Since everyone is working from essentially the same news and reports, here’s what we have
Pitt’s most obvious opening is to replace Bobby Engram at the WR Coach spot. Yet, the first breaking news was that Pitt has made a play to bring Troy Douglas from Iowa State to be the Defensive Backs Coach.
Iowa State secondary coach Troy Douglas has been offered a spot on the Pittsburgh staff, but Douglas has not decided if he’ll take the position yet, according to a source.
Coachingsearch.com reported that Douglas will join the Panthers’ staff on Wednesday.
Douglas spent the last three seasons with the Cyclones. He previously worked with ISU defensive coordinator Wally Burnham at South Florida from 2006-08.
But now, Brett McMurphy of ESPN.com is tweeting that as of this morning it is a done deal.
Douglas coached DBs in the ACC for a couple years while at North Carolina. He appears to be a solid recruiter and a good DB coach. Considering the spot was essentially coached last year by a graduate assistant (love you Hank Poteat, but you should not have been put in that position) this looks to be a very good move.
As for the Wide Receivers Coach, the name that is getting the most play is Erik Campbell.
Campbell was somewhat surprisingly let go by Iowa after the 2012 season as their WR Coach (but not, it turns out, so HC Kirk Ferentz’s son Brian could be moved to WR Coach). Campbell seemed to have been the scapegoat coach rather than the new Offensive Coordinator Greg Davis following a disastrous offensive season. Campbell, in fact, had been one of the leading candidates to become the OC before Davis got the gig in February 2012.
Campbell doesn’t have a reputation as an ace recruiter, but he is considered a very good coach. That was why it was somewhat surprising that he ended up in the CFL as a WR coach.
Neither has any clear ties of coaching with Paul Chryst or his usual circle, so that can be seen as a positive. Obviously, Chryst saw first hand what Campbell was doing with the Iowa WRs when he was coaching at Wisconsin.
Getting Douglas would appear to be a very good move for recruiting and also because he brings more coaching experience to the side of the ball that was getting the short shrift on experienced coaches.
Both Douglas and Campbell are about the same age as Chryst which is somewhat interesting but probably just a coincidence.
– it may have been a meaningless bowl game but it provided hope to the fans and more importantly the team, primarily due to the fact that so many underclassmen played major roles, including the new QB
– unlike a year ago, they have already offered many targeted players and even have a few promsising commits
– they QUICKLY hired a QUALIFIED assistant and seem on the verge of hiring another
H2P and H2Voytik
Where would we be if Voytik gets pissed off and decides to transfer just like Wittek. Wittek is transferring because he wants to start.
Wittek threw 3 tds and 6 int’s at USC. The rap on him is he can’t adjust to the speed of the college game.
Hanratty was under contract and could not leave.
I didn’t think about Voytik transfering but that is a great point. Cause as soon as Wittek is announced to be coming to Pitt that means he is the favorite to be the starter. Voytik could transfer and still have a few years of elgibility left.
Savage is a completely different situation than Wittek. He started a year at Rutgers and had some success. He also go to sit out a year to learn Pitt’s offense. Wittek has had no success in college and wants to play as soon as he gets to the school.
If Voytik wants to transfer because the coach brought in competition then they should be happy for him to leave. Evey other player on the team faces competition for their position…why would QB be any different? If you have a chance to grab talent, you grab it.
Maybe I missed it, but has Wittek redshirted yet?
If he has the same eligibility as Voytik, it would be ideal for him to redshirt if he has not done so.
I don’t think it’s silly speculation to say Voytik might transfer if Wittek comes to Pitt. If Wittek comes to Pitt then that means Chryst told him he is very likely to start. Why would Voytik be a backup for 2 more years and then maybe start his senior year?
Wittek, took a redshirt, got beat out, has two years of eligibility left, has decided to quit his school and look for greener pastures. The other QB could go down in the first game, but Wittek is not patient or loyal enough to stick it out, does not sound like a character guy to me.
While it is fair for Voytik to compete with incoming freshmen and those on the team, because of a stupid NCAA loophole he might have to compete with a Johnny come lately. Put yourself in his shoes. If you think Pitt should be happy for him to leave under these circumstances that is sad. That would leave us in the same position without depth, and send a very bad signal to current and future players
Sometimes people just need to do the right thing. I think Chryst will. The NCAA should eliminate the rule or at least make the transfer sit out a year.
Transferring is not speculation, it is rampant.
And unless CV is totally void of any competitive genes, I believe he stays regardless of what Wittek does. The Wittek situation is different than Savage’s in that TS had more than a year to learn the offense prior to starting, Wittek won’t have that luxury.
I would like to add another QB due to depth issues so I’m all for bringing in Wittek.
I think PC has a comfort factor with Voytik that he doesn’t have with Wittek, and it is too late for Wittek to enroll and take part in spring practices. The argument is the lack of depth not that Voytik isn’t capable. To me, it is Wittik who would have to be willing to sit since he would come in raw and only have 3 weeks practice prior to the start of the season.
When I say Voytik would possibly transfer it would be because he doesn’t believe he is getting a fair shake and will think a decision has already been made to start Wittek. It has nothing to do with some nonexistent fear of competition.
I’m feeling that Voytik is going to impress all of us enough that we won’t be wishing for a QB replacement come October. The real issue is what happens if our up and comer QB goes down with an injury.
That is where a guy like Wittek comes in. If he decides he wants to come to Pitt, Chryst will welcome him without providing promises and Chad will go about his business of preparing to be our starting QB. It’s his job to lose IMO.
Everything is not a crisis situation just because we are talking about it being a Pitt issue here.
Thanks for your help Savage,,,,long live Voytik!
Then it is up to Voytik to keep his job for the season. I am OK with that.
Still think it is a stupid rule that allows graduates to transfer without penalty.
This is kind of like the anger created when a coach jumps ship from one school before his contract ends. If schools can exercise the option of firing the coach before the contract ends, then coaches can do the same … and contracts are written these days to include both scenarios.
On the other hand, if schools extend the 4-year schollie instead of the normal one year with a unilateral option to renew, then the kid cannot transfer or leave after graduation.
In 07, Stull was hurt the first games with 2 inexperienced QBs backing. K Smith started a couple of games but was then replaced by P Bostick who played half decent, engineering upsets at ND, at WVU, and Cincy at home … but could have easily won games vs Rutgers, Lville and Navy with just one more executed play. Also lost close game at Mich St by 4.
But fell short winning only 5 games (defense deserved more.)
(when the Steelers drafted Terry Bradshaw first and Terry Hannrity was the current QB) :>)