I had a chance to watch the Panthers practice today. This is a long report on what I saw and heard so I’m going to split it into two different articles. In this one I’ll talk about the defense and the defensive players…
DLs – Both Clemmings and Murphy looked ready to go, played hard and according to some observers who are watching practice every day they think Clemmings should get the Ed Conway Award as most improved player from last season. He’s had “great” spring camp and should show up when the games start. Murphy is fast as hell for someone his size and is aggressive in his play. He made a nice strip that caused a fumble on Bennett. KK Smith has put on weight, a bunch of weight, but was still moving well. Hard to tell about Lippert and Hale – there was so much going on it was hard for a non-football guy to follow everything. The coaches said that Hale was doing well so far but I couldn’t really tell.
LBs – What everyone wants to know: Dan Mason was in on every drill and scrimmage play with the 1st team. He would start if the opener is tomorrow. He looks a bit slower to me and not as explosive, but I’m no expert. It was weird to see a player run where there is no up and down movement of their foot. The “foot drop” brace he has on immobilizes the right foot so that it doesn’t drag when moving his leg forward and I think it affects his play. There were some passes caught on crossing patterns where he was a step behind the receiver. But he also got into the back field on some plays so I think he’ll be somewhat different physically able when summer camp rolls around but his current ability is going to be a factor. At least I think so. Some others feel more optimistic.
The starting three LBs going into summer camp will probably be Mason in the middle with Todd Thomas and Shane Gordon on the outside. Thomas is held out of practices for now and Ejuan Price isn’t getting the reps we thought he would. Price’s publicly stating that he wants to play MLB rather than the other LB positions probably didn’t help his cause much with this new staff.
DBs – The Safeties were dropping down in run support on almost every play it seemed and still the CBs did a good job in coverage. Ray Vinopal, an unheralded transfer from Michigan, is a player and was knocking some WRs around today. He closes very fast and seems to take the right angles to trap the guy with the ball. I’m surprised at his level of play but he’s one of the stars of camp so far. Both Tags and Vinopal had INTs on poorly thrown balls by Sunseri (overthrown) and Myers respectively.
Because K’Wuan Williams was out of commission today we saw Cullen Christian, Lloyd Carrington and Layfaette Pitts taking the reps at DB and they did very well over all. Pitts is fast and played well also, he made a few great recoveries during the drills. They were physical with the WRs and when they got beat they turned right to Coach House for direction it seemed.
Those coverage drills were conducted right in front of me and I’ll say that Matt House is a very hands on coach. I could hear every bit of teaching he was doing and it was so clearly stated that even I understood what he was trying to get the kids to do. The DBs would seek him out to ask something also which I didn’t see last season.
All in all I was pretty impressed by the way practice was conducted and by the general atmosphere of what was going on. There seemed to be an air of optimism both out on the field and on the sideline when discussing the season’s possibilities. It’s early on in the camp process and as Paul Chryst says “Its spring practice for fall football” so things will morph and get different and better.
For a different POV here is another breakdown of today’s practice by Steve Flinn, a writer with the new PITT Football website “24/7” which I like very much. It is new and just getting off the ground but there is some good PITT football discussion on there.
I’ll try to get up for a practice next week also, schedule permitting. If I can’t find the time I’ll just make stuff up and write an article anyway.
I hope Myers uses the summer to improve his short game and mechanics. At least he will get his shot.
Although we will win a lot with Sunseri, his lack of a deep ball and his failure under stress limit his upside. He is still to lead a game winning come from behind drive. In any case let the best man win.
While QB play is of utmost importance, it should not be as critical as last year. I think Chryst will be much better at limiting the impact of individual players weakness’ and playing to their strengths. No more round pegs in square holes.
While you have to be impressed with Mason’s will, it is a little bit of a concern that he is better on one leg than the rest of them are on two. Let’s hope Price et al can be close back-ups.
We won’t know how good Chryst is as a game day coach for a while, but he can’t be worse than Wanny or fraud. From what Reed says and the coaching interviews it seems safe to say he knows how to run a practice.
You have to love the optimism of Spring. Hail to Pitt!
It’s a weak schedule this year and Pitt could pull off 8 or 9 wins. Remember that Reed isn’t seeing the Fall team with Schell, Graham, Voytik, others missing. Pitt could also win the BE which may be weaker than usual too.
