Get your game faces on, it’s almost show time!! Saturday we host the Blue Hens of Delaware at Heinz Field for the opening game of our 2014 season. Yeah Us!!
Here is the PITT SID’s office’s overview of the match-up. Here are the much more detailed “PITT vs. Delaware Game Notes” that are distributed by that office to the local and visiting media writers up in the press box. I find it interesting that we’ve never played them before but then again we have never lost to them before either. Small blessings.
Pitt is undefeated (9-0) against current members of the CAA, most recently beating Maine, 35-29, in 2011 and New Hampshire, 38-16, in 2010. I think we’ll easily handle Delaware. The spread is 27 points and that is doable as I think we’ll run right over them.
Before anyone starts talking about ‘we thought the same thing against YSU‘ let’s remember there are huge differences in the two situations. With the YSU game Chryst suspended six players including starters Ezell and Gonzalez just hours before the game. That in itself rocked the team. Combine that disciplinary action with the natural uncertainty the players had about Chryst going into his first game of his first year, especially after they were just burnt so badly by Graham, and you had a perfect storm for a loss. That isn’t the case at all this week against Delaware.
Our commenters have been showing us some good links lately, here is on who will probably redshirt. Here are the five true freshmen that Chryst says will definitely see action this season. I’ll add at least one more in Adonis Jennings. If his groin injury heals then I can’t see him not getting at least some playing time.
I think we see Wuestner or Challingsworth before Jones at #2 WR unless there is a specialty play called. Again – keep an eye on Chris Wuestner as the season unfolds, he’s a good one and really has impressed the staff over the last year and through this camp.
It is interesting about the new position “Freeze Linebacker” as that is Nick Grisby’s nickname and the title apparently applies only to him and only when he’s in on special extra LB formations. Remember last year when Grigsby was a bit put out that he wasn’t getting playing time and was making noise about leaving the program? Well, this year the staff wanted to ensure that he knew he had a real role on the team so in addition to being our Special Teams ace, and now captain, they created a LB substitution just for him. He’s very talented and it was a smart thing to do on both fronts.
Also, see where Scott Orndoff has landed in the offensive positions – at “H-Back”. That was done because he’s really built more like a WR, a bigger Shanahan as it were as Orndoff goes 260 to Shanahan’s 220, and Devon Edwards is a better pure blocker. Moving Orndoff to this position signals to me that the plan is to give Voytik as many short pass opportunities and targets as they can since his deep game isn’t happening yet. I like the idea very much.
I still don’t like the idea of our money-maker Tyler Boyd returning kicks but until our offense proves that it can score points then we’ll have to rely on getting yardage every way we can including returns. He’ll be exciting as hell to watch but I’ll cringe every time.
If there is any poor play with Adam Bisnowaty at LT or Dorian Johnson at LG again this season don’t be surprised if the staff goes to Jaryd Jones-Smith sooner rather than later. He’s got the wingspan for left tackle if Bisnowaty falters and they could move Bisnowaty into guard to replace Johnson if needed. That’s why they were moving Bisnowaty around to different OL positions during camp. Jones-Smith was a big performer in camp and they trust him to step in and do well.
While we are discussing the OLtake a look at the size of them. They average 6’5″ and 315 lbs. I didn’t look it up but that may be the biggest line we have had in ages.
