It’s everywhere.
Pitt defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads is the leading candidate to become the new defensive coordinator at Auburn under head coach Tommy Tuberville.
Rhoads, who was not available for comment, has reportedly not made a decision, but sources within the Pitt football program expect him to take the job.
If Rhoads does leave, the top candidates to replace him are current defensive line coach Greg Gattuso and Carolina Panthers defensive line coach Sal Sunseri.
Please don’t dash my hopes. I’ve already broken out the Dalmore 12 year old. If I was absolutely certain, it would be the last of my Royal Salute.
Now, Gattuso being promoted to DC would not surprise me. I think it makes the most sense and Gattuso has been an outstanding addition for Pitt since he joined the staff. He took over the D-line last season in a minor shake-up and the improvement there was tangible. He has been an outstanding recruiter for Pitt — in no small part to the ties he has in the area as a native to the region and being head coach at Duquesne for years.
I would be fine with Sal Sunseri taking over as DC, but Gattuso seems a natural for promotion.
Quick thought on recruiting…
I know only so much stock can be put in these kids at this point and ultimately results have to come on the field. That said, this is only Wannstedt’s third “true” recruting class since being hired and for the third year, he’s pulling quality recruits right out of Penn State’s backyard (Berry in 2006, McCoy, Hynoski and Bostick last year and now Holley and Alexander). Even moreso, he’s keeping many of the quality Western PA kids here (I don’t need to make a list here…we know the names).
What’s particularly funny to me is to read the reactions of PSU fans to these recruiting developments. Their class thus far is fairly solid and is limited a bit by schoarships (as is ours), but even ardent PSU fans will admit that this class is nothing like the PSU classes of old.
As the recruiting season has worn on, PSU fans are now blaming…the local Pittsburgh media. The latest forms of these claim that the local media is incredibly biased against PSU, so much so that the media actively attempts to not just bury PSU in coverage (Pitt IS the local Division I-A program here, but go figure) but also smear the PSU name to local kids in an attempt to steer them to Pitt.
Some of these claims may have some validity. Mark Madden has been critical of PSU for many things over the past few years, but he also admits he’s not a Pitt fan. Joe Bendel’s coverage is very Pitt-heavy. The local networks typically show Pitt highlights first, but again, they ARE the more local of the two schools. My guess is that news stations in Ames, Iowa aren’t showing Hawkeyes highlights over Iowa State Cyclones highlights.
But I’d love to know…and maybe I’m going way out on a limb here…but where was this local media conspiracy when Pitt was losing Lavar Arrington, Tyler Reed, Nick Marmo, Mark Farris?
Where were they just four or five years ago when Paul Posluszny, Shipley, Tyrell Sales, Dontey Brown and Anthony Morelli were spurning Pitt for Penn State?
Justin King?
Sean Lee?
Sukay? Wisniewski?
Or are the excuses just convenient when they fit the situation?
Hail to PITT!
-al-
Hail to PITT!
-al-
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