Training Camp Preview

First off, I am glad to be asked to continue to contribute some articles on the 2011 version of PITT Football.  It is going to be different and, I believe, much more exciting, than we have seen for the past six years.  If anything it will give PITT fans a whole new issue set to bitch about.  Let’s hope there is a lot more praise than criticism but we’ll see how that turns out after the end of PITT’s first possession in our first game.

One note: I again remind everyone that these are my thoughts and opinions and if I state facts I’ll try to reference them somehow.

OK, we’ll get into players, positions, etc. in another article, that takes research, but today I’ll show how you can start getting your head ready for the onslaught that will be coming out of the SID department beginning next week.

So, how will we follow what is happening in training camp aside from the news papers and radio (with the new color commentator)?  Well, from PITT itself.  Borghetti and staff did an excellent job revamping the electronic media and social networking site during the spring and have continued to do so during the off season and going into the meat of the practices.

In drill down order we have Go PITT Football which is an overview of the football program in the Todd Graham epoch. Starts off with Graham himself and then goes into the history of the program… all the way back to 2005 when the ‘modern era’ of PITT football started.

Next we have the real thrust of Grahaminitiny – High! Octane! Football! – which surprisingly says nothing about the High Octane Offense but links to other websites.  It does contain some good videos one of which Coach Graham says one of the best malapropisms I have heard in years… “When I was growing up in Texas Tony Dorsett was a big fan of mine”. It reminds me of the dedication in the book Reggie Jackson wrote about himself when he said “To God, my biggest fan”

Finally we have the meat of the PITT outreach with Training Camp Insider which is, if you remember, just like the website PITT had up during the Spring Training Camp.  In it are some more videos, some links to other sites and background info on the Big East, the schedule and the teams we’ll play.  It also lists links to recent media articles written about the team and the upcoming season, a feature that I like very much.  Here is a tidbit from a Post-Gazette article linked to the site:

“West Virginia’s loquacious defensive end, Bruce Irvin, made it clear, however, there would be no getting to know Pitt players this year. A few hours before the clambake, he posted a message on his Twitter, a message which read “I hope a sPitt player dont Try to shake my hand. I will laugh and walk off.”

Irvin did not back off of his comments when reporters asked about them … well, at least until he realized that there were tape recorders and microphones in front of him.

“Those guys up the road, we don’t talk about them in the locker room,” Irvin said. “Only time we talk about them is the week before, and that is a hell week. It is a really serious, hated rivalry. [The Twitter message] is what it is, they know it. I mean, I don’t want to give ya’all nothing to put in the paper because I know that’s what ya’all are looking for but it is what it is.”

You have to love it…. at a clambake for the Big East kids yet.

If you want to get reacquainted with who we have at the individual positions and where they may be on the depth chart go to the Spring Camp Insider and read the excellent series of articles Pat Bostick wrote.  For example here is his take on the new systems on offense and defense as it relates to the QBs; I suggest you read it as a primer for the upcoming season.  As an example:

This is what many college football fans think of when they hear about a no-huddle offense. The truth is, though, that the spread offense encompasses much more than crazy motions, read options and double reverses. Sure, the quarterback is usually in the shotgun and there are some unique formations and motions, but that doesn’t mean each variation of this offense will look the same

So, here’s what I personally think we’ll see at the beginning of camp.  With some looking back to the spring we’ll remember that he one thing that pleased the coaches the most was how well the players picked up the new systems and schemes by the end of camp, especially on the offensive side of the ball.  One coach I talked to after the Spring Game said that it was surprising it unfolded that way and “was a huge advantage” going into the offseason and into training camp.

This gives the main O coaches; Calvin Magee (Asst. Head Coach & Co-Offensive Coord., Running Backs) and Mike Norvell (Co-Off. Coord. & Wide Receivers) the ability to get right to work on installing and practicing the actual playbook plays and not having to spend time on installing the system any longer.  This will pay big dividends in the long run.

We’ll watch some new personnel trying to get into the two-deep and there is room there.  Graham did an admirable job in recruiting given the situation he inherited and has done an awesome job in getting transfers from other programs to come to PITT – seven at last count.  One of those transfers, Zach Brown most probably has the best chance of the newcomers to get immediate playing time, but Ejuan Price has a good chance also.

As I said, I’ll try to get some more stuff out before and during the camp days.  It may be a wild ride that leads to a season with a lot of question marks attached to it.

First Practice: August 8^th.