Here is a great piece for the upcoming FB season… the only thing our commenter Erie forgot was the NIL money these kids will get…or maybe a salary? How’s this – in your comments put down what you would be willing to pay for these kids to play at Pitt… Have fun!
Pitt starts their FB Spring practices on Monday, March 4th at the Southside facility with an entire new offensive coaching staff. I haven’t written an article for several months and so here I am contributing to Commander Reed’s Pitt POV sports blog. I personally have been somewhat disconnected with the POV for a few weeks due to business/work demands. Truth be told, I also lost interest in Pitt men’s BB after the Wake Forest beatdown two weeks ago, so I intentionally disconnected to focus on more important life experiences.
I also was extremely disappointed in the Pitt FB experience last season, and even though I couldn’t erase it from my mind, I tried. To date, I have not renewed my season tickets and I have not received a call from anyone associated with Pitt to discuss my options.
So, with Spring practice upon us, I decided I would dive 2-deep into the Pitt FB roster and educate myself to try and spark an interest, once again. Pitt currently has 81 scholarship players entering the Spring practice and 12 additional freshmen on scholarship who will enroll in the Fall and join this team in August. Doing the math, we are 8 scholarship players over the limit of 85. There will be some goodbyes being said over the next few weeks, for sure.
Ok, let’s dive into my version of the way too early 2-deep, starting with the players who must deal with the “everything is new offense” plus go to class and make passing grades.
I’ll start with the WR group where I believe we have talent, but we also have a lot of new faces. I will list the starter 1st followed by the back-up (no OR’s today).
WR -1 Kenny Johnson SO; Censere Lee JR/TR
WR-2 Daejon Reynolds RS JR/TR; Izzy Polk RS FR
WR-slot Konata Mumpfield SR/TR; Raphael Williams RS JR/TR
SLEEPER – Jake McConnachie RS SR 6’5” 215lbs
Two-thirds of this group are transfers with two having played at the FCS level for OC Kade Bell and Mumpfield coming from the MAC. So half were not recruited out of HS to play D1 P5 FB. Bad start on sparking an interest.
TE Gavin Bartholomew SR; Jake Renda RS JR
Blue Mountain Bart sparks my interest, but this year I’m parking my enthusiasm in Missouri – Bart needs to “show me” he is as good as I think he can be.
SLEEPER – Phil Jurkovic RS SR/TR (rumor has it that Duzz is petitioning the NCAA for a 7th year for Phil) – joking…
RB Rodney Hammond SR; Desmond Reid JR/TR
Hammond should have the nickname “HotRod” if he doesn’t already – unfortunately, he was parked in the garage last season by coach Powell and Duzz. On a positive note, HotRod has low mileage and is primed for a big senior season. I slotted FCS transfer Reid as the back-up because he knows the new system already as the starter for Kade Bell these past two season at Western Carolina. Remember, it IS way too early.
SLEEPER – Juelz Goff FR (reminds me of Shady, Ray Graham and Dion Lewis rolled into one)
QB Nate Yarnell RS JR; Eli Holstein RS FR/TR
In my opinion, Nate received similar treatment from the Pitt coaching staff that Nick Patti experienced the prior year – no respect, until they had no other choice. It’s like having Taylor Swift sitting on your front porch, but you feel the need to date Rosie O’Donnel.
LT Branson Taylor RS SR; Ryan Baer RS SO
LG Ryan Jacoby SR/TR; Lyndon Cooper RS JR/TR
C Terrence Moore RS JR; BJ Williams SO
RG Lyndon Cooper RS JR/TR; Isaiah Montgomery RS SO
RT Ryan Baer RS SO; Jackson Brown RS SO/TR
There are a few seniors not on my 2-deep that will probably be encouraged to hit the transfer portal. NOTE: I have two right-side starters as the back-ups to the left-side because the blind side must be well protected. I believe we have a solid 2-deep to protect the blind side this season.
Now on to the defensive side of the ball where we lost our best coach in Charlie Partridge who policed the DL and produced numerous NFL starters.
LDE Dayon Hayes RS SR; David Ojiegbe RS FR/TR
RDE Nate Matlack RS SR/TR; Bam Brima RS SR
Much like the OL, there are a few seniors not on my 2-deep that will probably be encouraged to hit the transfer portal.
SLEEPER – Jimmy Scott RS SO
LDT Sean FitzSimmons RS SO; Isaiah Neal RS FR
RDT Nick James RS SO/TR; Elliot Donald RS JR
I can see Neal getting a lot of playing time this season, IF Duzz was paying attention last year as to why he lost his best D-lineman in Okunlola to Colorado and Neon Deion. Neal has Kancey-like talent.
SLEEPER – Francis Brewu FR
Star LB Solomon DeShields RS SR; Braylan Lovelace SO
MLB Keye Thompson RS SR/TR; Brandon George RS SR
SLEEPER – Jeremiah Marcelin FR
Money LB Jordan Bass SO; Kyle Louis RS SO
SLEEPER – Rasheem Biles SO
Maybe our deepest LB-ing group in the Duzz era.
CB-1 Tamon Lynum RS SR/TR; Rashad Battle RS SR
CB-2 Rylan Gandy RS SO; Tamarion Crumpley RS JR
I have no sleeper in this group as this may be the weakest CB group of the Duzz era.
SS Donovan McMillon SR/TR; Phillip O’Brien SR
FS Javon McIntyre RS SR; Phillip O’Brien SR
O’Brien could start for most ACC teams except Pitt – that is why I placed him as the back-up at both safety positions. Probably the strongest of the 2-deeps on my list.
SLEEPER Cruce Brookins RS FR
I’m skipping the Special Teams as I hope we never have to punt. We should be able to find a decent punt returner with the speed we have acquired and please let us never put Hammonds in for a kick return.
I’m interested in hearing your opinions.
H2P!!
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