The QBs
Let’s get the main question out of the way right off the bat. I didn’t think either QB looked that good. Don’t get me wrong, both Tom Savage and Chad Voytik had some bright moments and some good plays, but overall after watching the complete practice I was soundly underwhelmed.
To get into more specific issues; Savage is the most inconsistent QB I’ve seen in PITT’s practices in the last six years. It isn’t hard to see why he is a career 52.2% completion passer as he began the warm ups/drills by completing almost every pass he threw then when things got more formalized with actual pressure later in practice with the 7 on 7s and 11 on 11s drills he faltered. The passes he throws are beautiful and on a line (more on that later), but just as with Iraq missiles, you really have no idea where they will end up. Yesterday a few of them landed in the DB’s hands and on plays where there were no WRs within five yards.
Voytik wasn’t a whole lot better either. His arm isn’t what Savage brings (no matter what fans want to think) and while he may be a bit more accurate his indecision shows up pretty regularly. Voytik does well on rollouts and can keep his eyes up field and that is something that usually comes with playing experience. He completed some good yardage passes like that but other times he’ll throw at the receiver’s feet. I thought he left the pocket too early on some plays.
Let’s don’t get caught up in the “who is more mobile” argument here either. Tom Savage is surprisingly able to escape from the pocket and throw while on the run. He was very close to completing a great deep pass into the left side of the end zone while scrambling to his left. So Savage isn’t some water buffalo out there. He’s big and muscular but can move his feet when required.
The difference between the two might be that Chryst and Rudolph could call designed rollouts and actual rushing plays for Voytik where they wouldn’t do so for Savage. I don’t get the feeling that mobility is in any way going to be the deciding factor in who is named the starter for FSU. There are too many other aspects of the position that have to be met before that comes into play.
Savage had a completion down the left side that went at least 60 yards in the air. His deep ball is never underthrown and if he misses it is long, which our DBs have figured out and made interceptions out of. It is interesting to watch all four QBs throw in practice. If a pass is over 20 yards every QB but Savage has to put some air under it; Savage tosses the pass on a frozen rope as they say.
Tra’von Chapman will redshirt this season and Trey Anderson will be QB3. I doubt Anderson will transfer as some fans seem to want him to but that is always a possibility.
The WRs
To me this is going to be the most interesting competition on the offensive side of the ball going forward. Because Chryst and our OC Rudolph will be using three and four WR sets pretty often we’ll have up to four WRs fighting for legitimate paying time.
Returning SR Devon Street is set already. He’s coming off a very good year in which he had 53 receptions for 934 yards (13.4 ypc) and five TDs. He’ll replicate those numbers again I believe as he’ll have a legit deep passer in either SR Tom Savage or rsFR Chad Voytik working with him on those long routes. Both are adept at passing over 30 yards After Street our 2102 six most productive receivers were either not WRs or are off the roster this year. Once you roll down seven spots to land on Ed Tinker we have a (somewhat) experienced WR. Smart money would say that he’d be WR#2 then wouldn’t you think? But that might not be the case.
During Tuesday’s practice I paid extra close attention to the WRs as they were drilling right in front of us and I could listen in to the coaching also. That was pretty informative all around actually. WR coach Bobby Engram seems like a real teacher… but back to the subject at hand.
While Tinker was in the mix the WRs who really stood out to me were transfer JR Manasseh Gardner and rsFR Chris Wuestner. I’ll put this out there right now – Gardner is going to be a real player for us this season regardless of where on offense he ends up. He’s big, strong fast and blocks very well. So, unless he’s limited to H-Back or TE he’ll be the #2 WR IMO.
Kevin Weatherspoon is another big guy who made some plays also but nothing he did sticks out to me. He’s been running with the 1s & 2s so the staff feels that he can contribute.
Chris Wuestner continues to impress also. As he did last summer camp he gets plays made and catches balls that are anywhere near him. He’s a pretty good sized kid also. He gets behind DBs for long gainers and is showing that he can really run and pick up yards after the catch well. He’s not the fasters WR but, much like Larry Bird, he seems faster because he’s always in the right place at the right time. Funny tidbit – every time Wuestner caught a pass the rest of the WRs yelled “WOOOS, WOOOS!”
