Chryst, Cristobal…just get it done already. Is there any chance Austin hasn’t been given an interview for the HC because they’d like to bring him in as DC? Just spit balling there…

Hopefully not even this good decision can save Smilin Steve…

I really like this hire. I hope that he can bring back the PITT Football that we all love. I will buy my tickets as always regardless of who the coach is and I look forward to seeing the new players develop. Hail to PITT !!!

Let the record show I already started the puns at 10:23PM! For Chryst sake, give me some credit for that!

Posed in the previous thread. Does Mark Meyer suddenly become a viable option as QB again?

Pitt fans welcome Coach Chryst. He is ours now. Like it or not. I hope that he puts together a great team of coaches. While he might not have the personality (according to some) it might not matter as long as his coordinators do.

I really hope that his works. Barry Alvarez sure was pushing the guy pretty hard. How do you push for such a great guy to leave your program? I’m confused. Oh well! Time to embrace.

Hopefully the PITT PR folks learned their lesson with those fancy phrases (high octane). The only phrase that I want to hear is the one uttered by the late Al Davis…. JUST WIN BABY WIN!

Tom Bradley for DC. If I said it once, I said it 20x. Chryst is going to have to form a staff from scratch as I am sure non of the Wisco coaches are (allowed) to follow.

Barry wants to see a friend advance and succeed?

The level of doucheitude this guy exhibits is unparalleled.

link to cbssports.com

Chas: What are the Jamie Dixon “scouting” of Chryst rumors I’m hearing? First he gets TCU into the Big East, and now he is a player in the FB coaching hire. Is there no end to his magic?

@Todd: Don’t be so sure of that. The way the game is played, assistants can go onto other jobs just like the HC can.

…and Alvarez probably doesn’t want Chryst to end up at Illinois, Northwestern, or Purdue and crank 40pts/400yds a game out at a conference rival.

I like the hiring of Chryst just before Chryst-mas(Sorry). The reason I prefer Chryst to Cristobal is that Chryst was successful building an offense that can work well with Western PA recruits. I was tired of hearing from Graham about how tough it was to find players who are familiar with his system while he could find plenty of players for his system while he was Tx and Ok. Maybe we will see Myers or Voytik emerge as stars in a new system.

The other reason that I prefer Chryst to Cristobal is that Chryst’s wife won’t be whining “when do we return to Miami Mario!” from the moment she arrives. After Wisconsin, every day in Pittsburgh should feel like a warm Fall day.

Pretty excited for this hire, I was willing to give graham time to build his product, now im committed to supporting coach chryst and his program. Excited to see his assessment of our qb pool. Hoping myers now gets a legitimate look and tino transfers elsewhere. Not sure dayne christ will be interested or go to kansas under weiss. At any rate hopefully this is an upgrade over tg. Welcome to pitt coach chryst. Hail to pitt

move over PITT boosters- as soon as I win that powerball tonight my voice will be heard

Dumb question, but how does a Los Angeles blogger like SBB get access to sources regarding internal discussions among the large Pitt donors?

link to twitter.com

Who is Devin talking about hehe

could be a big wisky recruit, could be an assistant, he joked about it being decicco but thats not it…

Why would Alvarez do a nice one here? Let me count the ways:

1. Remember, he is a local. Was born in Western PA. No doubt has a soft spot, especially since we did give him a courtesy interview before hiring Mike Gottfried (and he got the UW job).
2. Pitt is not the B1G. He has a vey talented assistant. Who he’s happy to see land a job. As long as it doesn’t interfere with UW winning the B1G, as MattN suggests.
3. Chryst is a talented assistant, and the UW HC job is about as stable as it gets in college FB: Alvarez for the better part of two decades, now Bret Bielema, who’s my age. That job isn’t going to open up for a loooong time. Alvarez isn’t grooming a replacement, he’s trying to find a nice, permanent home for a good staffer.
So now we get to see what the man can do. He’s coached small colleges, big colleges, event the pros. Positions and coordinators. I’ll be glad to give him a chance.

From what Street is tweeting right now looks like Crist may be following Chryst here to Pitt…

I like this pick. Not a bunch of Pomp and Circumstance which is good for PITT. We aren’t glitzy like that manufactured “high octane” crap.

I love the local ties. Rudolph – Belle Vernon (wisconsin recruiting coordinator), Partridge – Pitt (Harris, Wanny) with local ties to Florida.

Sometimes you just want someone to come in with a plan and execute. Forget all the empty promises. Just get to work. He seems like a no nonsense guys who lets his work speak for itself.

Rudolp is the recruiting coordinator and T.E. coach at wisconsin. He is from Belle Vernon and has a grad degree from CMU. Played two years in the NFL. Nice pedigree for the area.
Wisconsin currently has 19 kids from Ohio and 4 kids from PA (including Decicco the TE). That would be 23 kids from our backyard. It is a must to get Rudolph to come with Chryst.

