Category: Coaches

Pitt Depth Chart

Here is the Depth Chart that Pitt Released today.  I pulled it from Pittsburgh Sports Now, but I’m assuming EJ sent out a press release.

My fast thoughts in italics.  Please feel free to discuss.

OFFENSE: 

QB: Kenny Pickett.   Backup- Nick Patti or Jeff George Jr.  Interesting that the backup situation is an “Or”

RB: AJ Davis or Todd Sibley  No surprises here.

WR: Taysir Mack, Tre Tipton, Maurice Ffrench.  Backups- Aaron Mathews, Dontavius Butler-Jenkins, John Vardzel.  John who?

TE: Will Gragg. Backups- Nakia Griffin-Stewart, Grant Carrigan  So Gragg beat out Griffin-Stewart.  Maybe that 20 lbs of muscle he put on in the offseason paid off.

LT: Carter Warren    Backup- Carson Van Lynn  And it’s official.

LG: Bryce Hargrove   Backup- Brandon Ford  Yep.

C- Jimmy Morrissey  Backup- Owen Drexel  Yep.

RG-Gabe Houy    Backup- Jake Kradel or Chase Brown  r-Frosh and local product Kradel cracks the two-deep.

RT- Nolan Ulizio   Backup- Jerry Drake Jr.

DEFENSE: 

DE: Patrick Jones    Backups- John Morgan or Kaymar Mimes  Mimes back to DE after TE last year speaks to a slight lack of depth at DE

DT: Jalen Twyman   Backups- David Green or Tyler Bentley Young guys making the two deep all over this line.

DT: Keyshon Camp or Amir Watts   Backup- Devin Danielson Nice to see another local guy make the two deep.

DE: Deslin Alexandre   Backup- Habbukkuk Baldonado Haba is going to have to grow up fast.  

Money Linebacker: Kylan Johnson  Backup- Chase Pine  Pine fails to grab the starting spot yet again.  When is the lightbulb going to go on for this guy?

Mike Linebacker: Elias Reynolds or Saleem Brightwell Solid and experienced MLB corps.

Star Linebacker: Cam Bright or Phil Campbell I still think this is going to be the weak link of the defense.

Strong Safety: Paris Ford   Backup- Jazzee Stocker  Ford locked down the starting spot.  Can he deliver?

Free Safety: Damar Hamlin  Backup- Therran Coleman  Coleman is a guy who has paid his dues for a while.  

Cornerback: Dane Jackson  Backup- Erick Hallett  Surprised to see Hallett here.  5’11”.  Redshirted last year.  

Cornerback: Jason Pinnock or Damarri Mathis.  As expected.

Narduzzi is Actually Better Than Dabo…Kind Of

Narduzzi is Actually Better Than Dabo…Kind Of

Signing day has come and gone, without the fanfare of yesteryear where expectant Pitt fans sat by the computer watching the commitments roll in.  The fan base has early signing day to thank for that, and this past Wednesday was a quiet one day because of it.

You could argue that the two biggest commits that Pitt trotted out for the media were new Offensive Coordinator Mark Whipple and new Wide Receivers Coach Chris Beatty. Both of the new coaches were at the LOI event on Wednesday, and both DiPaola and Batko have done a nice job of writing up the Whipple interview.

Screen Shot 2019-02-11 at 12.20.08 AM
A few POV’ers not interviewing Beatty or Whipple

One of the more interesting quotes to emerge Whipple was the “What’s it going to take to beat Clemson?” question that he asked the quarterbacks.  It is a question that is dripping with insinuation, especially during an offseason filled with so much angst and so much promise.

First, Whipple was insinuating that Narduzzi wants to beat Clemson.  Well the truth is that everybody wants to beat Clemson, but on the other hand, Pitt does not play Clemson in 2019.  So if we read between the lines, we can infer that Pat Narduzzi believes that the team can repeat as Coastal Division champions.   And why not?  The coastal is shaping up no better in 2019 than it was in 2018.  Here is a quick look at the teams: Continue reading “Narduzzi is Actually Better Than Dabo…Kind Of” →

Lethal Offense 3?

Lethal Offense 3?

Well fans, we now have our Wide Receivers Coach officially in the fold, and by most accounts Chris Beatty is a good one.  He’s got a solid coaching resume and also boasts some very good recruiting credentials, which is exactly what this program needs.

Now we have three long months (until the spring game) to fantasize about what our offense will be. 

Rumor has it that Whipple likes to throw the ball.  Much has been made of that, but what should we expect really?  I went back to the well and asked Daily Hampton Gazette Umass Beat Writer Josh Walfish some in-depth questions about what we will probably see in 2019.  Josh was extremely gracious and gave me some great answers, so THANK YOU Josh.  Also I’d be remis not to credit Pittsburgh Sports Now’s Alan Saunders for the idea.  Saunders originally interviewed Walfish for one of the very first pieces published on Whipple, which I found to be excellent.

I’ve pasted the Josh Walfish interview below for your reading pleasure.  The “MM Notes” were added after the fact.  Enjoy…

Continue reading “Lethal Offense 3?” →

WR Coach Search

WR Coach Search

It’s an in-between period for Pitt football right now.  We are over the euphoria of the Mark Whipple hire.  The schedule has been released and we’ve made our initial win-loss predictions and travel plans.  There are a couple of weeks until signing day.

Besides some recruiting and transfer cleanup, the biggest question is who will be our next Wide Receivers coach?

It’s an important role.  Whipple loves to throw the ball, and one could argue that our roster is chock full of talented-yet-underdeveloped Wide Receivers.

Or course there has been no news, and really no solid rumors in the public blogoshphere.  The most tangible conversation around the Pitt WR Coach is “Will Whipple hire Leonard Hankerson?”  For those that don’t know Hankerson, he’s the former Miami Hurricane / Former NFL WR / Current WR Coach for the Umass Minutemen (who of course were coached by Whipple).

As far as qualifications, Hankerson did have lights-out senior year at Miami (72 rec / 1156 yds / 13 TD), and he did manage to stick around for five years in the NFL, but his coaching experience is a bit light.  Per Wikipedia:  “Leonard Hankerson joined Mark Whipple’s UMass football staff as an offensive graduate assistant in July 2017 and earned a promotion into the role of wide receivers coach for the 2018-19 school year.[28]“

So yeah.  I’m guessing they will be looking for someone a little more senior.

Continue reading “WR Coach Search” →