Well, the more things change the more they stay the same. The OL pretty much has yet to find solid footing through 10 spring practices and, stop me if you’ve heard this before, are still search for the best five players to field by September. It’s the same old song, just a different tenor singing it. Able to make a silk purse out of a bull’s scrotum (nod to Jackie Sherrill) Todd Graham heaped praise on the DL for getting up to seed in “Operation Impact” and playing disruptive football.
The only OL position that has me a bit skeptical is at the Right Guard position where we will be seeing someone completely new to us out there. Between Cory King and whoever is second string that will be an untested player. rsFR Matt Rotherham was out there yesterday. Left Guard has both Greg Gaskins and Demhasaj competing but both of them have post-HS starting time, even though Demhasaj’s was in JUCO. At any rate we may see some players float up to 1st string and move between LG and RG thought the remaining spring practices and into summer camp. The nucleus of Nix, Jacobson and Gibbs is set though. I’m confident Lumpy will stay at Center and get the shotgun snaps down pat, although he’s still having problems with them.
I think we’ll see the same deal play out as we have most years. The OL will worry us throughout the training camps, play so-so in the first two games then jell and be fine during the season. I hope. Let’s just get the five guys we want out there working together as soon as possible. We don’t want to see a replay of 2010 where after a few games a personnel switch was made that probably should have been done in August. Graham has the luxury in 2011 that DW didn’t have in 2010 in that Graham’s first two games are against relatively lesser opponents where the tenuous play of the OL won’t kill us. We knew after the Utah game last year that something was wrong upfront.
A few key points from Graham’s post-practice interview quotes:
Echoing the above on the OL:
“I thought we had a good day but we’re still struggling with this center to quarterback exchange, which is nothing too shocking to us but I think that is hurting us more than anything right now. The most positive thing about today is our defense really impacted the quarterback and a lot of sacks were made. The only thing is we can’t afford take negative yardage plays on offense.
Here’s something that some PITT fans don’t want to hear (regarding Myers), especially coupled with the fact that Graham has been talking up Gonzalez’s play in the scrimmage last week.
“I also knew Mike Shanahan and Devin Street would be good and right now they are standing out to me as the biggest playmakers in our system. On the other hand, Mark Myers only got 16 plays but he is working hard and I have been pleased with all three of these guys.
I don’t have a crystal ball, but can’t help wondering if one of the two; Myers or Gonzalez, isn’t going to be too happy after spring camp breaks.
Wondering if there is a road map for our new defensive alignments? “For example, Pitt will use a 3-3, a 3-4, a 3-5 and even a 3-2”. Damn, I thought I wouldn’t have to use math after high school. Zeise of the P-G has a good article that spells it out pretty well. This explains the vertical transitions some of the more traditional positions will have to make; DE, OLB, and Safety:
“The best way to look at it is that our panther linebacker has to possess the skills of a linebacker as well as a defensive lineman,” Patterson said. “I’d say he has to have the skills more so of a defensive lineman, though, because he has to be able to rush and impact the quarterback but he also has to have the ability to drop back into zone coverages and make plays in space.
“Our spur has the skills of a defensive back and the skills of a linebacker, so I’d say he is 60 percent defensive back and 40 percent linebacker. He’s got to be a little more athletic and make plays in space, but he also has to have the physical toughness to play linebacker.
“Now our bandit safety is probably the most versatile of all because he has to have the cover skills of a corner, the safety skills and he also has to be able to drop down into the boundary and force things off the edge.”
Patterson said the bandit and spur positions will blitz in some situations.”
Watching Jared Holley play the other day one has to wonder if he isn’t being looked at here; he’s no longer the 5’9” & 170 lb kid who was recruited in 2008. Holley is getting big and strong without seeming to lose any speed at all. Of course, the riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma that is Todd Thomas is one player we’ll be watching closely also. We’ve read so many things about him over the last two years that you just have to hope we don’t have another Dorin Dickerson on the team – superior talent that gets shuffled around and misplaced until his senior year.
But the bottom line with this is whether or not we’ll see new faces in the two back levels of the defense. Does Greg Williams fit the bill here? I can’t see him being 60% defensive back at the Spur position, even thought Patterson specifically mentions him in that role. Graham has spoken about G. Williams moving inside to one of the two MLB spots where he may be better suited.
Cam Saddler is getting back up to speed after sitting out some practices. Here is a quote in the Trib-Review that, to me, shows what type of young man Saddler is:
Asked who would win a sprint race among himself, Jackson and cornerback K’Waun Williams, Saddler shook his head and said, “Buddy Jackson would win, I am sad to say. I don’t know what they feed those kids from Florida. He can fly. He can really fly.” Saddler doesn’t think he would be too far behind, though. “I just know there aren’t too many people who are faster than me,” he said.
I love that “I am sad to say”. I just got a kick out of reading that… he is humble, delivers praise, and then is a tiny bit boastful in stating a fact… all in five sentences. The thing about Saddler is that with all the bouncing around and non-stop chatter he delivers, you rarely hear him brag about himself or speak of himself in the dreaded third person. IMO the kid’s a breath of fresh air and a real team player. Now, if his on the field production can match his locker room production we’ll be in good shape. IMO the staff loves him in this new offense so we may see that happen.