Oh, here is the most important thing that we PITT fans should know about Coach Christy

Nov 26, 2011 Wisconsin 45, Penn State 7

Bring it on!

So pumped for this. I liked this move for last year. I’m glad its finally happening. If he turns Tino into a slightly less horrible QB then I will personally “Chryst”en him into Saint hood…sorry

Sounds like Chryst is Wanny without the recruiting ability or the head coaching experience. Sounds like his most favorable quality may be that he will stay. I wish him well, but it looks to me like Cristobal turned the job down. This is the most disappointed I’ve been about a Pitt hire that I’ve ever been. He’s not a recruiter, and today that’s essential. He might turn out to be great, but how do you pick him over a “relentless” recruiter who has already had success as a head coach. I see SP’s fingerprints on this hire.

again, sounds like Wanny, except for all the points and the winning part…

Doesn’t sound like Wanny at all, this guy has won most of his life.

I heard all the stuff about Cristobal, and secretly was hoping against him. Something smelled wrong from the get go.

I didn’t see his credentials as crazy good. Why is his name popping up every year as the “hot” coach, but he’s still at FIU???

I don’t know much about Chryst or any of the other candidates, but, I though Cristobal was going to be another Steve snow job.

I still don’t buy it, I’ll believe it’s not Cristobal when I don’t see him.

Get Teryl Austin on this staff!!!

We’ve recruited the hell out of this territory for years. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a coach who can coach on game day? Chryst is that coach. I’m tired of sending multiple players to NFL success but nothing happening here. With Chryst maybe these guys can realize their potential before they leave Pitt.

Cristobal or Chryst – either one would have been great hires. I’m glad to have Chryst. HTP

For the first time in the last three hires this one actually sits right with me. I have actually marveled at the Wisc offense the last two years and a totally neutral observer. New coach is behind an offense what scored 50+ seven times, with a couple 70’s and an 83 in there. I’m excited, it will take away to recover from the last 13 months, but the future is a little bit brighter.

HTP

Ok, yes they put up points but Russell Wilson ain’t walking out that tunnel. And most of those totals were against unlv, Indiana, Austin Peay, etc. He better get dynamic asst coaches because kids are not going to want to play for someone with the personality of lurch. I hope he does well , really well-but I just hate the play it safe route.

I agree with @Todd Gack:

Bradley for DC – I don’t believe ANYONE would outwork TB on a 2nd chance to prove himeself and that only the slime and sleeze of Sandusky have avoided anyone else from hiring him.

Chryst is a good pick – good choice. His Offense background is top notch. I’m very interested in who he brings in as DC (and I’m hoping Smilin’ Steve let’s him bring in who HE wants).

Great blogging from all you guys this past two-weeks – I learned quite a bit.

Mill

I can’t tell you whether it is a good or a bad hire….like Steve Pederson, I know next to nothing on assessing head football coaches.
BUT, I do like the process by which he was hired. Plain and simple, they did not go for “splash” they went for substance this time.
NEXT, the same process needs to be used to select a leader of football operations. Nordy is not going to fire SP basically because he does everything else pretty well. So be it, but the reality is that SP should have nothing to do with football.
There is no margin for error in this hire…none.

DigDug… I hope for DRW’s sake Myers gets a shot. The poor guys head might explode if he doesn’t!
frank keep up the posts brother!

Real possibilities for Chryst’s staff:

Rudolph – Wisc TE coach and recrutiitng coordinator with W PA roots

Charlie Partridge – former assistant at Pitt and Wisc with big FL roots

Zac Brown – grad assistant

speakg of grad assistants, Chryst began as one at WVU in 9189 under Don Nehlen … I just love Nehlen’s response:

“I don’t know if he has the job or not,” Nehlen said Wednesday night, “but if he has, Pitt has done something really, really right.”

I read that Wisc averaged 40 points per game with 2 different types of QB the last 2 years … sounds positive

Cristobal spent Wednesday negotiating with FIU on a raise, a contract extension and some assurances of facility upgrades, using Pitt as leverage. IMHO, we dodged a bullet when it comes to character.

Lastly, I bet the Paul Rhoads’ and Mario Crystobal’s families simply adore Pitt this Christmas

Personality may be a tad over rated. Yes kids are attracted to it but parents are the ones really influencing the decision. And parents appreciate honesty and think things out more in a rational way than an emotional kid. I think this Chryst guy will come across as a tough, hard nosed and honest coach. He seems like a Paul Rhoades type with a bit less gusto or energy. He can save the energy and leave it to his assistants. Pitt needs stability and a good coach. I think we get that with this pick. If he gets good assistants, he’ll get the recruits attention. If his team wins, that seals the deal with the recruits and wins over the fans. Recruits are attracted to dynamic personalities but also pick schools based on how they’d fit in and how comfortable they are with everyone in the process. The univeristy is bigger than one man and if Pitt achieves stability, if and when the coach leaves, the program doesn’t fall off. Chyrst will put his new university and players before himself. That will be a welcome change. I see him as being a combination of the very best from Harris and Wanny. Let’s hope that takes Pitt to the next level.

