I joked yesterday in the comments section of the thread about Thomas quitting that Thomas must hate me because the news came out right after I posted my column on the offensive line. Well, lo and behold right as I put the finishing touches on the column below, it’s announced he’s coming back.
The column still has some use so I edited it just to go over the players who have left since the spring and why. Sure, the Thomas situation spurred it, but it’s still good to look at all of it. I obviously know that it’s purely coincidence, but it’s fun to joke about. We Pitt fans need to laugh a little at times.
I mentioned on twitter yesterday that we have lost 10 players since the Spring Game either to transfer, 1 year suspension, quitting, or getting kicked off the team. This does not include Tra’von Chapman or Rushel Shell. It did include Todd Thomas, who is not back with the team apparently. Whenever a new coach comes in, you expect some turnover, especially in the first year. But we’ve lost several players who saw playing time last year and that does seem a bit odd.
Let’s take a look at the 9 players we’ve lost since the Spring Game and figure out why they’re gone to see if there’s a pattern. I’ll try to stick to facts with as little opinion and speculation as much as possible.
1) Drew Carswell and Eric Williams: kicked off the team.
Carswell and Williams (along with Khaynin Mosley-Smith) were involved in a drug raid at their apartment. At a minimum, they’re guilty of being associated with a heroin dealer. At worst? Involved with heroin dealing and/or using it. Carswell and Williams have had incidents in the past (Carswell was among those suspended for the YSU game) and it appears as if this was the last straw.
2) Khaynin Mosley-Smith: 1 year suspension.
As I mentioned above, Mosley-Smith was involved in the heroin raid. Unlike Carswell and Williams, I am unaware of previous off field issues. If he has been a good student-athlete, it would explain why he only received a suspension while the others were kicked off the team. There could be other mitigating factors here that only the coaches know, but I’m content suspending a player for 1 year for allowing a heroin dealer into his apartment.
3) Deaysean Rippy: transferred to Colorado.
Rippy was a member of Chryst’s first full recruiting class and did not verbal until after Chryst became coach. Granted, he was only recruited by Chryst for about a month, but he is still a player who agreed to come to Pitt in order to play under Chyrst; he was not a Graham verbal whose scholarship was honored. There were rumors of Rippy’s unhappiness before the transfer but he was allowed to transfer quietly, meaning things weren’t that bad. This appears to be a depth chart issue mostly. Rippy was not on the 2 deep as a RS Freshman and there are 5 other RS Freshmen/Sophomore LBs (Caprara, Grigsby, Bradley, Porchia, Price) and 2 other LBs coming in the fall (Maclean and Galambos). If he isn’t on the 2 deep when there’s scarce depth, he wasn’t going to be on it in the future.
4) Ronald Jones: 1 year suspension.
Jones was suspended for a “violation of team rules.” Not much is know as to why and the team has done a good job keeping this hush-hush. There are numerous reasons for this suspension and I’m not going to speculate.
5) Chris and Demitrious Davis: transferred to Kentucky.
Like Rippy, this appears to be a depth chart issue. The Davis brothers verbaled in July of 2011 while Fraud Todd Graham was still coach. When Chryst came on, he honored their scholarships. By the time the spring rolled around, Chris was a DB and Demitrious was a RB. Neither one was anywhere to be seen on the depth chart and unfortunately there probably wasn’t a spot on the team for them. They quietly transferred to Kentucky.
6) Dan Mason: “Moved On.”
Mason came back from what should have been a career ending injury to start a few games last year and play surprisingly well. Unfortunately some off field issues led the team to quietly let Mason move on with his life. His injury was very tragic at the time because Mason possessed the talent to play on Sundays.
7) Arthur Doakes: transferred to Stony Brook.
Doakes started 4 contests during the 2012 season but was suspended for the BBVA Compass Bowl. At the time, his future with the team appeared vague and it came as no surprised when he transferred. Doakes did participate in the spring but there were rumors he would be suspended again.
As you can see, the there’s a very strong trend that players fit one of two categories: off field issues or buried on the depth chart. Other than Shell, none of these players appeared to be contributors in 2013.
8) Todd Thomas: quit for a day.
Thomas is apparently back with the team so his portion is moot, but what’s important is that he didn’t burn bridges on his way out. Rushel Shell, however, burned the bridge, defecated on the ashes, put them in a bag, then lit that on fire and put it on Chryst’s doorstep. While I doubt Thomas will be welcomed back with open arms, the point is he’s back. Now he’ll have to prove to the team that he can be trusted and the good news is he has plenty of time to do it.
Don’t forget, Pat Bostick left camp for a few days his freshman year. Guys have bad days and melt down. Thomas has never been an issue to my knowledge and if he takes this as a learning experience, both he and the team will be better for it. Assuming things didn’t get too bad, Chryst can show forgiveness and let Thomas earn his way back. Keep him at 2nd string until he earns his spot. I’m high on Caprara, but he’s not as athleticly gifted or experienced as Thomas, so earning his spot back is quite possible if he does things right.
My question is what’s the deal with Bam Bradley and Grigsby. Rumors were bouncing around that both of those guys (I think they’re related) were considering dipping out too. Seems like they’re both out there practicing now. What gives?
I laugh every time JoeD posts a comment.