One other name to remember in the receiving corps for this year is Ronald Jones. He’s been making big plays and getting deep quickly for Savage to pass to. He’s doing well this spring. He has seven catches last year, two more than Tinker, and will be in on at least the four WR sets.
It’s too early to set the Top four WRs yet but at this point I’d say it would be Street, Gardner, Tinker, and Wuestner. Out of those four we have a legit deep passing game in concert with Savage and Voytik at QB.
(More in Part Two tomorrow)
be better than you think give it a little time.
No great expectations, but we should be competitive.
No chance at all that he can’t be in the mix at QB.
Like I said the other day, if coming out of Camp next August, Savage & Voytik are equal, I would think for the future of the program, you have to go with Voytik as since we’re not going to much over .500, if we even go .500, wouldn’t it be better going into 2014 with an experienced QB.
RATHER THAN HAVING TO DO THIS SAME PROCESS……
ALL OVER AGAIN !
Also if Voytik falters, you can always come back with Savage.
Again with this schedule, we’ll be lucky to go .500 so I’d rather build for the future than go with a guy who’s only here for 1 year. That just doesn’t make much sense at all.
And Dodd lost his job to Gary Nova, you know the former Pitt recruit who threw like 6 interceptions in one game. In other words Nova was not good.
EMel – while it is still early what I saw, and what was discussed on the sidelines, led me to believe that Chapman will not play this year. He was hesitant, which would have led to many sacks in a game, his arm isn’t at the other two’s level and, barring injury, he really won’t be needed this season.
I’ve been stating for a long time that I believe, personalities aside, we will miss the production we got out of Tino Sunseri last season. I think PITT fans have exaggerated ideas about how good both Savage and Voytik are going to be for us. I was a bit skeptical before I watched them in action this season and remain so. I’m almost certain we won’t see our QB be anywhere near a 65.1% completion rate and am skeptical either of them will match Sunseri’s 12.8 yards per completion rate which, cynical fans won’t acknowledge, was one of the best in the nation. Savage might but I don’t think Voytik will.
Fans hang their hat on the thought that “Anyone But Tino” is going to be an certain and immediate upgrade but, again, I wonder about that. Savage has been faltering in the scrimmages and let’s hope it is rust and not an inability to perform in real life action… but he really hasn’t been very good when it comes to 11 on 11 drills or in the scrimmages – we’ll find out more from the scrimmage today.
Voytik has been a bit better but is still having trouble reading defenses and making quick decisions and accurate throws. His good numbers last scrimmage were against the #2 defense as he’s been playing in that second string spot. When he fleets up against the #1 defense his play is more spotty.
I know all this sounds really pessimistic and right now I am a bit because I expected to see better play out of the two QBs. It is still early days and we have three months of off-season then all of summer training camp for things to come together so it will be better by the opener. I just caution us fans to temper expectations a bit.
Emel – good point about going with the younger QB if we will only be .500. But here’s my take on that situation.
I believe Paul Chryst has to do everything humanly possible to get this 2013 team to finish the season with a winning record. Our football program isn’t that strong to begin with and a third losing season in a row will really negatively impact it. Recruiting coming off a losing year is going to be really hurt if that happens also and the local 2014 class has talent that we desperately need. OSU, WVU and Michigan aren’t going anywhere so they will still be recruiting rivals. Penn State’s recruiting didn’t skip a beat and their 2014 recruits will be able to play in at least two bowl games if they sign on with that school.
Add to that the growing concern with Paul Chryst as the HC. Yes, he needs time to get his pieces in place to play the type of football he wants but a second losing season will cast doubt on whether he was really ready for the move from OC to HC. He doesn’t have a blank check at PITT and as nice as it was for him to be here after the HC job at Wisconsin opened up we still need to acknowledge something – he wasn’t offered the top job there.
