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January 14, 2013

One Stuffed Recruting Class

Filed under: Football,Recruiting — Chas @ 2:51 pm

Over the weekend Pitt added another recruit. Not saying it was strictly about making sure Tyler Boyd sticks with Pitt, but it doesn’t hurt.

Clairton senior Terrish Webb became the third player from the Class of 2013 to verbally commit to Pitt to play football, joining teammates Tyler Boyd and Titus Howard. Boyd committed on national television during the first quarter of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, while Howard verballed prior to the season.

Webb came with Boyd down to Pitt this weekend. Took in the Marquette-Pitt game and still verballed. He initially gave a verbal to Kent State but Pitt made a late offer that had the wide receiver reconsidering.

Webb has 2-stars from Rivals.com and Scout.com. 247 Sports bumps him up to 3-stars and ESPN.com has no evaluation/ranking of him. He’s 6-0 and 170-175 pounds.

Webb is the 23d commit to this first true recruiting class for Coach Paul Chryst. With four of the commits signed, taking classes and counting in last year’s group, Pitt has room for up to six more kids.

This season has seen a lot more of transfers and attrition than Pitt has had in some time, but it really is rather typical when there is a change in coaching regimes. A lot of transfers by the end of the first year. There was no chance to see that with FraudGraham but it would have happened with a significant number between the personality of the coach and the change in style. A lot of players either hung on after last year with the change in regimes — again — or because they didn’t have a better school to go to so they waited another year to see if they could adjust.

The roster overhaul means a couple things.

Mike Farrell, national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, said Chryst is following all of the proper procedures.

“They are targeting positions of need,” Farrell said last week on TribLive Radio. “But they are also trying to find guys who are being overlooked by other programs. They can sneak in and turn out to be great players. He is the guy to do that. He has a great eye for talent.”

Pitt has landed verbal commitments from three four-star recruits: Clairton wide receiver Tyler Boyd, Belle Vernon offensive lineman Dorian Johnson and quarterback Tra‘von Chapman of Roosevelt High School in Kent, Ohio.

The others, however, are just as important because they could provide desperately needed depth, even though many three- and two-star prospects won‘t play until 2014, at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the roster will be young next season, with as many as 52 freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores. Last year, Pitt started the season with a total of 34 from those groupings.

Depth will likely remain an issue once more in 2013 — especially on the O-line. Chryst does not seem to want any quick fixes, so expect redshirts for all but the best talent.

Hopefully the next commit will be tomorrow. Jaryd Jones-Smith from the Philly area will be announcing his choice on Tuesday at 2:45.

Jones-Smith is a near consensus 3-star offensive tackle — only Rivals.com puts him at 2-stars. He’s exactly the size of the offensive lineman Chryst wants. He’s 6-6 or 6-7 and 290 – 313 pounds. The offer sheet includes Wisconsin, Virginia, Michigan and Oklahoma (at least according to ESPN.com on the last two).

Bring more O-linemen into this class. Even if they redshirt. Depth is desperately needed.





emel, I spoke to soon about eastern PA! JJS is a solid prospect. Have seen him play in state playoffs when he had David Williams on his team as junior. He needs to get stronger but is massive and from what I hear, a good kid that is very coachable. BTW – did Williams committ anywhere yet?

Comment by pittfan92 01.15.13 @ 3:23 pm

I listen to the UNC games locally here, as the local big talker AM station carries their games as well as things like the Roy Williams show, the Larry Fedora show (ikr) and the weekly ACC radio show, Primetime in the ACC.

Last night it was kind of interesting what Roy Williams said, when asked by the host about playing Maryland for the final time in Chapel Hill.

He said; ” well for the final time with Maryland being in the ACC”. The he laughed. That alone is a little interesting, but taken with some other things I’ve heard on the radio…..is really quite interesting.

The weekly ACC radio show I mentioned, is called:
“Primetime in the ACC” which is heard on 65 radio stations thruout ACC country and is hosted by this fellow named Dave Nathan.

I listened to this hour long Tuesday evening show just about every week this past football season and now into basketball season. Ok, so it’s an ACC radio show that’s supposed to be supporting & promoting
ACC football, sports, etc.

