 players
Rest of PA- 4
Ohio- 4
National- 3
Maryland/Washington, DC- 2
New Jersey- 2

The ideal for 2013 would be the following. This is not a prediction by any means since it's way too early for that, but just an example of what the Panthers would need for a top twenty class. In this scenario, I am using all 25 scholarships since I have to assume that the Panthers will try to max out the class next season.

QB: (1)

Malik Zaire, Archbishop Alter HS (Kettering, OH)- 4 stars

I think Chad Voytik will be a very good quarterback but clearly the program needs more options. Zaire would be a huge get. The 6'1" lefty is highly athletic but is also a very good passer with a strong arm. Obviously Ohio State would be the team to beat, but they have other excellent young quarterbacks and Zaire is a huge fan of Paul Chryst and Joe Rudolph so there's a legit chance that it could happen.

HB: (1)

Laray Smith, Xavier HS (Brooklyn, NY)- 3 stars

It may be difficult to get a big time back with Rushel Shell, and a lot of other underclassmen in the program, but it's a position where the Panthers should always add at least one, and Smith is a 6'1" 180 pound sleeper with legit 4.45 speed.

FB: (1)

Marquise Watson, St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, NJ)- 3 stars

Even with a possible transfer, the Panthers could use another fullback and this 5'11" 260 pound fireplug with excellent athleticism is a great fit. The previous staff was looking at him as an inside linebacker and he could always move there if need be, but to have such an excellent athlete as a fullback would be an excellent development.

WR: (3)

Robert Foster, Central Valley HS (Monaca, PA)- 5 stars
Devin Wilson, Montour HS (McKees Rocks, PA)- 3 stars
Andre Patton, St. Elizabeth HS (Wilmington, DE)- 3 stars

The 6'2" 180 pound Foster is obviously the key to the whole class and if the staff can't keep him, it could be a bad sign. He would start immediately and be dynamic. The 6'3" 170 pound Wilson needs to gain size but his length is excellent and he's a good enough athlete that he's also getting D-1 basketball offers. The 6'4" 180 pound Patton would be a great addition and is also an excellent basketball player. The three would add much needed size and athleticism to the unit.

TE: (2)

Jake Butt, Pickerington North HS (Pickerington, OH)- 4 stars
Dylan Chmura, Waukesha West HS (Waukesha, WI)- 3 stars

Obviously PA tight end Adam Breneman would be the best option here but that may prove to be tougher than getting good tight ends out of Ohio and Wisconsin. Butt already has double digit offers but so far Ohio State isn't one of them. At 6'6" and 230 pounds, he is also athletic. Needless to say, he's exactly what Chryst is looking for at tight end. The same can be said of Chmura, son of former Green Bay Packers tight end Mark Chmura, who is also 6'6" and 230 pounds. He lost all of last season with a preseason ACL injury so he's flying under the radar right now, but he was recruited heavily by Bob Bostad and Rudolph when they were at Wisconsin. He would be easier to get out of the state since he claims no favorite team, including the Badgers. And you have to think his dad would be impressed with this staff's history of tight end excellence.

OL: (5)

Patrick Kugler, North Allegheny HS (Wexford, PA)- 4 stars
Dorian Johnson, Belle Vernon Area HS (Belle Vernon, PA)- 4 stars
Kyle Meadows, Lakota West HS (West Chester, OH)- 4 stars
Madison O'Connor, Pottsgrove HS (Pottsgrove, PA)- 3 stars
Xzavier McAllister, McKinley HS (Canton, OH)- 3 stars

What a perfect time for PA and OH to have talented and deep offensive line prospects because the program needs linemen that fits what Bostad wants to do. The 6'5" 265 pound Kugler is another local prospect that is essential. He is a big time player who could conceivably be a future All-American and No. 1 NFL pick some day with Bostad coaching him. Johnson is going to be rated one of the best linemen in the east by summer due to his 6'6" 275 pound size and great athleticism. If Ohio State wants the 6'6" 275 pound Meadows, it may be hard for the Panthers to get him, but Ohio is loaded with top prospects, not to mention the out of state linemen that they will also pursue. He could be one that the Buckeyes don't have room for, but for the Panthers he would be a major coup. The Panthers are already targeting him. O'Connor is also right up Bostad's alley due to his 6'6" 325 pound size. And McAllister is another Ohio State gem who is actually down to 6'5" 310 after being as high as 360. With Pitt, he won't be asked to watch his weight as closely as Bostad likes them beefy. Five big, excellent linemen and they won't even have to travel far to get them.