We need to get a winning season under our belts in the worst way so I think HCPC isn’t looking down the road but has his eyes cast firmly on the 2013 season and will do whatever it takes to get that 7th win in the books.
If Chryst just demonstrates that he can keep this team competitive in the big games against the likes of Florida State, ND and Miami, ending up 6-6 would be considered a success in my book. That would leave us looking for a win in a minor ACC bowl game to get to your essential need for a 7th win and an overall winning season.
Even if we end up 5-7 this season, I wouldn’t consider that a disaster. Recruiting is all about where the team is heading, NOT where it has been. Just look at what Ole Miss is doing with their recruiting coming off a horrible year in 2011 and a so so year in 2012.
It will be much more important that this team shows that it has some team spirit and that it is coming together to be competitive in the ACC. If we get lucky and knock off one of the big boys on our schedule, that could be a soothing sauve to help ease a 6-7 season or worse.
The heat won’t get turned up on Chryst and Co. until the 2014 season. Then people will be expecting to see some results after Chryst has weeded out all of the previous malcontents and he has a couple of his own recruiting classes under his guidance by the second year in the ACC. Although rabid Pitt fans won’t be happy with anything less than a winning season in 2013, patience will prevail and recruiting, IMO, won’t be negatively impacted unless we really soil the bed sheets this season with a record in the neighborhood of 4-8 or something.
And speaking of fresh air, today you can watch next year’s starting (hoops) center Mike Young on ESPN2 at 4:30.
Findlay will play in the semifinals against St. Benedict’s
Does Voytik get any reps with the ones? Everything I read it seems like Savage gets the majority. If that is the case, seems like Savage is already the chosen one for 2012.
QB, hey he was brought up so I will mention last year’s QB and more so to make a point… the issue with him was never stats… it was ‘doing the wrong thing at the wrong time’… consistently… ALL the time. And never making the big play at the brilliant moment when needed. I never witnessed one player more consistently just do the wrong thing at critical moment of a game. That is my theory why he is so unpopular.
My optimism with Chryst is, hopefully, he is crafting a team of intelligent, tough, football players who make plays… the ‘intangibles’ of winning.
It is our only hope to a turn around a program and have a winning season. Not “measureables”, 40 times, Star ranking… we don’t have those players like FSU and the posts above explained well why we won’t if we don’t ‘win’…
… our fate is tied to tough minded players with ability to make plays at the right time… and play as a solid, tough, intelligent… team.
The “intangibles”… as it becomes clear just how much of a mess that locker room has been for two+ years (at least) and we get back to WPA mentality football which is about being tough, making plays, and screw being ‘high octane’.
Then again… I am a confessed koolaidaholic….
Rutgers gets blasted on national TV in an OTL feature showing an abusive Basketball HC and Assistant Coach physically and mentally abusing student-athletes. The National media swarms. Coaches are fired. AD and University President are underfire. Today AD gets fired. Tomorrow the President?
Auburn has a scandal going on that the Football program allegedly changed grades to make players eligible AND paid players. Oh, this reportedly occured during their National Cmampionship year as well placing the title at risk. All speculation at this point as they have no video as in the Rutgers case.
And we are worried about a few players transferring?
HTP
Thanks for clearing up a couple of things that I have been posting for some time now.
Voytik, good, strong athlete… but not the strongest arm.
Anderson… not the “midget” thta some critics here have mistakenly believed.
Do have concerns about Savage. His troubles when it comes to reading defenses might force me to eat my words about Voytik’s chances for playing time.
However… disagree on your assessment of Chapman. He’s a high school senior being thrown in with college kids who’ve already benefited from a year of Chryst tutelage.
A lot of ground can be made up between now and the start of fall camp.
That being said it sounds like Chapman will redshirt and we will have to see which of the two Qb’s can impress. Would not be surprised tomseemusmstart with one and finish with the other.
I agree with Pitt’s position on this. Wish him well but do not allow transfers to any scroll with a former Pitt coach. Reason: dissuade tampering.