Wrong,.,,just about every week, the host (Dave Nathan) was incessant on telling the listening audience just how truly horrible ACC football is. I thought this to be kind of strange since a show about the ACC shouldn’t be putting it in such a bad light, you know not exactly promoting it.
He frequently has former East Carolina football coach Steve Jones to add to the anti-ACC football banter and to add some light comedy, as this Jones character is known for his bluntness.

Anyway when Tarheel basketball season started, guess who is doing the pre-game and post-game show for UNC? Right… this Dave Nathan guy, who spent the whole fall bashing ACC football. So I found out he’s part of the Tarheel Network.

When you add this all up and the fact that there have been rumors that the Big 10 would like to expand farther southward from Maryland and UNC might be a prime candidate, what better way to justify the move, than to have conditioned a lot of people into thinking ACC football is so bad, that we just had to move to the Big 10.

Even though the ACC had a good bowl season at 4-2, Nathan even belittled that. Including the Clemson win over LSU, saying well it was in the last minute, intimating Clemson got lucky, said GT’s win was over a weak USC team (guess he forgot GT got a bowl bid at 6-7, so in fact it was an excellent win for GT) and made fun of FSU’s win over NIU. And called out Duke (6-7) for not beating the co-champion of the BigEast, Cincinnati, who was a much better team and should have won. He also dissed Va TEch for barely beating Rutgers.

I can’t believe that all of this was done without some other agenda behind it. For that is the only way it would make any sense, if that is indeed what UNC is angling for.

Comment by EMel 01.15.13 @ 3:30 pm

I think David Williams committed to South Carolina.

Comment by JJ 01.15.13 @ 3:40 pm

Furthermore I don’t recall him bashing NC State for losing to Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl or bashing them much during the season. (for that would have made for some fodder since Vandy has only played in 6 Bowls EVER !)

Maybe the plan is for both UNC & NC State (for I imagine one couldn’t move without the other) to both join the ACC.

Also interesting, is UNC hoops doesn’t look so scary this year….to say Big 10 schools.

Comment by EMel 01.15.13 @ 3:45 pm

typo** line 5

other) to both join the Big 10.

Comment by EMel 01.15.13 @ 3:46 pm

Note that I have posted the actual data on this site in the past … but stats show that despite PA having almost a million more students than OH, OH has produced almost a thousand more D1 commits for the past few years.

Comment by wbb 01.15.13 @ 4:00 pm

You have to love it more big line men keep thoes
hogs comeing .
bring me more the biger the better.

Comment by FRANKCAN 01.15.13 @ 4:01 pm

Some guys on Scout.con think this guy could be the next DC:

link to 49ers.com

Comment by Jackagain 01.15.13 @ 4:20 pm

right wbb

I posted an article on national recruiting a month or so ago. Had each state color coded and the states with the most D1 recruits and color coded the same were Florida, Texas, Ohio & CA.

Hate to admit Ohio has more than us (PA), but there is it. PA was about color coded the same as SC I believe or maybe it was NC.

Comment by EMel 01.15.13 @ 4:22 pm

Now, how about a quick back to run behind “those big palookas up front?”

Comment by PittofDreams 01.15.13 @ 4:38 pm

Chryst and some other names connected through Wisconsin…

********

After the Badgers made their first Rose Bowl appearance in 11 seasons, nine members of coach Bret Bielema’s staff received inquiries from other teams. Defensive coordinator Dave Doeren landed the head-coaching job at Northern Illinois. Two assistants, John Settle and Greg Jackson, left for posts in the NFL. Offensive coordinator Paul Chryst turned down a lucrative coordinator offer from Texas to remain with his alma mater.

********

Comment by PittofDreams 01.15.13 @ 4:55 pm

wbb you make a good point but you have to figure that the pletora of MAC schools in Ohio contribute to all those D1 Commits.