DL: (5)

Ty Haddock, Montour HS (McKees Rocks, PA)- 3 stars
Curtis Cothran, Council Rock North HS (Newtown, PA)- 3 stars
Tyrique Jarrett, Milford Academy (Milford, NY)- 3 stars
Kevin Robbins, Bishop McNamara HS (Forestville, MD)- 3 stars
Austin Bown, Lincoln HS (Manitowic, WI)- 3 stars

There is a desperate need for more linemen and while there are no guaranteed stars in this group, they all have high ceilings. On the inside, Haddock and Jarrett are both big and nimble. Jarrett is a giant 6'3"325 pounds but he can really move. If he played at a football factory and schools didn't worry about his grades, he would have been one of the most recruited big men in the east. But after spending this season at Allderdice HS in Pittsburgh he will prep this season. Haddock is a rather round 6'0" and 300 pounds but don't let the size fool you. He has great feet and has actually earned the nickname Kung Fu Panda. Two giant and quick interior linemen like this would bode well for the defense's future. The other three are pass rushing defensive ends. Cothran comes from the eastern part of the state and at 6'5" and 225 pounds he is a good development prospect. Robbins is somebody the Panthers have to get on. He already has offers from Michigan State, Syracuse, and East Carolina but more will follow. At 6'4 1/2" and 230 pounds, he's a lightning quick pass rusher who is athletic enough to perform 360 degree dunks on the basketball court. Bown is also 6'4 1/2" and 230 pounds, and is athletic enough to win the MVP of the NUC Combine that was held in Chicago. While Wisconsin kids usually stay home and play for the Badgers, it should be noted that his dad is close friends with Bostad, who has been recruiting him for a year already.

LB: (3)

Alex Anzalone, Wyomissing Area (Wyomissing, PA)- 4 stars
Buddy Brown, Williamstown HS (Williamstown, NJ)- 4 stars
Zayd Issah, Central Dauphin HS (Harrisburg, PA)- 3 stars

This is where the new staff will truly be tested. Brown already has a dozen offers, including Pitt, and at 6'2" and 205 pounds, he is the elite level of linebacker that the Panthers defense needs to reach new heights. It would be a great coup for the staff. Anzalone and Issah would be two more coups because these are the kinds of players that would be guaranteed to go to Penn State in different times. If the Panthers want to make a serious dent in Penn State territory this would be two huge gets. Anzalone holds offers from Maryland, Boston College, Rutgers, and Northwestern so far, but he will get more. Even Ohio State is circling. At 6'3" and 220 pounds, he has excellent speed and would be an excellent addition to the Panthers defense. Issah was phenomenal as a junior and could end up being a four star prospect, too. The 6'3" 215 pounder already has offers from UConn, Maryland, and Virginia.

DB: (4)

Tyler Boyd, Clairton Area HS (Clairton, PA)- 4 stars
Dubois Ross, Pius X HS (Bangor, PA)- 3 stars
Demetrius Louis, Ringgold HS (Donora, PA)- 3 stars
Brendan Coniker, North Allegheny HS (Wexford, PA)- 3 stars

The depth of the current Panthers secondary is pretty good but this is a position that you continually have to add. Luckily for the Panthers, they don't even have to go south to get four good ones. In fact, they don't even have to leave the state. Boyd obviously has star potential. At 6'1" and 160 pounds, he has electrifying speed and athleticism. He is a must get. The 6'1" 180 pound Coniker would have great size for corner and could also project as a safety. Either way, the kid can flat out play. Louis is a sleeper from the Mon Valley, who at 5'11" and 185 pounds at a combine last summer ran a 4.5 and had a 38" vertical. Ross comes from the smallest school in the state but it's a powerhouse coached by former Maryland quarterback Phil Stambaugh. He has made the rounds of various camps and combines for the past two years and often comes away with honors, including being named the top receiver at Pitt's camp last summer.

