A year ago the running back position was a mess. Rushel Shell had thrown his tantrum and was in the midst of deciding where he would consider transferring. Pitt only had two backs in Malcolm Crockett and Isaac Bennett.
None of the guys coming in as freshmen seemed like anything close to saviors. Heck, it really seemed the plan was for either if not both James Connor and Rachid Ibrahim were ultimately to be on the defensive side of the ball. Basically the running back position was a complete mess.
A year later it feels like there is real depth and lots of talent at the spot.
James Connor blew people away in the bowl game. Isaac Bennett is a solid back-up. And then there are the backs coming this fall along with the new running back coach.
“There’s a lot more known, and I’m excited because you’ve got two of the three that this is their first spring,” Chryst said. “There’s a lot of growth that can still be made and improvements. We juggled our staff a little bit, and I’m excited for them to be coached by John Settle, whom I worked with at Wisconsin. … I’m excited for them. I thought Isaac has settled in, and has matured as a player and a person. I certainly feel better there, and I’m excited about the two freshmen coming in.”
Those two freshmen — Chris James from Chicago Notre Dame College Prep and Qadree Ollison from New York Canisius were two of the top players in their respective states, and will only add to the depth and competition.
Settle, who spent the past three seasons coaching running backs in the NFL, has already had an impact on his players. He spent five seasons as running backs coach at Wisconsin (2006-10), where Chryst was the Badgers’ offensive coordinator.
“Everybody has the mindset of going out and getting better every day with Coach Settle,” Bennett said. “His experience and his resume, with him coaching us, you can tell that he knows the position and he’s pushing us to get better every day. That’s what it’s all about every day, just progression in some area. We really listen to him and take in everything he says. We’re just trying to come in here and get better every day.”
It’s worth noting that before the Little Caesar’s Bowl, there wasn’t a huge statistical difference between Connor and Bennett. Connor had missed some games because of injury and saw his runs go down because of fumbling. He finished the regular season with 120 carries for 570 yards — 4.75 yds/carry. Bennett was 166 for 795 — 4.79 yds/carry.
Even before the bowl game, though, there was one difference. With Bennett it seemed he was getting everything he could out of every run. That it would be harder for him to get more than what he had done. Connor it seemed to be just starting to scratch the surface. That every few carries he seemed just a little bit away from busting it bigger. That there was something more.
Some of that may have been perception when you have a freshman versus an upperclassman. You just know/believe that a freshman is only beginning, that the potential hasn’t been fully realized. While an older player is likely nearing the limits at that level.
Then the bowl game happened. Which just seemed to confirm the belief.
Connor is now the presumptive starter. And a great story.
Two years ago, 15-year-old Meghan Gallagher couldn’t see it from her hospital room at UPMC Hamot, where she spent three weeks getting treatment for a kidney ailment.
And that bothered her friend, James Conner.
During one of his regular after-school visits, Conner decided to do something about it. He knew how much Meghan loved going to the beach and watching the sun set with her father Michael. So he picked Meghan out of a hospital bed, cradled her in his massive arms and set her down in front of a window.
“The sunset relaxed her mind,” Conner said.
…Asked to describe his playing style, Conner said: “Fearless, relentless. Those words, I believe, fit me. Just having a strong will.”
He gets it from his brothers, he said. “Every day, after I’d come home from school, we were wrestling. “They made me who I am today. I’m tough because of them.”
Yet, Conner’s soft side often emerges. He came straight from McDowell football practice on many days to visit Meghan Gallagher in the hospital. “To get her to think about life and get her to stay strong when she was going through hard times,” he said.
When another of Conner’s friends, Alyssa Josephine O’Neill, died last year after suffering an epileptic seizure, Conner helped carry the casket at her funeral. He wrote the initials A.J.O. on his wristband and dedicated his two touchdowns against New Mexico to her.
He isn’t afraid to say: “I like to be a good-hearted person and give back.”
It isn’t hard to root for the kid, is it?
Bennett has taken everything in stride. He is just going to keep going as hard as he can and try to improve.