Comment by Atlanta Panther 01.15.13 @ 5:27 pm

dman i pselled plethora wrogn

Comment by Atlanta Panther 01.15.13 @ 5:27 pm

Wbb, Yes Ohio has more D1 players than PA, because in Pennsylvania about 30 years ago we went through a lot of school district mergers. The idea was that they offer greater course offerings and reduce their administation costs etc. The result is that Ohio has many more school districts. Although many of them are a lot smaller the result is that more kids are playing football. The more kids playing the more that develop. It’s not unusual in smaller schools in Ohio for kids to play multiple sports. If a kid at a small school is on the football, basketball and

Comment by Justinian 01.15.13 @ 6:06 pm

Wbb, Yes Ohio has more D1 players than PA, because in Pennsylvania about 30 years ago we went through a lot of school district mergers. The idea was that they offer greater course offerings and reduce their administation costs etc. The result is that Ohio has many more school districts. I believe they almost twice as many kids playing football. Although many of them are a lot smaller the result is that more kids are playing ball. The more kids playing the more that develop. It’s not unusual in smaller schools in Ohio for kids to play multiple sports. If a kid at a small school is on the football, basketball and volleyball teams they practice every day and get to be pretty good. That’s not so easy to do at North Allegheny, Woodland Hills, or Mt. Lebanon.

Comment by Justinian 01.15.13 @ 6:12 pm

If any of you are still interested in farting around with ideas for a Pitt Stadium, KF (a poster here, and a practicing engineer with skills and tools) did some great drawings and overlays which I put up on the Pitt Stadium Concept site thingy.

Comment by CompLit 01.15.13 @ 6:17 pm

I don’t hear anybody whining about the lack of offensive line recruits that Pitt has anymore.
Thats good. With today’s committment of JJ Smith, that makes five guys for the O line. FANTASTIC!!!!
Glad to learn that you’re hanging in there FRANKCAN, don’t rush your recovery.

Comment by Dr. Tom 01.15.13 @ 6:42 pm

Dr. Tom, I imagine it’s purely coincidental that running backs and quarterbacks do better, running and throwing behind big strong offensive linemen.

Comment by Justinian 01.15.13 @ 6:56 pm

“It Fits!”

Not that there was much doubt, but this is the major conclusion that comes from the preliminary collaboration completed by CompLit and KF on the new Pitt Stadium proposed for the Frick Fine Arts site.

Next up… a professional feasibility study.

Ideas?

Comment by PittofDreams 01.15.13 @ 7:16 pm

@PittofDreams.. throw some ideas into the comments of the stadium thing. Need a 3rd, 4th, 5th….. person with ideas (collaborator) and don’t want to step on Chas’s toes or hijack anything.. P.S. I like big words.. w/ 5 syllables

Comment by CompLit 01.15.13 @ 7:27 pm

Complit – can you repost the link to your stadium work?

Comment by dinosaur 71 01.15.13 @ 8:01 pm

Its….

http:\\www.computerliterates.com\pantherlair

Comment by CompLit 01.15.13 @ 8:04 pm

Comment by CompLit 01.15.13 @ 8:05 pm

I was leaning the wrong way….

Comment by CompLit 01.15.13 @ 8:05 pm

I was hoping Frick could be saved. Could Frick be incorporated into the stadium design or is there another place for it. Demolishing and reconstructing will cost more money and there will be resistance from the art program and community. Isn’t it possible to wedge this stadium between Frick and Katz? Or maybe just a partial demolition to the existing Frick structure on the west side with expansion on a new build out towards Schenley and down towards the Hollow.

Comment by TX Panther 01.15.13 @ 8:24 pm

How about a recruiting finish of these five (assuming Foster changing his mind is not going to happen.
Jo Jo Kemp – RB
Kenton Gibbs – DT
Nigel Harris – LB
Josh Jones – S
Jester Weah – WR
I doubt it happens but it would put the finishing touches on a great class. Next year looks like another good year for OL if we can get Bookser, Grimm, Troutt and LaRubbio.
Would we take Kincaide and Chryst for QB?
Does anyone know who will be the Center next year?
H2P

Comment by Rex 01.15.13 @ 8:36 pm

Good site CompLit.

Not sure how these feasibility studies work and what must be done for them. I imagine involment from urban development and city engineers is needed along with initial signoff from the BOT. Would help if Frick supported this. I think only if the arts program gets a fantastic upgrade or substantial donation would they favor such plans.

And Pitt needs another running back in this class and LB. Pretty solid on the O line now. Building depth with some big bodies.

Comment by TX Panther 01.15.13 @ 8:45 pm

Looks like Josh Jones visited this past weekend and “likes the town of Pitt.”

link to insider.espn.go.com

Comment by panther94 01.15.13 @ 8:45 pm

Now no one will have to ask, “Where’s the beef?”

