The intern, Charlie McGovern, over at the P-G is doing yeoman’s work in Zeise’s absence with a two Red Shoes Diary entries for yesterday’s practice plus and in-depth article on the WRs on the squad.

In Part Two he discusses Brock DeCicco’s decision to transfer.  Again, I have to say this was kind of expected after Graham was hired and laid out what offensive positions he was going to field.  Mike Cruz saw the handwriting on the wall earlier and it took DeCicco a bit longer to figure it out.  It was great when he committed to PITT and I’m sure he and his parents would have wanted a full career here – but if he wants to play starting football it has to be somewhere else.

In his other article McGovern writes that our special Teams weren’t so special in some areas:  “Moving on to this evening’s practice, we got our first taste of the punting game during the special teams, and I must say that Plum native Chris Yankoski (below) was pretty erratic. He had a few bombs, but also had a few short, end-over-end punts that didn’t go too far. He’s a veteran, though, so I’m sure he’ll get things straightened out.”

Jackson is KR and Saddler is the first string PR with … Ray Graham as his back up; “Just like the past few days, things started with special teams. Fifth year senior Buddy Jackson was taking the kicks for the first unit and was clearly fine after being sidelined yesterday with cramps.  Ray Graham received with the second unit, so it seems very likely we will see him returning some kicks this year if Todd Graham deems it necessary.  This I hate.  Sorry, again I understand that any player can get injured on any play but he’s our star RB and as far as we know the only one capable on the roster.  I wouldn’t expose him any more than necessary.  Graham has recruited speed and we have other fast guys who could do this job.

As far as I can tell the only real battle for a starting position so far is at the Spur LB spot where G. Williams and Todd Thomas are running neck and neck, I’m pulling for someone new in the LB corps.  Maybe when Shane Gordon gets back to practice he’ll push either Gruder or Roberts also.

In the article about the WR rotation  this is said about true freshman Ronald Jones; “Jones has spent time with the first team in Saddler’s position, which also calls for receivers to carry the ball out of the backfield. He is learning the position quickly and has drawn the attention of the coaching staff because he was a quarterback in high school. “He is a joy to coach. He’s a sponge,” Norvell said. “You talk about lighting in a bottle, he is extremely quick, very elusive with the ball in his hands.”

In addition to the three returning receivers Shanahan, Saddler and Street it looks like Salath Williams will get some large playing time and freshmen Darius Patton, Justin Jackson and Joshua Brinson will push also.  Don’t forget about Ed Tinker either.  This may be the strongest position, behind the defensive line, this season.

The Trib-Review has two articles on the PITT coaching staff.  Starkey focuses on the offensive coordinator (one of many it seems) in discussing Calvin Magee.  Regarding the actual play calling it will be different than we’ve seen before; “Magee, 48, will continue to work from the press box and will relay calls to co-offensive coordinator Mike Norvell, who will signal to quarterback Tino Sunseri.  Ideally, Pitt wants to run 80-plus plays per game at a rate of one every 10 to 12 seconds”.  Well, that’s the first I’ve heard the 10-12 seconds being stated.  What they have been targeting in the spring and talking about this camp is a 18-15 second target.  Either way it’s speedy if we can do it.

Magee did say this which alternatively made me smile and ticked me off;  “I’d always seen this place from afar — when I was at the other place — as the place that could dominate the Big East,” he said. “With the recruiting base and facilities and tradition, I always thought that. So, when I got the call, I was like, ‘That’s a no-brainer.”  Meaning, of course, that he was just like every other college football watcher wondering why we kept under achieving in the recent past.

DiPaola writes about how long Graham and Keith Patterson ( DC) have known each other and how the relationships were formed.  He ends the article with a quote that has been discussed among us fans for some time, but it’s good to hear a coach say it out loud…

“Patterson said he has an advantage he seldom enjoyed at Tulsa: superior physicality. Tulsa lived by its offense last season while finishing 10-3; the defense was ranked 111th of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, allowing an average of 450.8 yards. The pass defense was last in the nation (319 ypg).

“Nothing against the young men at Tulsa, but there were a lot of times — there were two or three games, maybe more — where we were outmatched physically,” Patterson said. “There is not one time I look at it (at Pitt) and we are outmatched physically. We had very smart kids at Tulsa, but there is no doubt we have more quality players at Pitt.”  

Nothing like scaring the crap out of you and then saying things will be alright because… well, we’re PITT.  He’ll need them I think because we’ll have some growing pains with this defense.

Todd Graham talks about Saturday’s practice in this eight minute post practice video spot.  Norvell and Magee chip in with some thoughts also.   First day in pads, lots of energy, hard hitting, etc… but try this on for size; Graham thinks we can replicate Tulsa’s achievement of having a 5,000 yard passer, three 1,000 yard receivers and a 1,000 yard RB.  Holy Hell!  Expectations are one thing, pipe dreams are another.

Here’s what looks like a one minute advertisement for Zach Brown to get playing time. He does looks big, strong and fast and appears to have good hands so he’ll be fun to watch in the fall.  This video, the “High Octane Football” commercial, is nice and has a soundtrack from 1950’s Mother Russia propaganda.