By state:

WPIAL: (9)- WR Robert Foster (5), OL Patrick Kugler (4), DB Tyler Boyd (4), OL Dorian Johnson (4), WR Devin Wilson (3), DT Ty Haddock (3), DB Demetrius Louis (3), DB Brendan Coniker (3), DT Tyrique Jarrett (3)

Rest of PA: (5)- LB Alex Anzalone (4), OL Madison O'Connor (3), DB Dubois Ross (3), LB Zayd Issah (3), DE Curtis Cothran (3)

Ohio: (4)- QB Malik Zaire (4), OL Kyle Meadows (4), TE Jake Butt (4), OL Xzavier McAllister (3)

Nationally: (4)- TE Dylan Chmura (3), RB Laray Smith (3), DE Austin Bown (3), WR Andre Patton (3)

New Jersey: (2)- LB Buddy Brown (4), Marquise Watson (3)

MD/DC: (1)- DE Kevin Robbins (3)

5- 1
4- 8
3- 16

Summary: A somewhat similar class was had by Oklahoma this year. According to Scout.com, the Sooners had one 5 star, eight 4 stars, and no top 100 players. Pitt would probably have at least two top 100 players in Foster and Kugler. And the Sooners were ranked No. 10 by Scout this year.

And as you can see, I didn't add anybody crazy to Pitt's class with this model. The only 5 star was Foster, who is very possible. The 4 stars like Boyd, Kugler, and Johnson are very possible, too. The other four 4 stars are Buddy Brown, Malik Zaire, Jake Butt, and Kyle Meadows. The three Ohio kids are well known by the Pitt staff and may not fit into Ohio State's grand plan, despite their excellence, though Zaire will definitely be courted by the Buckeyes strongly. And Brown is a player that Pitt is recruiting and should quite frankly continue to recruit as heavily as they can. But, the bottom line is, none of these are totally off the wall gets. There are many 5 star players in Ohio, New Jersey, and Maryland that I assumed Pitt wouldn't get so I didn't list them. Hell, I didn't even add two excellent in-state players like Adam Breneman and Philadelphia area running back David Williams. And yet, with just some excellent recruiting, the Panthers could conceivably have a top 20 class, if not top 15.

Eddie Faulker leaves Pitt

2012-02-06T16:35:00.000-05:00

Eddie Faulkner was hired to be Pitt's new RB coach but he didn't last long. He's now off to his alma mater, Wisconsin, where he will be the TE coach. Personally, I find this to be a blessing in disguise because this is the perfect time to hire a coach with Maryland or New Jersey ties. I don't know who that person is, but no more people with ties to Hawaii and Idaho. Maryland and New Jersey is loaded. I would find the best person I can find for one of those two places and then hire him. Getting into one of those areas, and actually both areas is essential but I'll take one for now, is crucial to the program.

Pittsburgh 79 Villanova 70

2012-02-05T16:31:00.001-05:00

The Panthers will their fourth straight after losing eight straight, to go to 4-7 in the Big East and 15-9 overall.

This was the Tray Woodall show and right now I'm not sure he isn't better than Ashton Gibbs has ever been. Woodall did have another ridiculous six turnovers, but he also had 29 points, thanks to 12-12 from the line and 3-6 from three, and also had 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.

Gibbs chipped in 25 points himself thanks to 4-8 from three and 7-7 from the line. He also had 3 turnovers.

Between them they scored 54 points, made 7 threes, and went 19-19 from the line. But they also combined for 9 turnovers.

Off the bench, Dante Taylor had 9 points, the only points that the bench produced. He also chipped in 5 rebounds.

Woodall and Gibbs were needed because the rest of the team shot a combined 8-27 from the field. Lamar Patterson had 8 points and fouled out. Talib Zanna had 4 points on 1-5 shooting but did chip in 8 rebounds. Nasir Robinson was the worst of the starters with 4 points on 2-7 shooting, 4 rebounds, 3 turnovers, and 4 fouls.

Next up for the Panthers, they play at South Florida Wednesday night. The Bulls are 4-1 in conference at home this season, including the last four. The lone Big East loss at home was to UConn, by 3.