Comment by Justinian 01.15.13 @ 8:50 pm

It does fit so those that say no place for it can move on to other more valid issues. Existing roads seem spared or can easily be reconfigured slightly. Parking will be a beef but really with heinz taking away spaces each year, that arguement carries less weight. Plenty of parking garages now in oakland since old pitt stadium was up and some more could be built in panther hollow. Public transit is key as well for fans from the burbs. Park somewhere even and take a bus in if needed to avoid the Oakland traffic. Adults wouldn’t mind this hassle free option. Subway would be ideal however. Frick relo or demo is an issue.

If needed, I can contribute whatever ideas or questions on your site. Does it have a comment section? I will also donate some money for the study. Money that Stevie P can’t touch. Don’t know how much they cost for a professionally done one that will be able to navigate the red tape of city hall. But I figure that would be a separate donantion to some BOT or city council member to grease the wheel so to say.

Comment by TX Panther 01.15.13 @ 8:59 pm

somebody asked who the staff could be likely to finish out with. There are several more players that you guys might not have heard of yet.

jacquille veii-5’10” 175lb ATH told one reporter he ran a 4.27 but every site has him at sub 4.4
chris britton-6’3″ 210lb olb- boblichtenfels, recruiting coordinator at 247 and previously scout says that he would be the most athletic linebacker on pitts team and the only guy that could compare to him is todd thomas. he was a bball star, only played 3 games his jr year, exploded this year and made the big 33, has no offers but is visiting pitt this weekend (i personally hope pitt offers)
jeremiah taleni-6’2″ 300-340lb dt from hawaii- pitt has offered, he just visited pitt, is big and can move, said he could commit to pitt as early as today, also has a nevada offer and a wash state offer

kenton gibbs is very unlikely for pitt. josh jones is possibly favoring pitt

Comment by pk 01.15.13 @ 9:12 pm

Thanks pk. Very informative. You must be related to FRANKCAN. That’s a compliment if you didn’t know.

Comment by TX Panther 01.15.13 @ 9:22 pm

Give me some more time to work on the layout and come up with some sketches on parking and relocating some roads etc. I can take it to another level just need longer lunch breaks to work on it.

Highly unlikely to save frick bldg but I will look into it.

Comment by KRF 01.15.13 @ 9:30 pm

As a member of the Class of ’63 I have very strong memories of an on-campus stadium. The proposed plans for a new Pitt Stadium are nothing short of brilliant and a product of quite a bit of work.

But, and this is a BIG BUT (No BUTT joke please),
The Frick Fine Arts Building is a historical landmark and not so easily torn down or moved.
In fact, it is one of the very best buildings on the entire campus. So, the location for the new stadium will have to be tweaked…I truly hope there is a way to get this project started, however, $$$$$ will be a MAJOR factor!

Comment by isnore 01.15.13 @ 9:32 pm

Complit… will do.

However, I think a natural next step would be to see if any contributors to this Blog know of a qualified Pitt Alum owned engineering firm that could be approached with the idea of doing a feasibility study?

Of course, it would help if they were similarly inspired by your base concept for a new Pitt Stadium and the realization that a new on-campus facility is paramount to any hope of Pitt Football fully re-establishing itself as a major Division 1 program.

Comment by PittofDreams 01.15.13 @ 9:34 pm

On another note the naysayers who said that Coach Chryst and his staff can’t recruit have been proven to be totally wrong. No, we will not get every top recruit given the mess Pitt football has been in, however, we are on our way to a class that will bring winning records in the ACC….and the best is yet to come.

Comment by isnore 01.15.13 @ 9:36 pm

I’m no engineer but can’t the seating elevation of the stadium be made steeper to help wedge it in without having to demo part of the Frick building? And we don’t need a track around this one if that will help. That Frick building and classes there got me interested in art. Without that culture rubbing off on me, I’d be an total ignorant cuss. I’m ignorant enough.

Comment by TX Panther 01.15.13 @ 9:46 pm

The footprint for the stadium is relative small compared to most stadiums these days. There is no track around this stadium. There is another exhibit under topography that shows Rutgers stadium and overlayed it. I brought in a few other stadiums and they were much larger.

Comment by KRF 01.15.13 @ 9:51 pm

I can save frick but Katz business bldg will have to be relocated along with Roberto Clemente way.