“How the rotation goes, it doesn’t matter,” Bennett said. “Just put me on the field, same as them.”Pitt enters this season with unaccustomed depth at running back, and more will arrive this summer when incoming freshmen Chris James, Qadree Ollison and Dennis Briggs enroll.
New running backs coach John Settle can’t help but be pleased.
“Anytime you return three guys from the previous year and not much changes, you have an opportunity to get better,” he said. “Guys have an understanding of what you want from them.”
Settle, who played running back for six seasons in the NFL, is preaching improved footwork and hanging onto the football.
“Making sure those guys are picking their feet up through the hole and we are not tripping and falling,” said Settle, who came to Pitt after three years as running backs coach for the Carolina Panthers (2011-12) and Cleveland Browns last year. “Then, taking care of the football. I am a firm believer in the fact that ball security is job security. I tell them if you put the ball on the ground, you are not going to play.”
Even before Settle arrived, Bennett was making plans for self-improvement, hoping to become more of a force in the passing game. In three seasons, he has 34 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
“I’ve been working on my hands, catching the ball more, trying to be versatile,” he said.
Bennett was one of the few guys from that Fraud recruiting class still on the team. Not sure if he is a team captain or leader, but he sure seems to be.
However, the better news is that the coaching staff seems to be so much more qualified (S&C coach notwithstanding) and competent despite the loss of arguably the best assistant.
A glass half-full opinion is that this will translate into more wins which will open the doors for better recruits … slow but sure.
I’m not expecting BCS bowls in the near future but I am so much more confident now than last year at this time.
It ended up that Conner got so much work that he stole yards from Bennett by his on field actions as the season progressed. And yes, the Pizza Bowl was a thing of beauty. And yes, I realize that the come from behind victory was ONLY against a lowly MAC school. (not to mention that they we’re the MAC Champs and that they had to beat up on an undefeated Northern Illinois squad to grab the championship) Oops, I guess I did mention it!
But that is history, so now what does the future hold? Well, here is my prediction for 2014. If Panther Nation was happy with the performance of a guy named James Conner as a true Freshman last year, just wait until we unwrap our newest tandem of RB recruits in James & Ollison this fall camp.
From my research, I’ve identified Chris James as “the guy” to watch to see if he can perform an adequate imitation of James Conner’s act from last season. The thing that I feel is the “ace in the hole” with this kid is that he is driven to get better, has the right attitude coming in, with personal expectations to contribution from the get go and most importantly, he has been utilizing a personal trainer in HS for both physical enhancement as well as overall improvement in his athletic ability that will directly transfer to his on field performances as a RB in the college game.
It is going to be fun to run this year with the Panthers. A better OL, (they have to be better this season, right?) a more mobile QB under center AND a bevy of RB’s in the Pitt stable to chose from, is going to produce the kind of offense that Coach Chryst is striving to recreate here at Pitt, just like he loved to run at Wisky.
You’ll see, Hail to Pitt.
One, is he going to be able to have the TOUGHNESS it’ll take to be a BIG BACK at the next level.
And two, Does he have the ability to get FASTER and become more EXPLOSIVE?
If the answers are “YES”… then we may have something SPECIAL.
Totally agree about Chris James. It would be shocking if he doesn’t produce.
James, Connor and Ibraham share the ball running.
Look for Bennett to be a third down back on obvious passing situations this year. He knows his blocking assignments and they have been working a lot on him catching the ball out of the back field this spring.
We might not hear from Ollison for a couple years, but he looks like a good one on paper too. Another kid with his head screwed on right and the attitude to make it happen, even if it takes awhile.
I’m seeing a lot of that with Chryst’s recruits. Maybe only a few 4 star talent types coming out of HS but all of them seeming to be solid student athletes with the proper mindset to be coachable into their full potential going forward in their college careers.
I’m hoping that we see a few surprises this year from guys that started out as “under recruited” projects that end up being the next Devine Street or better yet Aaron Donald. Time will tell but if HCPC is on the right track, that should become apparent before season’s end. Building a program from the ground up takes time. Pitt is far from “there” yet but a solid foundation should be in place after two years of getting his own recruits on the roster with the third waiting in the wings for an emerging Freshman or two ready to grab the limelight and become a major player early, like Boyd did last year.