To all the decision haters out there. Don’t be pissed that its Chryst! Until,,,,,,,

He doesn’t show up for Pitt’s next BB game.

He doesn’t contact each and every recruit by the end of the Christmas weekend extending his assurances that this team is in good hands going forward.

Until he doesn’t take the reigns of the Pitt program until after he coaches Wisky at the Rose Bowl.

Until it takes him longer than the end of 2011 to assemble his coaching staff.

Until he utters a stupid catch phrase like “nitro” in his HC acceptance speech.

Until both Voytik and Shell decommit from Pitt’s recruiting class.

So don’t be a Grinch, Merry Chrystmas to all!

The one sad part of this hire is that most of the media (Bloggers too) will point out Paul Chryst’s speaking abilities (does not talk in sound bytes)as a mean to belittle him when something goes wrong. I also remember people putting down the Jamie Dixon hire as just Pitt being cheap. Jamie is not the most compelling person, but is a wonderful coach. As for me, I am very happy with this alleged hire.

Pitt got this one right. It will be a honeymoon for a while with coach Chryst but I like that Pitt made a selection from its hemisphere. I was never enamored with the high-octane hype; after all, this is Pittsburgh. Pitt did not need a gimmick to be successful with its football program; it just needed a good coach. A good coach would have won at least eight games with this Pitt team, this year.

Pennsylvania has many talented high school football players and when Todd mentioned his inability to find players for his “high octane system”, I knew he had to go. Good Riddance. Good luck to Todd in the Valley of the Sun.

Mario Cristobal is a fine football coach and will someday be Miami’s head coach. The people in Miami are happy that he will stay at FIU, believe me just read their blogs.

Given Cryst’s ability to mold an offense to his talent at hand, Pitt should not have much of a rebuilding program. I can’t see too many Pitt recruits going elsewhere but if they do, there are plenty of talented players available who want to play football for Pitt. And those are the men we want for Pitt football.

Welcome to Pitt Paul. HTP!

From UW football beat writer on chryst:

“You are going to love him. Total class act. Everybody respects him here. Great family. Dad was a state legend. Couldn’t happen to better guy.” Tom

Everyone here forgets the new system & TG hire were to sell tickets & gain face time for the program. That sure worked, for the lead up to game 1. After that, pretty much all of the marketing backfired. I mean really, season tickets with a coach on them – c’mon.

I like this hire. Nothing fancy, no big marketing blitz & ticket sales as motivation, just a smart football man. He’s had a successful career, come from a winning program, and can recruit the Ohio Valley, which will be huge now that OSU got Meyer & Happy Valley’s a mess! Lots of players up for grabs.

I think the biggest plus for him is that he will win the media battle on gamedays in Yinzerville. WHY? He believes in smash mouth football. Yinzers are obsessed with that style of play & probably will be for a long time to come.

Hope the naysayers here are not going to persecute this guy before he stars and give him a shot. Seems like a stand up guy. Christobal is out so get over it who knows if he was offered used pitt for a raise, etc. Who cares so get over it and move on and get behind this guy. could be a great hire. Hail to pitt amd happy holidays

Christobal was kaput after the 20 – 10 beat down by Marshall.

Hey, what are your guys feelings about Tom Bradley as DC????

I’m just bouncing this off of all of you.

1.) Is the taint too bad to take a chance. Couldn’t they interview him, “hey, Tom, right now, we need to know, anyone coming forward in the next year going to say, ‘Coach Bradley’ 100% knew’???

2.) I don’t have a dog in this fight, just curious because I know he is one hell of a recruiter from all acounts.

Someone to take a flier on, or can’t even touch???

Dan,

Frankly, I don’t think Pitt touches him. I don’t think Pitt is going to go near anyone potentially tainted by the Sandusky scandal. Until more light is shed about who and what knew stuff, it isn’t worth the risk.

Is it fair? Not to Bradley, personally. But it is reasonable for Pitt or any other school. It’s a huge leap of faith that could blow up on a program. And Pitt is probably rather risk-averse after the last year.

I have no clue about this hire. So I will wait and see what happens. I not excited because I know nothing about the man or Wisconsin’s offense as I have rarely watched them play.

I hope it’s good hire but I am neither excited or upset because I have no idea what this hire means other then it was the safe choice….