Now I assume he could transfer to those schools but would have to pay his way for at least a year if Pitt denied the release. Anyone know this answer?
Being the kind of guy he is, believe Chryst would have simply cut ties with Shell and let him go wherever.
ASU obviously reflects the bitterness between Pitt and Graham.
As for Arizona, maybe reaction to some tampering by Rodriguez?
Whatever the case, Shell seems to really want to move to the state of Arizona. Maybe something personal? Or maybe he just likes the idea of playing in a spread offense, who knows?
Nice to hear at least some positives about Pitt football for a change. One comment puzzled me. You wrote that Kevin Weatherspoon is “another big guy.” Thought he was more of a smurf.
I guess Brandon Ifill is injured; he has some speed and might be a deep threat. Also, is transfer Dontez Ford practicing with the team?
Thanks for the reporting.
Go Pitt.
Reed in respect to Tyler he just may be a RB if needed but think the staff may go for two next year. Playing RB in single A is one thing, Div 1/ACC another. He needs to be running free in the secondary and besides this will be Streets last year. He can be the one to fill the need in 14.
In respect to Tino’s high percentage numbers they were balanced out and at times negated by his limitations. Pittscript’s first paragraph is a microcosm of not only Tino’s limitations but liabilities as well. His production #s was negated by his liabilities.
Definitely agree with you in respect to CV and TS. As for TC there is no way he plays this year and RSing him seems to be a given barring injuries to RS/CV.
EMel’s concern about CV getting playing time is legit. If TS starts and goes down it would be most beneficial for him to get into games this year in some capacity.
Dr. Tom’s take makes sense. It is unrealistic to expect great results for this team. But on the other hand the bad apples who were the major impediments to establishing HCPC’s desire of team first unity/identity have/are being weeded out. (you can’t have a strong uniform lawns without pulling out the weeds).
As Pitt Fan In Atlanta intimated it is a must to keep things in perspective and he hit the proverbial nail on its head. Perspective of this team needs to be seen in respect to the recent team history and also the fact it could be much, much worse. Also if this team’s weeds have been pulled out it just may win a game or two extra via team unity, desire and will.
As for RS’s not being released to either ASU/UA, I can only say one thign..HAIL TO PITT!!!!!
Major, I’m pretty sure Ifill is hurt and not practicing; I do think that once healthy, he will eventually move up the depth chart .. he has a lot of talent
I say let him go wherever he wants to and good luck to that coaching staff in dealing with his personal particulars from there on out.
While on the transfer subject, what is the current status to the rumors surrounding the potential transfer desires of Deaysean Rippy? Last week it sounded like he was as good as gone, then all of a sudden not another peep about the whole transfer issue with him a week later. What gives?
What did that get us….. 3 trips to the Bumfuck Compass Bowl, which will probably become obsolete.
And a whole lot of cursing at the TV screen or worse. lol
As has been noted many times previously on this blog, the vast majority of those yards/completions came between the 30 yard lines and against very weak D1 or D2 teams.
Last year’s schedule had to be the weakest in Pitt’s history. Stats as we all know can be very deceiving.
For example, the great Terry Bradshaw, never had a super great completion % (52% career), but he had the knack of making the right pass at the right time and could connect on the long bomb, which are game changers. (see 1979 Super Bowl)
We on the other hand, had someone who could connect on NO long bombs, when many a time the WR was so wide open he could have waltzed into the endzone. That is a game changer of another ilk. For the other team.
And that my friends is the difference between winning or losing.
It is the caliber of women in AZ that is most appealing to Shell. Ask Grontkowski or Josh Miller.
I would rather have a consistent passer and a field general that leads and makes good decisions.
HTP
If it is Pederson blocking it, then he has gone up in stature in my eyes! You think Alabama gets walked all over? The world outside is alot less forgiving outside of Hopewell High.
Sorry, I am 100% behind Pitt on this one. This isn’t a hardship transfer. It is a transfer by a cry baby and you treat babies like babies.
