This just doesn’t say a lot for the performance of the receiving corp.
On changing Marcus Furman’s position:
We made one position change. There are still two or three positions we are trying to figure out who gives us the best chance to make the most plays. We moved Marcus Furman to receiver. Today we spent a lot of time on our four wide receiver sets. It actually looked pretty good. He can catch the ball. He’s been a receiver before. We are just trying to get a little more experience at the receiver position.
The running back position is a little heavy. That’s a nice problem to have. We have some numbers. The way (LaRod) Stephens is playing and the way (Brandon) Mason is playing, we have some depth there. It was the combination of the depth we have at running back and wanting a little more depth and experience at receiver. That was the reason for the move. He (Furman) can catch. He’s fast and smart. It gives us a chance to use some formations at receiver that we might not have been able to use – the three or four wides. He’ll continue to work on special teams.
Now don’t get me wrong, this is not illogical. Furman had the best hands of any of the RBs last season. Anytime he was in the backfield, it was 50-50 that there would be a screen or toss to him — he was 3rd on the team in receptions last season. He’s not exactly Jerome Bettis at 5’9″, 185 pounds. He also did a fine job as a kick returner when given the chance.
What I am saying is that it means none of the other receivers have made any progress to gain the coaching staff’s confidence at this point. Ballard, Chandler, Kinder, McGee, Pestano and Turner are all 6′ or more and maybe one of them has gotten to the 3rd WR — assuming Terrell Allen is still out. At a minimum this has to be a wake-up call. In such a 4-wide set, Pitt would have 2 WRs at 5′ 9″ or smaller (DelSardo is 5′ 7″). Much as I love their hearts, desire and hands — size matters (dear god, discussing things this way may be how it started for the Boi from Troy).
New coaches or not, Furman is a Senior and a very loyal player. I just don’t see the coaching staff jerking him around to get the others to step up (well, maybe a little). At the very least, it suggests that Pitt will sooner go to 2 WR and 2 TE sets before going 4 wide.
On some good news, Greg Lee returned to practice doing everything but tackling.
For season ticket holders who need extra tickets or are Panther Club members but not season ticket holders, individual game tickets are available starting tomorrow.
A piece on Freshman Offensive Lineman John Brown, Jr. playing at Pitt with the shadow of his father — the TE who caught Marino’s pass in the ’82 Sugar Bowl to beat Georgia. For a companion story, Aaron Brown, Brown, Jr.’s brother is a senior safety at Burrell High.