Dan,

There is no reason to hire Bradley. We have a good defensive coordinator on our current staff maybe they should talk to him about staying instead of following Toddo to Tempe.

Atlanta – giving a strong reference for someone who has done a good job for you is not only a standard business practice but is ethically required.

I like the hire also and had nothing against Cristobal. I just think that in college football these days offense wins games and Chryst will deliver that here.

Seems like some fans are worried that Chryst won’t have the same big Offensive Lineman as he did in Wisconsin. We have our share also, here is this year’s roster of returning OL. The first five listed may be our starters next year… They ain’t small.

75 Ryan Turnley 6-6/320 OL RS JR
64 Shane Johnson 6-5/325 OL RS FR
77 Zenel Demhasaj 6-7/330 OL JR
78 Cory King 6-6/325 OL RS SO
74 Matt Rotheram 6-6/350 OL RS FR
57 Artie Rowell 6-2/275 OL FR
56 Arthur Doakes 6-6/360 OL RS FR
70 Juantez Hollins 6-5/305 OL RS SO
54 Chris Jacobson 6-3/295 OL RS SR
55 Tom Ricketts 6-5/275 OL RS FR
76 Ryan Schlieper 6-5/305 OL RS SO
92 Devin Cook 6-4/230 OLB FR

I say again. PITT will not hired Tom Bradley. Not this year and not ever.

I’m good with this hire. Chryst is a solid coach, and from all accounts a great guy. Seems that he could bring stability, which is what we need at this point. HOWEVER, I’m not sure that he brings the kind of dynamic that will take Pitt to the next level. I think that we will consistently win 8-9 games p/ season, and maybe challenge for an ACC title now & again…Respectable, but not where we could be.

I’m worried not so much about his alleged lack of personality…I’m more worried about his alleged aversion to recruiting.

I think w/ the right assistants, Pitt could turn the corner under Chryst…I think Teryl Austin or Tom Bradley as DC would be HUGE…But I don’t have any faith that Pitt will hire either of them. Solid hire; and I’m 90% behind it…But I think the asst’s are KEY w/ Chryst, and I’ll reserve judgment until I see them, and the product on the field.

DAN it will not happen no tom bradley

I see this like Tony in Harrisburg. After reading about this guy I did not see anything about him that validates he will be successful as a HC.

There has been so much sh*t going on for the past year. I hated the hiring of Wanny because anyone who did any rational diligent investigation realized that he would be an average HC at best. That was validated by his failing to win an outright BE championship and BCS bowl.

Also, have been somewhat ambivalent in respect to SP but he has a historical record with respect to HC selection. They way I feel about this hire is similar to the Wanny, Haymaker and in retrospect Graham. The man has a history of being in on bad HC hires here at Pitt and Neb. Just bugs me about that and I aint a SP hater.

I will stand back, watch and support Pitt but at the same time, Tony in Harrisburg’s words will be on my mind:

“I have no idea what this hire means other then it was the safe choice….”

Appears to be a very solid hire by Pitt.

I hope the hiring process included some due dillegence on ROBIN CHRYST. The significant others of the last two head coach hires proved to be their downfall @Pitt.

Seriously, I hope Smug Smile Steve was not the utlimate decision maker on this and he somehow lucked into or was forced into a good hire, for once. His track record of picking football coaches is abysmal.

“I hope the hiring process included some due dillegence on ROBIN CHRYST. The significant others of the last two head coach hires proved to be their downfall @Pitt.”

Haywood’s wife was his downfall because she didn’t duck or something?

Anyway, if Bradley wasn’t hired as HC, there is ZERO chance he will be DC. Give it up already Bradleyites.

One, Bradley won’t get hired at PITT in anu capacity.

Two, why would Bradley leave PSU’s DC position to take a similar job at PITT? The only way he would possibly do that is to be fired which may well happen with a new HC I’m sure.

Three, Chryst just put up 45 points on Bradley’s defense. That may not be the best endorsement for Bradley in Cryst’s mind.

So when — not if — Pitt fires Chryst in three years after failing to get to a bowl game (we’ll miss Birmingham…) after three consecutive 3-9 seasons, think whats-his-face, A.C. Dellovade, will be man enough to stand up and face the music, say it was his call? Or more “Blame Pedie,” the city’s favorite sport?

BTW, if this guy Chryst is such a great hire, then why is Wiscy AD Alvarez calling everybody but the PA governor trying to get rid of the guy?

If your boss or mine called every other company in their field begging them to hire you/me away, that wouldn’t be a good thing.

Oh, and one more thing: will someone please confirm that our apparent acting AD A.C. Dellovade(our equivalent to Phil Knight at Oregon…) extraced a promise — as an express condition of hire — that the only way Tino Sunseri sniffs the field is by mowing the grass?

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