It’s been a busy weekend so far. There was one early yesterday afternoon, and then late last night Devin Cook, a Beaver Falls linebacker verballed to Pitt.
A 6-foot-4, 230-pounder, Cook was chosen earlier this month for the Big 33 all-star game in June. A year ago, he was rather unknown, but he drew Division I interest with a promising senior season.
“He got a trainer in between his junior and his senior years,” said his coach, Ryan Matsook, “and he really leaned out and became a man.”
Matsook said Cook also considered Kent State. Pitt had shown interest for a while, Matsook said, but only recently offered a scholarship.
A few more today according to the commitment lists of PantherLair and PantherDigest.
In no particular order:
Stephen Williams, Safety from Savannah, Georgia. No stars in either site.
Lloyd Carrington, Cornerback from Dallas Texas. 2-stars from Scout.com; and 3-stars from Rivals.com.
Ronald Jones, Wide Receiver from Fort Meade, Florida. No-stars from Rivals.com; and 2-stars from Scout.com.
It also seems that Tennessee RB Jerimiah Bryson has moved from back to solid verbal from soft verbal after this weekend.
Of the three, Carrington — in addition to having a name that makes you think he’s wearing an ascot and was just another bastard child from Dynasty — seems to be the biggest get. Offers from Utah, Baylor, Oklahoma State and others speaks to his potential.
“Pitt is a very unique place with good facilities and a good fan base,” Carrington said before boarding a plane back to Dallas. “And I believe in coach Graham.”
Good weekkend so far.
off topic .. but St John’s over Duke by 21 at half!! Expect a Duke 2nd half charge but still ..
Artie Rowell. I just noticed this guy on the list of commits. He committed in May. 14th ranked center. Wasn’t one of the knocks on the old staff that they didn’t recruit a true center, just moved another OL over? Looks like they were addressing that need. I assume he is still with us, if his name is still listed. Good news for the O line.
Realistically, would you assume that a lot of these recruits will be redshirted, or is that all part of the big unknown?
link to savannahnow.com
according to Zeise from a Nov blog, look for Lippert (redshirt soph) and Sacco (RS FR) to move into OL alongside of Nix, Jacobsen and Gibbs with Turnley (Jr), King (So), Gaskins (Sr) and Rotherand (Fr) pushing them … both Sacco and Lippert are practing at center so I would think that Rowell will redshirt barring injuries
As for the name, just think hamburger u, (McD U) in the middle.
Also, star ratings are often meaningless. It’s like like trying to predict NFL success based on when someone is drafted. After the top ten, nobody knows. Most of these ratings are handed out by people who have never met or seen the individuals play. i pay little attention to ratings.
A Bryant 2-stars
L Fitz 4-stars
C Sessions 3-stars
H Blades 3-stars
T Palko 4-stars
D Revis 3-star
M McGlynn 3-star
L McCoy 4-stars
J Otah JUCO
S McKillop 3-star
J Baldwin 4-star
G Romeus 2-star
J Sheard 3-satr
D Lewis 2-star
while it is probably more likely that a 4 star will succeed, ther is no guarantee … and you can see what a crapshoot it can be
If Graham can get a kid from CA to commit here, after a visit on a weekend with weather like this, he can do anything.
Even though we have 17 starters returning – that may not mean a hill of beans to Todd Graham. What he’s doing is instituting a new philosophy on both sides of the ball and getting the PITT football program ready to succeed playing those new systems over the next five years. What we may have to be prepared for is that he’ll balance near-tear results for long-term gains, but I hope it doesn’t come to that and don’t think it will.
But, I somewhat doubt he’s going to work these changes in gradually. While I wonder how many true FR might play – I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see new faces at multiple starting positions… by kids who are already on roster.
Another thing to consider is that it’s tough enough to take over command when you have leftovers from the old regime, especially if there were problems in the ranks. Sometimes the best thing to do it make it brutally clear from the minute you start that everyone is put back on equal footing – which I think PITT desperately needs anyway – and then conduct a open and honest competition.
One aspect of all this change I think PITT fans overlook is the cerebral one – I’m sure it isn’t easy switching systems when you are used to something else… new plays, nomenclature, tempos, etc… We may very well see kids being fleeted up into starting positions because they grasp the systems better than others, not necessarily because of actual skills and abilities.
Spring Practice and the Spring game is going to be very fun to follow and watch this year.