Curtis Martin and Chris Doleman elected into Hall of Fame

2012-02-04T19:11:00.000-05:00

Hall of Famers by School:

Southern Cal 11

Notre Dame 10

Pittsburgh 8

Michigan 8

Ohio State 8

Alabama 7

This is why I get so upset when I hear media or college football fans scoff at Pitt having the ability to become a national power again. The amount of excellent players that go through that university is unreal. The only thing stopping Pitt from being a power is the desire of the university.

Future ACC football divisions set

2012-02-03T13:41:00.001-05:00

Atlantic Division:

Boston College
Clemson
Florida State
Maryland
North Carolina State
Syracuse
Wake Forest

Coastal Division:

Duke
Georgia Tech
Miami
North Carolina
Pittsburgh
Virginia
Virginia Tech

Syracuse is Pitt's primary partner meaning the school from the other division that they will play every year.

While there will be no divisions in basketball, Pitt's primary partner will be Maryland, which means they will play them home and home every year. That will be good for recruiting purposes since Pitt often recruits in the Maryland area.

For football recruiting, playing against Virginia and Virginia Tech every year will be good because it opens up a fertile recruiting area.

Panthers interested in elite 2012 shooting guard

2012-02-02T16:33:00.000-05:00

Torian Graham, a 6'4" shooting guard from Creedmor (NC) Christian Faith Academy, was twice considered an NC State commit, but twice changed his mind. Now he has opened up his recruiting. One of those teams interested is Pittsburgh.

Graham, a native of Durham, NC, is generally considered a top 50 prospect, and even more exciting for Pitt fans, he is the tall, highly athletic scorer that the Panthers have never had at the position. Graham has three point range and is known to be a high flying dunker. But if the Panthers were to land Graham, they will have to fight for him. He is still considering NC State and Louisville, Memphis, and Xavier are also pursuing hard.

Offensive Linemen possibilites for 2013

2012-02-02T15:13:00.000-05:00

Dan Bell, Menomonee Falls HS (Menomonee, WI)- Needs to add weight but at 6'6" and 275 pounds he has the frame to be as big as Bostad likes. Bostad was already recruiting him for Wisconsin so he has already given his stamp of approval.

Damon Dillard, Marion-Franklin HS (Columbus, OH- Bostad likes beefy linemen and you can't get beefier than 6'4" and 335 pounds. He was also a teammate with Terrell Jackson this year so that's an in for the Panthers.

Alex Gall, Moeller HS (Cincinnati, OH)- 6'5" 295 pound mauler from one of the most legendary programs in the country. Just receiver his first major offer, from Kentucky, with more to follow.

Andrew Geers, Neuqua Valley HS (Naperville, IL)- Illinois is obviously not Pitt's normal recruiting area, but Geers was recruited heavily at Wisconsin when Bostad was there. He's 6'7" 280 pounds and is one of the best wrestlers in the state.

Derwin Gray, Dunbar HS (Washington, DC)- Academically ineligible for beginning of this season, not as big as Bostad usually likes at 6'4" and 265 pounds, and Pitt almost never goes into Washington, DC. So why is he listed? Because he's a helluva an athlete and is one of the best linemen in the east. His current offer list includes WVU, Rutgers, Ohio State, Nebraska, Tennessee, Auburn, North Carolina, and Clemson already.

Matthew Gray, Prattville HS (Prattville, AL)- Giant kid who is listed at 6'6" and 305 pounds but looks even bigger. He's an Army brat who has lived around the country, mostly in Texas. Was recruited by Wisconsin when Bostad was there.

Brad Henson, Monsignor Donovan HS (Tom's River, NJ)- Another state that Pitt needs to hit, even if it's just for this kid. At 6'5" and 280 pounds, he already has eight offers including WVU, Rutgers, Boston College, and Miami. Bostad knows about him from when he was at Wisconsin.

Dorian Johnson, Belle Vernon HS (Belle Vernon, PA)- Excellent 6'5" 270 pound frame and very good athleticism. Pitt recently offered and WVU has too. The Mountaineers want him badly. Would be a great local to add.

