By Richard Hefner
Pitt’s revised season was supposed to end after the Clemson loss. Instead, it is now scheduled to end this Thursday with a Covid-inspired postponement makeup game. Pitt is now 5-5 (4-5 in conference). Our upcoming opponent is Georgia Tech 3-6 (3-5 in conference). GT is coming off a 13-23 loss to NC State. I watched the game to scout GT but with no excitement. It was like I was watching Kansas and Texas Tech (yawn). I have no investment in any of those four teams.
Pitt fans will be able watch the 7:00pm game on their Regional Sports Network. For me that is either Fox Sports South or Fox Sports Southeast.
Geoff Collins is in his second year at the helm of the Yellow Jackets. He has matched his win total from his 2019 campaign (3-9). He has also exceeded his win total against FBS teams with his 3’rd. But his GT teams are 0-1 against FCS teams having lost his 2019 game against (you guessed it) The Citadel Bulldogs in a 24-27 OT loss. Collins has the unenviable task of converting a triple option team (like The Citadel) to a modern (FBS) system.
He has already made progress in recruiting. Compared to Paul Johnson’s last two recruiting classes (2017 Rivals rank 41 and 2018 ranked 53. Those classes combined for a Pat Narduzzi-esque nine 5.7’s and above out of 45 recruits, or 20%). Collins has classes ranked 43 (2019 transitional year) and 24 (2020). He also recruited nineteen 5.7’s and above on 44 total recruits, 0r 43%.) The 2020 class is impressive containing 5.8 4-star QB Jeff Sims and 5.9 4-star RB Jahmyr Gibbs. More on them later.
Georgia Tech for the time period 08/01/19 to 10/30/20 had 17 players enter their name into the transfer portal including one player who entered 6/1/20, changed his mind and came back only to reenter the portal on 10/27/20. These are the 9 (of 17) players who entered since 8/1/20:
Not surprising that all except for one were Johnson’s recruits or in his transitional class (2019) that may or may not have given his verbal to Johnson. BTW, Graham started the last 8 games of the 2019 season.
Added this after Sunday night/Monday morning article was posted. DE Henderson & QB Graham were Rivals 5.8 4stars. DE Dingle was a Rivals 5.7 3-star. I can see QB Graham transferring as he was recruited as triple option QB, The DE’s are a different story. Is there a triple option defense?
To help make up for roster openings or deficiencies, Georgia Tech signed 3 off the portal.
One of the 3 (OT Devin Cochran) did not enroll at Georgia Tech and is not on the roster.
Georgia Tech has also added 4 more portal transfers since the 2020 season started. 3 were added this month.
All four are from Georgia. Washouts? Homesickness? Covid?
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