Comment by KRF 01.15.13 @ 9:53 pm

Moving Katz means that the heavywight donors will have to step up to the plate and hit huge homeruns beyond Mr Clemente’s way.

Comment by isnore 01.15.13 @ 9:57 pm

There’s always room if they buy a helluva lot more parcels and regrade everything on south side of that area.

Comment by KRF 01.15.13 @ 9:59 pm

i messed up on veii, every site has him at sub 4.5. regardless, he still has elite speed. also will visit this weekend but does not curently hold pitt offer

Comment by pk 01.15.13 @ 10:04 pm

Oakland needs an extension of the train system. Then a new Pitt stadium becomes realistic.

Comment by Frank MD 01.15.13 @ 10:06 pm

Terrish Webb is not an add-on to make Boyd happy, If Webb has couple more inches he would be household name as well; has the skill and I think will make a great D-Back and special teamer. Luv players with speed and skill …

Comment by Cooper Barr 01.15.13 @ 10:14 pm

Nice idea to extend trains to Oakland…ain’t gonna happen. $$$ No money from Harrisburg…no money from GOP House of Representatives that will not fund infrastructure projects.
NO TRAINS TO STADIUM

Comment by isnore 01.15.13 @ 10:14 pm

Could be part of a bond package. Paid back via revenues from the gate and extra student fees. Maybe even Fed money but nobody wants to spend these days for economic investments in infrastructure.

Even without a train, people who drive cars in from the burbs could park and ride to avoid the traffic mess in Oakland. Students could just walk a few blocks. Reason why students don’t go to games is cause they need a car. What student has a car. And shuttles for students aren’t cool or whatever they say these days. Students want to leave at half but shuttles don’t start until that aweful sweet caroline is over.

As an adult, I would park in a garage on campus, drink at the local bars. Or I would park and ride while taking a shuttle in. Don’t need a big investment to make it work to alleviate traffic congestion. Fine to think big but also need to be realistic.

Katz is an eye sore much like posvar hall. Both need to be demolished. You would have my support to raze them both and put something more pleasing to the eye in place. Frick should be left for the most part untouched.

Terrish is a very solid recruit. He should make an impact.

When will Chryst pick a DC and will he have pro ties or southern ties or wisky ties?

Can Pitt be the old Pitt against Nova tomorrow? The Pitt that beats their ass in the regular season. Not the Pitt that loses to them in the Elite 8.

Comment by TX Panther 01.15.13 @ 10:48 pm

In the words of Mr. Holland in “Mr. Holland’s Opus”, after he got canned in a budget crunch (to the football coach): “The day they cut the football budget…..that will be the end of western civilization as we know it”

That’s why I know that should they decide to build a football stadium on campus again the Frick Fine Arts building doesn’t stand a chance….

Comment by TOURMAN 01.15.13 @ 11:19 pm

Instead of taking out Katz, why not build further west across Boundary (we would need a traffic study). It might necessitate moving train tracks but it wouldn’t require any buildings be demolished.

Comment by Pitt Dad 01.15.13 @ 11:49 pm

Mazeroski Field could then be part of the plans as well.

Comment by Pitt Dad 01.15.13 @ 11:49 pm

To keep costs reasonable and to prevent a crisis of shutting down the art and business programs with the demo of their buildings, there has to be a way to squeeze it in. I personally like a stadium with steep sides, a semi open end on the north side…doesn’t have to be horseshoe, scoreboards on the side ends of the open end so as not to obstruct the view of TD cathedral, and a very high south end much like seattles pro stadium with an observation walk…you could overlook the hollow and see down to the Mon. Impressive view. Those would defintely be nose bleed seats but sitting right over the end zone basically. Unlike heinz where you are far back and high to boot.

Again with new garages in the hollow and park n rides for burbites, this could help alleviate traffic congestion and major parking issues. Bear in mind, congestion is bad at heinz today and parking space is being lost each year. So what’s the difference?

Comment by TX Panther 01.16.13 @ 7:32 am

@TXPanther . Site does have comments section. Please comment.

PS: Thankx KRF for your work..

Comment by CompLit 01.16.13 @ 8:47 am

will do

Comment by TX Panther 01.16.13 @ 9:47 am

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