Jaryd Jones-Smith, West Catholic HS (Philadelphia, PA)- Teammate of top Panthers RB target David Williams. At 6'7" and 295 pounds he has the frame that Bostad covets.

Patrick Kugler, North Allegheny HS (Wexford, PA)- Every Pitt fan knows about him by now. His father is the Steelers OL coach so his technique is already very good. Currently at 6'5" and 265 pounds but look for him to be bigger next season. Has the frame to eventually be 300 pounds, or more. Bottom line, Pitt simply can't lose this kid and there's no reason to.

Marcell Lazard, Bloomfield HS (Bloomfield, NJ)- Another reason that Pitt needs to get into the state. Great 6'6" 295 pound frame and already holds offers from the likes of Miami, Michigan, WVU, and Virginia.

Evan Lisle, Centerville HS (Centerville, OH)- One of the best lineman in the midwest, and if Ohio State offers, it will be virtually impossible to get him out of the state. At 6'6" and 265 pounds he already has offers from the likes of Oklahoma, Miami, and West Virginia.

Brendan Mahon, Randolph HS (Randolph, NJ)- Another big and talented Jersey lineman, the 6'5" 305 guard already has offers from Rutgers, UConn, and Boston College.

Steve Mathie, Glenoak HS (Canton, OH)- One of the best linemen in Ohio and already holds a UCLA offer. At 6'5" and 275 he has great feet and athleticism. Could see his recruitment skyrocket soon.

Xzavier McAllister, McKinley HS (Dayton, OH)- Yet another excellent Ohio prospect and has the excellent 6'5" 310 pound size. In fact, he is actually down in weight as he once ballooned to over 360 pounds.

Mike McGlinchey, William Penn Charter School (Philadelphia, PA)- Right now he may be the second best offensive lineman in PA after Kugler and his 6'8" 280 pound frame is right up Pitt's alley. Already has offers from Boston College, Rutgers, Virginia, and Duke. Bostad contacted him while at Wisconsin.

Kyle Meadows, Lakota West HS (West Chester, OH)- Another Ohio lineman with great 6'5" 295 pound size, quick feet, and loads of potential. Louisville just offered and many more are interested.

Brandon Miller, Waterford HS (Waterford, WI)- Big bodied kid at 6'5" and 295 pounds. Was at Wisconsin's last summer camp when Bostad was there.

Dorian Miller, Metuchen HS (Metuchen, NJ)- The previous staff offered him but at 6'3" and 280 pounds he may not be what Bostad is looking for. That would be a shame because he is one of the best offensive linemen in the east.

Madison O'Connor, Pottsgrove HS (Pottstown, PA)- Huge 6'6" 330 pounder that's perfect for the new Pitt style. Already visited Pitt under the previous regime and Wisconsin was interested in him, too.

Alexander Officer, Eastridge Senior HS (Rochester, NY)- Was offered by the previous coaching staff and as athletic as he is for 6'4" and 300 pounds there's no reason why the new staff won't be interested, too.

Jordan Page, Pennington Prep (Pennington, NJ)- Reclassified to '13 and has become a possible major prospect. He's 6'5" 305, athletic, and his size 18 shoes means he's probably not done growing yet. Wisconsin was interested when Bostad was there so you would think he would be interested again.

Lovell Peterson, Wayne HS (Huber Heights, OH)- Another top lineman from Ohio, at 6'3" and 280 pounds, he doesn't have the great size Bostad likes but he's considered one of the best center prospects in the country. Illinois has offered. Ohio State may not let him leave.

Connor Riese, D.C. Everest HS (Schoefield, WI)- Great 6'7" 300 pound size. One of the better linemen prospects in the midwest. Went to Wisconsin's summer camp before the season so Bostad knows about him.

Na'ty Rodgers, McDonough HS (Pomfret, MD)- 6'4" 260 is not the size that Pitt's looking for but he has the frame to gain a lot more. His early offer list that includes USC, Washington, North Carolina, South Carolina, Rutgers, and Tennessee shows how good this kid is.

Christian Skrepenak, GAR Memorial HS (Wilkes Barre, PA)- If Bostad wants big he won't get much bigger than this 6'9" 350 pound kid. He's the son of former Michigan offensive tackle Greg Skrepenak.