So that’s more than a little. 🙂
I have SO appreciated the comments from Dan, Dr. Tom and yourself over the past few days! keep it up!
For the most part the long list of those that left were not going to make a difference on the field, didn’t want to be here or were trouble.
Other than Shell most will never be heard about again. It just leaves more room for kids that buy in.
It’s a classic (Joe D Dan83 replying to himself)
(my comments are in parentheses)
Joe D says:
August 6, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Chapman should be kicked off the team.
It’s a no-brainer. (sounds familiar)
KK should be kicked off the team also.
Chryst is consistently inconsistent when it comes to discipline. (hey doesn’t this sound familiar)
Reply
Joe D says:
August 6, 2013 at 1:34 pm
I want to add.
If next man up can’t do the job, then Chryst has a recruiting/retention problem. There are 82 players on scholarship on the roster.
19 players have either quit, transferred, or kicked off the team in the last 12 months.
Turnover is not a bad thing as sometimes it’s addition by subtraction.
However, turnover is typically 5-10 players per year depending upon
haha lmao
Baloney BS.
Suspended and still on scholarship is meaningless.
KK and Chapman should both be kicked off the team.
Quite frankly, those recently kicked off the team could have a lawsuit against Pitt for being consistently inconsistent with discipline.
Comment by Pitt.Dan83 08.05.13 @ 10:52 am
Didn’t know JoeD had a law degree !
I keep learning new things !
Veritas et Virtus
(I think that’s the tech term.)
I know Chas has blocked some before for this and hopefully will again. But then again, sometimes the stupidity is just so funny. What is really sad is that he occasionally has something worthwhile to say. Not often, but occasionally.
… yeah I hear you! it’s tough sometimes… (to not ignore the troll)
I can’t believe I actually read a supposed “Pitt fan” on this blog stating he wants Pitt to lose to FSU… to teach optimistic fans a lesson…
L My F#$%n AO…..
Go to Steelers training camp and start giving people s$%^ for being “koolaid” drinkers and unreasonably optimistic… and see what happens to your a$$…
HAHAHAHA….
On another note, glad to see TT back. Hope he can still gel with the team and not be labeled a quitter. I’m optimistic (as always) and believe that we are building for the future, and it will be a good one.
You need to get a life or get help since you are always on all these boards.
Consistently inconsistent is a phrase Chryst used to describe Pitt football last season. It’s not my term but I have used it and I’ve seen many others use it.
Regarding Chapman, I think that is the view of most on this board (except you who thinks its the victims fault) that Chapman should be off the team.
I can’t help you don’t like that I happen to be right most of the time and you are wrong.
I saw the point spread of 10 and 14 for FSU game. I don’t know what the spread is. I will give 17 pts. How much you want to bet on the game?
Yes, I want to see a blowout so we can get a new coach. I don’t think we can wait until after 2014.
My employer should thank him for my improved productivity when I’m on one of my “Joe D Breaks”.
ech, i have gone months off panthersprey because of him
Doesn’t sound like the guys under his command at that time were disenchanted with his ability to relate and coach them up to me.
Maybe we don’t need to begin a new coaching search just yet. Perhaps we just need to remain calm and let the process culminate into a result that may resemble the finished product that Chryst produced at his last coaching stop.
I particularly liked the comment from Chryst concerning the overall success of the Wisky offense, paraphrased, “it’s not me, its the players”. Typical Chryst, understated and always deflecting the credit away from himself. He is the ultimate ANTI-Fraud Graham!
Says something that Tomlin knows who Thomas is.
Let’s hope they work things out today.
Check out the You Tube link above in my previos post above and tell me the Wisky kids had a problem with Chryst. He isn’t the problem.
Atlanta panther… exactly…
I am amazed at just how deep seated it turns out this ‘culture’ of entitlement and selfishness was engrained in the program.
From Day 1 Chryst has been suspending players, making statements, kicking kids off the team…. then aaaall, suuuummer looong… the message was resent.
and the we still have some kid go off because it was shown to him that he is not entitled to anything…
wow..
perhaps the most telling is that Street was confident to come right out now and say “tough S#$%”. It shows most/all of the locker room is now on board or he would not have done that as the leader of this team.
I trust that after this year, all of that type nonsense will settle down quite a bit just because of the effect of the attrition. Then as these newbies mature into the program, they’ll be much better off cause they’ve never known the Pitt culture to be any different than what they’ve always experienced first hand.
“Finally, this talk of “kool-aid drinkers” is particularly annoying. To me, someone who’s lost their objectivity qualifies as a kool-aid drinker. Whether you’re a non-stop Chryst basher, or an unquestioning loyalist, you’re a kool-aid drinker. You’re just drinking from different pitchers.
So before you call others “kool-aid drinkers”, you may want to look in the mirror.”
I have a question? Were you this hard on Dave Wannstedt after he went three straight seasons without a winning one? I’m sure you weren’t yet you are ready to throw this new HC under the bus right now and he had a better year than DW did his first season as PITT’s HC.
This kind of thinking colors everything you say and you see the results – other posters can’t take anything you say seriously.
another good point that Thomas did not burn any bridges. I suspect that if/when he returns, he will be on 2nd team and will have to earn his starting job