I’ll get to some media stuff in a bit. Right now I’m waiting for some new tires to be put on my car. Yeah, on top of Graham bolting yesterday, in-laws came for a visit through the end of the week and I got a flat. Yesterday was just so much fun.
So while I’m killing time, I might as well list the coaches I would be pleased to see Pitt hire and the ones that there is no way in hell they will touch.
It isn’t detailed. I just haven’t had a chance to go deep into guys yet.
1. Mario Cristobal, HC FIU: Solid coach. Excellent recruiter. Kind of surprised he didn’t get/take a better gig last year. That alone, suggests a coach that thinks longer term than merely the next payday. He might not be a long-term coach at Pitt, but he would be the type that would leave only for a seriously bigger job.
2. Paul Chryst, OC Wisconsin: Never given consideration last year, despite many hoping he would at least interview.
3. K.C. Keeler, HC Delaware: I don’t have a problem with him being a 1-AA coach. He is one of the brighter coaches out there. It’s just a question of whether he would leave.
4. Chad Morris, OC Auburn Clemson: Say this for Todd Graham. He did recognize talented offensive minds. This might be more of a leap of faith that Morris is ready to lead a program. I have a feeling the Pitt administration isn’t ready to make that kind of leap. Especially when you factor in the Graham ties.
5. Mark Stoops, DC FSU: I’m a little wary about another Stoops boy after seeing Arizona. But he is a well-regarded DC, and most believe he is ready. Plus he has the local ties as a Youngstown, Ohio native
6. Teryl Austin, DB Coach Baltimore Ravens: I’m really afraid of NFL guys, but Austin might be the exception. He’s got plenty of experience as a coach in college. He’s a Pitt guy, so there is that.
Not happening:
1. Tom Bradley: A team hiring him as a DC would be taking a huge leap of faith until the Jerry Sandusky/Penn State molestation scandal is resolved. The earliest his toxicity might start to come off is sometime in May assuming the PSU-sponsored investigation is finished and released then. Forget the idea of him getting hired as a head coach anywhere but at Penn State.
2. Jim Tressel: Show cause penalty should be enough. But, let’s be real. Pitt is not hiring this guy.
3. Sal Sunseri: Really?
4. Randy Shannon: Just what we need, a Wannstedt disciple who couldn’t win consistently with Florida-talent.
No, you don’t see Paul Rhoads on this list. I’m not sold on Rhoads, but sadly he is a real possibility. Still trying to process that.
A very immature young man.
Kentucky has tons of talent and it is possible that he will have problems fitting in to Calipari’s system.
If you are 18 and have aspirations of NBA (one and done) and you are pretty up front with your coach who is recruiting you and he says sure I see you as our 4.
Does it make him wrong? Yeah I get it’s a team sport…but where does a promise turn into a lie?
Especially when you are a young guy who needs to grow up.
DaveD
Maybe he did, who knows, but I can’t believe Jamie Dixon would tell any player…..
“yes, you will play “x” position”, “no matter what, you will be playing “x” position”
I find that hard to believe.
Maybe something along the lines “yes, you’re a “4”, ideally, that’s where i’d like you and probably where you’re gonna be. At Pitt, we play different positions at different times, so you could play “5” sometime. I see you though as a “4”.
Did he interpret something like that as a God’s word promise???
Again, just speculating, but, it would seem silly to me for Jamie to ever do that for anyone. I can’t believe he would put himself in that position.
If the twitter is true about Birch saying “everyone lies”, and that’s not true, I’d like Dixon to take the low road and come out and say exactly what he told him.
Jamie would never do that, too much class. Would anything suprise any of us anymore after the Graham debacle, no…….
but, Jamie now has a pretty good track record of being a pretty good guy??????
Birch would be a far greater loss than Graham. Graham’s loss is a plus to Pitt football I cringe thinking of what he would have done in three years at Pitt. Remember Trey Anderson and count our blessings.
Although I doubt if he would leave Northwestern unless for a prestigous big-ten school, Pat Fitzgerald is a young coach whose integrity can not be questioned. It appears that he gets alot out his team that is usually overmatched.
Don’t get wrong I agree whole-heartedly with your assessment. I was playing Devil’s advocate just to discuss.
I would think that Birch likely mis-interpreted Jamie’s comments as a promise just as you have stated–as a promise.
I guess the reason I am getting uncomfortable with this is I believe Dante Taylor was having some similar issues when he first started out playing at Pitt.
I believe that a lot of this kids let the McDonald’s thing get to their heads….
DaveD
With all that’s happened, seems like we do have one of the really good guys as a hoops coach.
Kinda shown that on the court, and in his private life.
That’s all we have to go on, peoples track records, he’s got a pretty good one.
Taking my Pitt fandom out of it, he’s one of the guys you hope gets a final four, for him and his family, just because he is a good guy.
Not so much on the football field, but, the person that he showed himself to actually be, and as hard as this is to believe right now, at this time of chaos, him revealing his true colors and getting out of here, just may well be a blessing for Pitt football.
Your point on hoops is well taken also, just by the line “Young worked hard”!!!
Someone might want to introduce Birch to Young!!
smiling stevie pedersons best frend and bud RON ZOOK told you stevie was a snake
Shannon was a winning coach while having to tame the outlaw reputation that is Miami football. He improved the academic standing of the football team, has Fl high school contacts, and is familiar with the ACC.
I would go one step further to suggest Shannon hire Tom Bradley as his asst head coach to cover Pa recruiting.
I was talking to a friend that happens to be a Buckeye fan and he loves Luke. Great person too!
6-6 record under those cuircumstances with a starting QB for half of those games who made anyone of Pitt’s look like a Heisman winner.
Fickel would work very well in Pittsburgh…he has Mike Tomlin’s demeanor…he does not get rattled…he is not one to give quips…tireless recruiter…and frankly his days at OSU are numbered. I am an OSU grad and would love him to work here…
Sam Young played out of position for awhile and he may have pouted but he didn’t leave. And look where it got him. If he quit and transferred or left he wouldn’t be in the NBA right now.