Here is the two deep listed in the Game Notes:
OFFENSE
Wide Receiver
23 TYLER BOYD SO, 6-2, 190
88 Kevin Weatherspoon (SR*, 5-10, 175)
Wide Receiver
82 MANASSEH GARNER SR*, 6-2, 220
10 Ronald Jones (JR*, 5-8, 170)
Left Tackle
69 ADAM BISNOWATY SO*, 6-6, 305
75 Jaryd Jones-Smith (FR*, 6-7, 335)
Left Guard
53 DORIAN JOHNSON SO, 6-5, 300
72 Carson Baker (FR*, 6-5, 330)
Center
57 ARTIE ROWELL JR*, 6-2, 315
63 Alex Officer (FR*, 6-4, 335)
Right Guard
74 MATT ROTHERAM SR*, 6-6, 335
71 Gabe Roberts (SO*, 6-5, 305)
Right Tackle
68 T.J. CLEMMINGS SR*, 6-6, 315
78 Alex Bookser (FR, 6-6, 295)
Tight End
86 J.P. HOLTZ JR, 6-4, 245
45 Devon Edwards (FR*, 6-4, 260)
H-Back
31 JAYMAR PARRISH SO, 6-2, 270
83 Scott Orndoff (SO, 6-5, 260)
Quarterback
16 CHAD VOYTIK SO*, 6-1, 205
11 Trey Anderson (JR*, 6-0, 195)
Tailback
24 JAMES CONNER SO, 6-2, 250
34 Isaac Bennett (SR, 5-11, 210)
DEFENSE
Defensive End
52 SHAKIR SOTO SO, 6-3, 270
55 Luke Maclean (FR*, 6-5, 260)
Defensive Tackle
91 DARRYL RENDER JR, 6-2, 275
56 Justin Moody (FR*, 6-3, 280)
Nose Tackle
95 KHAYNIN MOSLEY-SMITH JR*, 6-0, 310
54 Tyrique Jarrett (SO, 6-3, 335)
Defensive End
44 DAVID DURHAM SR*, 6-2, 240
92 Rori Blair (FR, 6-4, 230)
Freeze Linebacker
3 NICHOLAS GRIGSBY JR*, 6-1, 220
Middle Linebacker
47 MATT GALAMBOS SO, 6-2, 245
30 Mike Caprara (SO*, 6-0, 225)
Sam Linebacker
28 ANTHONY GONZALEZ SR*, 63, 230
4 Bam Bradley (SO*, 6-2, 230)
Will Linebacker
8 TODD THOMAS SR*, 6-2, 230
58 Quintin Wirginis (FR, 6-2, 220)
Cornerback
6 LAFAYETTE PITTS JR*, 5-11, 195
14 Avonte Maddox (FR, 5-9, 165)
Cornerback
15 REGGIE MITCHELL SO*, 6-0, 185
38 Ryan Lewis (SO*, 6-0, 195)
Strong Safety
2 TERRISH WEBB SO, 5-11, 180
26 Jevonte Pitts (SO*, 5-11, 205)
Free Safety
9 RAY VINOPAL SR*, 5-10, 200
25 Pat Amara (FR, 6-2, 190)
SPECIALISTS
Punter
18 RYAN WINSLOW FR*, 6-5, 210
12 Chris Blewitt (SO, 5-9, 185)
Placekicker
12 CHRIS BLEWITT SO, 5-9, 185
18 Ryan Winslow (FR*, 6-5, 210)
Holder
18 RYAN WINSLOW FR*, 6-5, 210
45 Nick Goldsmith (FR, 6-2, 210)
Long Snapper
67 DAVID MURPHY JR*, 6-1, 220
61 Pat Quirin (SO*, 6-1, 220)
Kickoff Returner
23 TYLER BOYD SO, 6-2, 190
10 Ronald Jones (JR*, 5-8, 170)
14 Avonte Maddox (FR, 5-9, 165)
Punt Returner
23 TYLER BOYD SO, 6-2, 190
88 Kevin Weatherspoon (SR*, 5-10, 175)
LET’S GO PITT!
Glad to see you are back to being positive on Pitt. I remember a while back when you were pretty positive about Pitt, then you seemed to go into a period where you didn’t have enthusiasm for what was going on with the team. Am I remembering this correctly?
Anyway, I echo the lauding of your work on this blog – you and Chas.
BTW, someone asked about who is playing on special teams. This is a major shortcoming of football coverage – the special teamers never get credit for what is a difficult job. I’d like to see the players for all the special teams listed somewhere. And it’s tough to find any stats on special teams – other than kicks made and missed.
Thanks again Reed.
Go Pitt.
Always enjoyed him, very likable, and I always thought he was very fair when the subject of Ohio State came up on telecasts or gameday.
I guess that is why they were running him out of town. I always respected him for calling out things against Ohio State when they happened.
Threats against his family, relentless taunting of his children at school??
Anyhow, just wondering if he actually made the move or did things smooth over?
Being national is much different than being local. National you have to tell the truth and can’t play favorites, or at least not as much.
Mark May, jabs at Holtz over Pitt and ND, but when Pitt has sucked on the field, or with our debacle of coaching three years ago, he said so.
I just said, ya, he’s right.
It doesn’t take much to give a bad impression and mostly I see Pitt fans acting very civil (except for that fight song with the PSU refernce … and of course, Hoopies are always fair game.)