This 2014 season SHOULD be a turning point for the program. We’ll see.
If you are going to bitch about his resume, take a look at who has been the S&C coach for Olympic sports the last 15 years. Kim King is and was known as a bodybuilder. Just Google her. Not sure how that translated into S&C coach for Olympic sports. No mention of her educational background. You would think they would mention a degree if she had one.
Also, Ross spent an off season on the job at Wisconsin. Not that hard to just copy the same program.
Prior to last season even starting, I posted that Conner would surpass Bennett and end up getting the majority of carries.
Seeing the AGGRESSIVENESS and ATHLETICISM Conner showed carrying the ball in High School, it was never a question to me that his future would be in the Pitt Backfield come Fall. However, I did not necessarily see Conner making as BIG of an IMPACT so early.
As far as Bennett and Conner’s stats being somewhat close, keep in mind that Conner was REALLY BEAT UP following the Notre Dame Game and his performance suffered. His Record-Breaking performance later in the Bowl Game gave a little glimpse was to the kind of Back Conner can be when HEALTHY and RESTED.
Still, everything considered… there is no reason why Bennett won’t continue to play a valuable role in the Backfield.
Still, the EASY PREDICTION is that Isaac’s BIGGEST SPLASH is destined to come after Football. From all appearances, a person of GREAT CHARACTER and plenty of CHARISMA.
You are right. The quality of kids Chryst is recruiting is pretty damn impressive.
Hope that assessment holds true as we watch these kids work their way through Pitt the next couple of years.
The QUICKNESS and SPEED he displayed on that one Big Play he made in the Miami Game showed he may have some upside.
Jester Weah WR
Ryan Winslow P
Mike Herndon DL
Adonis Jennings WR
Avonte Maddox KR
Justin Moody DL
sleeper Jaquaun Davidson
Justin Moody on DL and natural frosh slleepers IMO are Brandon Roy and Pat Amare IMO. The OL from Mt Lebanon could possible play if a rash of injuries.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 25, 2014
“Watching Tom Savage during the season, I wasn’t blown away. But that’s the trouble with TV broadcast viewing—you don’t always get the full picture. On reevaluating him post-combine, you notice just how poor his pass protection was. That led to some of the bad habits seen in his footwork. All that said, his arm strength and pro-style background are very intriguing.”
Concerned obviously that it took them 10 games to finally put Hollins in at LT. What were they waiting so long for ? Savage’s decapitation ?
Wojo instead of Big Ben. Guess they didn’t want to play slogball.
I know almost nothing about our two new FR RBs but it would take a huge fall camp for anyone to take carries away from the two returning RBs I’d think.
I still say keep an eye on Wuestner at WR… I know he saw limited action in ’13 but I also think PITT will need a possession receiver to go along with the home run guys and the TEs and Wuestner may be that guy.
Looks like somebody we could use on kickoffs and punts even if he is a true Freshman.
Starting to build depth, nice to hear. Hope Jaryd/Adam and DJ can be strong enough to hold up their end of the line, if so, we will be able to run and pass.
Also hope some of the young guys listed above make an impact, I’m hoping Jennings is as impactful as Boyd. That would be something.
If James comes in like Dion Lewis, Conner could really help the D.
while RB go in round 2 and make less money dont tell him becuse we need him at RB.
if you read what goes on in the pros you will find RB are not worth what they used to be.
in fact they say no RB will go in round one this year even if they are very good they say you can get RB IN ROUND 2 OR 3 OR 4 that is the new NFL for you.
Now looks like PC basically has his players and his culture in place…. now nice upgrades in terms of coaching… include one aspect that is Pitt’s ‘brand’…. “we know how to get you the the NFL because we have been there and we play that way”.
I don’t get all the digs on the strength coach including from Chas…. the players love him and that says a lot… no one wants an idiot leading your workout… and even reporters commenting positively on appearance of players.