But for me, the real issue is the quality of coaching, and whether Chryst can create a disciplined team and can adjust his game strategy as necessary. Next year will be a truer test, when Pitt moves to the ACC. And hopefully, the recruiting will bring in quality kids.
Myers is getting a great shot at the starting job, I’m just not seeing him grabbing it outright with his current play. Again, he isn’t stinking up the joint or anything – not at all. He’s been pretty inconsistent in his passing and not hitting all the passes a QB is expected to so that has limited him in terms of taking over the majority on 1st string snaps. But that is to be expected also when you have a returning two year starter opposite you.
I will say that I watched Myers a few times under Graham last spring and what I saw yesterday was a ton different than back then. He’s lost weight and looks much more engaged in the offense and his role on the team. Funny how true competition does that isn’t it?
I have to be honest about my thoughts on Dan Mason. I have never looked at his as being the superstar LB that many PITT fans do so I’m not sure what his ‘norm’ is when it comes to playing MLB. I am amazed that he’s even out there and playing as well as he is, which is a lot better than ‘on one leg’ – I didn’t mean to sound as though he’s dragging his leg around like Quasimodo.
He’s a good and smart kid who knows the position better after sitting out the last two years. He didn’t sit on his thumb and pout but used that time to really learn how to play the position. I though he had good
He’ll get better as he plays in more drills and practices also. It must feel very different for him as compared to the way he played before his injury. But there are six months before football actually starts.
Here is another thing and maybe it is just me. I find it hard as hell to see what is happening in the line play when I’m at field level and I’m a tall guy. To me it looks like a rugby scrum, where instead of the ball popping out it is a RB, with the exception of the TE and DE closest to me. It would be great if the practice fields had a small set of bleachers to watch from.
Funny story, I’ve been pretty critical (and complimentary also) of Tino Sunseri over the past two years. During a 7 on 7 drill he was flushed and had to get rid of the ball. He spun around, looked at me and launched a bullet right at my head like he knew who I was. No kidding, it was the most accurate pass I have ever seen him throw. Well, not really, he’s pretty accurate in the short game but that ball was coming fast and had a perfect spiral. Luckily I used my cat-like reflexes to move and almost make the first catch of my college career.
It is just strange to me that anyone can move like he does with one foot basically immobilized.
Hey, you said, “if you can get up next week”, where you coming from?? No, I’m not buying you a beer, just curious!!!
P.S. “I’d buy you many beers any time”!!!
So Myers throws the deep ball well, not the short ball. Ok, if the receivers go deep, the defense can’t keep 8 or 9 in the box. Really opens up the running game. Works for me.
I am rooting for Mason just like everyone else. He seems to be a remarkable person and a true leader. At this point of Spring Ball is he performing better, despite his injury, than Price, Grigsby & Smith? Is that why he is with the 1st team? Or is it to get him back into the flow of the game as quickly as possible?
Mason is outplaying those you mentioned JAM which is disappointing to me that Price etc haven’t made more of a push. Still early days though and a LB lineup of Thomas, Mason and Gordon could be awesome this season.
Remember guys that most of what I wrote is my impressions and observations – but I tried to include things stated by guys who attend every practice also.
I know that DW and staff were salivating over Murphy during the 2010 pre-season as he was just eating up blockers on his way to the ball. He looked very good yesterday also.
I like him at WR though because everyone at that position needs pushing.
I also like the fact that Chryst allowed anyone who wanted to switch positions to go into Spring camp where they want to be.
Speaking of which, up to this point in Spring ball the Wildcat has been non-existent. I don’t know if that means it won’t happen, I thought that running Banks as QB would set that up nicely, or that they will wait until training camp to institute it in private.
Banks is turning out to be a Dickerson-type situation. The staff apparently likes his talent and are casting around trying to find a spot for him to get onto the field but nothing firm has happened so far. He was working out at RB last practice and showed quickness but that position is loaded.
I would love to see this coaching staff be able to manipulate the offensive schemes to the benefit of Sunseri’s strenghts and give us the best chance to win. Of course that remains to be seen since this whole process is a work in progress for both the players and the coaching staff.
Well, This will be Sunseri’s “swan song” so hopefully he will blossum into the QB that we need him to be to bring this offense up to it’s potential. I personally just don’t see it happening though, I sincerely hope that I’m wrong however. Come on Tino, prove me wrong,,,,please.