Elijah Wilkinson, Downingtown West HS (Downingtown, PA)- He's one of the better linemen in the state but he's playing in the Wing-T now. Amazingly, at a very big 6'4" and 300 pounds he may be right at the cusp of what Bostad finds to be ideal.

How Pitt has improved and what they need in 2013

2012-02-01T11:44:00.002-05:00

Quarterback: Obviously this is a position of need in both talent and depth. Chad Voytik is a breath of fresh air in terms of talent and leadership. Ideally, he would be redshirted or at least play little. Either way, he has the ability to play a lot of football for the Panthers.

2013: Ideally the Panthers would land two quarterbacks, one elite level player and maybe a promising local kid who just wants to play for Pitt. One intriguing option would be athletic 6'1" Ohio lefty Malik Zaire. He will be a priority for Ohio State but with Braxton Miller only a sophomore and 2013 elite recruit Jalin Marshall being given a chance at the position, Zaire may decide to take his chances battling Voytik. And he loves Paul Chryst and Joe Rudolph so it's not crazy to think the Panthers can't pull it off.

Running Back: With Ray Graham coming back and Isaac Bennett and Malcolm Crockett among others returning, the position wasn't a dire need this season. But that's okay because the Panthers went out and landed a potential superstar anyway in Rushel Shell.

2013: Even with Graham moving on this is a good, young, deep unit, but you can never have enough. Look for them to try to bring in at least one topnotch halfback and a fullback, since they don't have any on scholarship right now.

Wide receiver: Chryst can utilize small receivers but because of Graham and even Wannstedt before him, he has a lot of them. Too many, in fact. Demetrious and Chris Davis are also small, but quick. Demetrious, despite being 5-10" at most, has electrifying potential. But the big receivers were absent.

2013: Needless to say, some big NFL type receivers are needed. Probably at least three. And the state has some very good ones, led by Central Valley superstar Robert Foster. Ohio State wants him badly but it's imperative that Pitt keeps him home.

Tight end: Hubie Graham is returning as the starter and Brendan Carozzoni is a good, young talent. The other TEs from last year, Anthony Gonzalez and Drew Carswell, could end up at different positions. Adding J.P. Holtz was an excellent addition.

2013: Chryst uses a lot of tight ends and Graham is moving on, so depending on how they handle Gonzalez and Carswell, they could use two tight ends next year. The main target here obviously is PA's Adam Breneman, an elite prospect that could be an All-American at Pitt. The competition for him will be fierce, but being close to home and with Chryst a master of tight ends, the Panthers have a legit chance.

Offensive Line: Obviously this is a unit that needs huge help in talent and depth. Adding Adam Bisnotawy was very beneficial and he has the type of talent that Bob Bostad can turn into a future All-American. Gabe Roberts is a sleeper at guard who could develop in time. But obviously that's not enough.

2013: Expect at least five linemen here. The biggest target is guard Patrick Kugler of North Allegheny.

Defensive Line: A lot of seniors have departed and the depth is hurting. It wasn't helped much by this class with only Terrell Jackson and Darryl Render coming in, and both of them are for more down the road.

2013: At least four new linemen have to come in.

Linebacker: The Panthers possess three good young linebackers in Juan Price, Todd Thomas, and LaQuentin Smith but many more will be needed. Devon Porchia and Mike Caprara was added, and I do think Bam Bradley will end up there, too. But more is still needed.

2013: Look for at least three more to be added, with at least one hopefully talented enough and big enough to see time immediately.

Defensive Back: Really the only truly deep unit on the team right now but you can never have enough defensive backs. The Panthers took Deaysean Rippy as a safety and he could be a good one there. Like I wrote earlier they list Bradley as a safety, too, but I doubt he stays there. Jahmahl Pardner, Trent Cole, and Ryan Lewis were also added defensive backs this year.

2013: The numbers will still be large but like I said you can never have enough. I'd take three, with Clairton's Tyler Boyd being the top target.

Assuming there are 25 scholarships given, these are my projections:

Quarterback: 2
Running Back: 1
Fullback: 1
Wide Receiver: 4
Tight End: 2
Offensive Line: 5
Defensive Line: 4
Linebacker: 3
Defensive Back: 3