SC is changing in football now as well so a young guy tuned into what works as opposed to what he did for decades is not a bad thing.
H2P
PC needs to bring in some linebackers who can move and will knock the crap out of you….
That’s why I want Conner at D end, but only if James is ready.
Although we won’t see it, I would bet Tyler Boyd would be our best DB … he did play there in high school. Tony Dorsett was all-state DB as a Jr at Hopewell.
Bowling Green, although a pretty good MAC team, obviously couldn’t match up with Pitt physically .. I’m not so sure that we overpower many of the ACC teams as such, or Iowa who we play this year.
This would seem to lend some support.
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(Troy) Douglas, who has preached the importance of forcing turnovers since his hiring in February, saw his unit pick off three passes over the 21?2-hour session, the highest total this spring.
“We’re finally starting to get our hands on some balls,” Douglas said. “That pleases me, obviously. The ball’s the issue. Our job is to get the ball back to our offense as quick as we possibly can.”
Post Gazette
How about an endorsement?
********
But (Dorian) Johnson, a former five-star recruit out of Belle Vernon, has an important ally in his quest to become the type of guard who will help Pitt build a strong running game — new strength coach Ross Kolodziej.
“I got a lot weaker during the season,” Johnson said. “A couple of shoulder injuries, stuff on my elbow. But the new strength coach is helping me get my strength back up.”
Trib Review
Among other things, a VERY SVELTE James Conner doing his best impersonation of “BEAST MODE.”
Perhaps another RINGING endorsement for the Strength Coach?
http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/blog/2014/04/football-spring-camp-coverage—day-8.html
I agree about Troy Douglas having an impact.
No way Connor moves to DE unless James, Ollison and Ibraham are all spectacular this year. Chryst is not giving up the RB depth for anything. The offense is his baby.
Whatever the case, very pleased with the run game and just hope Bisnowaty’s back gets better. If Conner stays healthy, we could be looking at a 2,000 yard season and top five finish in the Heisman race. HTP!
That has put him into the catbird seat for the starting position this season. But remember that there were times last season that Savage should have been sat down – certainly with some of his injuries – but Chryst didn’t feel comfortable with Voytik taking any real snaps last year during the regular season.
I think Voytik will be a decent QB for us and that we’ll win some football games behind him. But then again I though Savage was an average QB also and some on here just loved him. However, I still wish Freebeck would have chosen PITT and pushed the other QBs. IMO the QB position isn’t going to be the reason we win ball games in ’14 – that will be the run game and the OL I think.
how do you sit a 6 foot 4 230 pound QB unless he cant play if he can get on the field you have to play him he gives you the best chance to win.
Gil says he will go in round 3 and he was drafting he would go sooner he savage reminds Gil of Troy Akmen.
they say the trouble with pitt last year was a really bad OL not savage.
as gill says the kid savage has a cannon for a arm
gil says savage is the wild card of the draft.
Frankcan — I agree that Savage could surprise some folks in the NFL camps this year…I liked his poise when under serious duress and you can’t fake a big arm and big body…he was pretty accurate when given enough time and more nimble than we were led to believe.
Yes, I loved Tom Savage, mainly because he took the place of “that guy” and therefore I found myself not screaming at pathetic Pitt QB performances nearly as much last season as I had the previous three seasons. For that reason alone, Tom Savage looked good in a Panther uniform. The other thing I liked about Savage’s play is that his play didn’t lose games for us. As a matter of fact he was a gamer for 60 minutes most of the time. The VT game was a fine example. He puts one final TD on the board for us in the waning minutes of the game after the ultimate outcome had already been determined, and this was after him getting pummeled all day by horrible pass protection.
The thing with Voytik is that he is going to be a good QB for us but he may need to really step into the role with some conviction to excel, otherwise his benefit to the team could be dampened simply because of the previous performance of his predecessor. Savage made it easy to forget about “that other guy”, Voytik is going to have a much steeper hill to climb to make us forget about the game that Savage brought to the field.
There is an axiom that “the QB gets too much credit for wins and too much blame for losses” and that’s especially true in run-based offenses that we will have this year.