Odds and Ends:
The most prolific writer in PITT SID history has another article on the Spring Camp Insider website. Bostick looks at our defensive line this season in his latest installment of Inside the Huddle. We already know the old standbys for the DL; Caragein, Alecxih and the new star of the defense, Brandon Lindsay. Lindsay will be at the new Panther position – a cross between DE & OLB (think Hugh Green). But what really stands out to me is this group of young, and mostly untested, underclassmen:
More than any other position on the Panthers’ roster, the defensive line is laden with young talent. This group of younger players features three sophomores (T.J. Clemmings, Aaron Donald, Bryan Murphy, and one true freshman (K.K. Mosley-Smith).
Is anyone else looking forward to Clemmings getting some real playing time? I bet you are.
All spring camp the defensive staff and the HC have been gushing about Bryan Murphy and he’s as tough and quick as they get for a white kid from a suburban school. If anyone is going to really stand up and surprise us this year it may be him and I’d bet a dollar that after a couple of games the staff will be racking their brains on how to get him on the field full time.
And lest we think Todd Graham has run out of catchy phrases, we have this: “This deep and talented platoon will be on the front lines of Coach Graham’s “Operation Impact.” (Editor’s note: see text above regarding the DL kicking the OL’s ass yesterday). Is someone keeping a list of these phrases for quick reference during the season? I can’t wait to hear how Bill Hillgrove is going to mangle these. And Bill Fralic taking 30 seconds to pronounce “High Octane’ will just diminish the thrust of what it implies, won’t it?
Steve Peterson is showing of the new Olympic sports fields in this video: AD Media Tour of the new Petersen Sports Complex. I drove up there early last Saturday morning to take a look and those facilities are very impressive and a great use of space.
Next Practice: Thursday, April 7th.
As for the QBs have no worry as to who starts because Graham will start the QB who gets it and implements it best. Same for the other positions on the team.
I wouldnt read too much into any comments about the QB position right now. Its way too early and most of what we hear is just lip service. I would be very surprised if Tino is the opening day starter. I just dont think he has what it takes to perform under the demands of Grahams fast and complex offensive system.
My only point is I could care less what the coach says in April, lets wait until August to have a serious debate. That gives Myers and Gonzalez another 4 months of work with their OC and to learn the offense.
Yes, Tino ran a few times but not nearly as much as he would be asked to do under Grahams system. He was also not very accurate and threw a very poor deep ball. So what exactly does Tino bring to the table? Thats all Im asking. If you want experience to be the only factor then you might as well hire washed up wanny back.
Just my opinion, but the Stull comparisons dont translate to this situation. This is a completely new offense and system and Stull had four years to sit around and learn before he played.
I am all for putting the player best suiting to WIN on the field. Given the comments coming out of the staff it seems that they are high on Sunseri as that guy right now….things change and maybe 5 or 6 months down the road the young guns have a better grasp on running and leading the offense.
One way to look at this is that Sunseri is committing the least amount of mistakes running the offense so far. Myers throws a great deep ball for sure – he also chucked one just terrible INT and two very poor passes in the scrimmage I watched. My point is that none of these QBs should be a lock for the QB1 job.
I’m not sure Sunseri is the right fit for this offense by any means – but he may be the best fit of the available QBs on the roster. Again, IMO it all depends on tailoring the offense to fit your available talents instead of bring your available talent up to your offense. None of the three QBs in play posses what Graham really wants in a QB. I truly believe that and have to believe that is his top priority in this recruiting year. But that doesn’t mean this offense can’t be very successful.
We sure could see a change in the QBs’ status by the beginning of September, but if I was a betting man I’d go with Sunseri starting.
As to the long throws I only saw one or two from each Myers and Sunseri in practice as they didn’t go long but once in the part of the scrimmage (Myers) we were allowed to see.
How long were you able to watch the practice – the whole time?
It’s one thing to scramble with a pretty open field in front of you and another when the defense is up in the box or anticipating a running play.
With these new offensive and defensive systems, the first year may be trying to fit some square pegs in round holes. Lindsay may be an exact fit, Sunseri and whoever the new center is- not so much. Remember this is all new to everyone- maybe a skill that is not recognized such as adaptability or quick retention of learning will determine playing time instead of natural ability.
What I truly think the wildcard is in all this is how exactly Graham and Norvell envision the QB’s duties.
If it is just to receive the snap in the shotgun and either pass from that or handoff to a RB… then perhaps Myers or Gonzalez could do just as well as Sunseri (although I don’t see Gonzales being a ‘passing’ QB at this point, again… my opinion).
If they want to have the added weapon of a QB who can have plays called specifically for him to run with the ball, or to run the pitch option, then I think it would be Sunseri as he can give that dimension to the offense along with a decent passing attack. From what I saw, and what little it was, didn’t give me the impression that Myers would be the guy for that. Rollout and pass maybe but not calling his number for a carry on any sort of a regular basis.
It is also my opinion that Sunseri could very easily have a different year in 2011 than he did in 2010 based on having that full year of experience under his belt. How does that saying go? Past performances are no guarantee of future results?
As to Myers transferring, let me be real clear that I haven’t heard anything specific at all about him. I have heard that prior to spring camp four players were going to put their plans on hold to see how it shook out after the camp… but Myers wasn’t named as one of them. All else is really is speculation and that’s fine as that is what we fans do.
Three of Four are considered dual threat QBs with boat-loads of offers including from Pitt. There is also one Pro-Syle QB Voytik, but Rivals has him at 4.59 speed.
Hailing from the same town Holley comes from, I follow him closely (You might even say I’ve boarded Holley’s trolley).
And along the way I’ve even corrected Paul Zeise on this frequently made error: It’s Jarred, not Jared, Holley.
Hail to Pitt and the Red Rovers!