The game is 5 months away and you state “we are going to get crushed dirty by FSU”. A lot can happen 5 months. In fact, the spot will probably be something like Pitt+10, not Pitt+30 like you think. One thing is for sure. We will at least now have a QB who will not totally CHOKE when the game is on the line and that by it self is a great thing! How about you wait until the game is played and if Pitt gets killed like you think then you can talk your trash because at least then they will deserve it.
Anyone else going to Bethel for the Spring Game next Friday?
Pitt was smart to block former coaches from wooing Shell
April 5th, 2013
Anyone who thinks it’s vindictive or punitive for Pitt to block Rushel Shell from transferring to Arizona State or Arizona is looking at this drama from the wrong angle.
When a source close to Shell told me that Pitt — and specifically athletic director Steve Pederson and coach Paul Chryst — won’t allow those schools to snatch their former star running back, it made sense.
Arizona State coach Todd Graham, assistants Mike Norvell, Paul Randolph and Bo Graham and strength coach Shawn Griswold were part of the staff that initially lured Shell to Pitt. Same goes for Arizona assistants Calvin Magee and Tony Dews and on-campus recruiting director Matt Dudek.
Coaches and staff often maintain relationships with recruits, even if they end up going somewhere else. To allow those coaches to take their pick when a player is unhappy isn’t wise. Where does it stop?
Would other Pitt players who have maintained ties to Graham or Dews try to transfer to their schools after they saw Shell do it? Maybe.
In any case, it sets a bad precedent.
Last year, Arizona State snatched cornerback Lloyd Carrington, who followed Graham to Pitt in 2011, but left the Panthers at the end of the 2012 training camp. Pitt believed it could live with Carrington’s departure because he is from Dallas and wanted to be a little closer to home (although there are 1,063 miles between Tempe, Ariz., and Dallas).
Shell’s case, obviously, is different than that of Carrington. (By the way, Shell also can request a hearing if he truly wants to fight Pitt blocking him from certain schools.)
I had a guy tell me that Pitt should have refused to clear Shell to go anywhere, thereby keeping him at Pitt against his will, but forcing him to honor his original commitment.
It’s been done before. Joe Paterno did it with Rob Bolden, who wanted to transfer from Penn State after the 2010 season. Paterno refused to sign transfer papers and Bolden was forced to stay for the 2011 season. He ended up transferring to LSU last year after Bill O’Brien replaced Paterno and Penn State was hit with NCAA sanctions.
Sometimes, it’s best to see the situation clearly, cut ties and move on to other business. But even that bit of logic has its limits.
One final personal note: I found Shell to be a polite, respectful, thoughtful young man during the many times I interviewed him last season. Here’s hoping Shell finds what he’s seeking at his new school.
“Our program will not go quietly into the night!
Our program will not vanish without a fight!
Our program is going to live on!
Our program is going to survive!
Today will our celebrating our football relevancy once again!
And we say to all near add afar HAIL TO PITT!!!”
But then again it could be dust or sand…
Well said. Welcome to reality
Just a quick recap from last season, who seriously considered any of the following would become reality as we saw the actual season unfold. 1) Pitt gets manhandled by the mighty Penguins of YSU going down in defeat in their home opener. 2) Pitt dominates in their win over Virginia Tech with Shell making a major impact rushing for 157 yds and the Pitt secondary having a field day snagging interceptions. 3) Pitt plays hard going nose to nose with a strong ND team on their home turf for four quarters, only to lose in triple overtime when our QB $hits his pants when it’s all on the line at the end. Well, actually that last item WAS pretty predictable, but otherwise who would have predicted all of that other stuff????
Gentlemen, as always, there are just way too many variables, on a week to week basis, involved in this past time that we call BCS college football to ever really be able accurately predict what is going to transpire on the field of play when the teams actually line up nose to nose on Saturday, or Monday as the case may be for our home opener.
So as I always remind those so inclined to make such predictions “that is why they play the games” my friends. Hail to Pitt! Beat FSU!