Well this was a bummer of a press release.
Pitt sophomore tackle Jaryd Jones-Smith, expected to contend for a starting position on the Panthers’ offensive line, will miss the 2015 season due to a right knee injury.
Jones Smith (Voorhees, N.J./West Catholic [Pa.]) sustained the injury during an offseason conditioning session. He was a significant member of Pitt’s offensive front last year as a redshirt freshman, playing in all 13 games and making three starts.
“We are incredibly disappointed for Jaryd,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said. “Our entire team will rally behind him as he works to overcome this challenge. Jaryd is a great young man and a tough competitor. Even though he is sidelined this year, he is going to remain an important member of our team this fall.”
It was expected that Jones-Smith would take man the right OT spot this season. It’s a tough, tough break for Jones-Smith. For the Pitt offense it hurts, but it isn’t that devastating.
Jones-Smith was a solid recruit (3-stars, offers from Arizona, NC State, Michigan), but not considered a linchpin to the O-line’s future. He developed much quicker than expected, and at times was one of the best O-linemen not named T.J. Clemmings on the field last year for Pitt.
If there is one thing that can be pointed to as a clear plus for the Paul Chryst period, it was the work done to build real depth on the O-line. Something not seen since… I don’t even know for sure.
Aaron Reese was named his back-up on the 2-deep coming out of spring practice. There are other options, though, that would require a little bit of line shuffling.
…redshirt freshman Alex Bookser, who played tackle at Mt. Lebanon, but was Pitt’s right guard this spring.
Moving Bookser would create more movement on the offensive line, with sophomore center Alex Officer possibly moving to guard and senior Artie Rowell regaining his accustomed spot at center. Rowell missed most of last season with a knee injury, but he could be ready for the start of training camp Aug. 10.
With a new coaching staff, I’m not as sure what they will do. Chryst and staff, I think would put Rowell back at center (if he’s healthy and ready), with the plan DiPaola laid out. Not sure what Narduzzi will do.
The good news is that there are options, and actual time to figure this out. It didn’t happen in season. It didn’t even happen in training camp. There will be some competition in camp to get the best five on the line.
I’m thinking though, Alias Smith & Jones could have been a linchpin on this O-line. Given the playing time he received last year as a RS freshman and how much better the one was, at times, with him in there.
Only 3 OT’s left on the roster now.
This was something we certainly didn’t need, with having lost Rotherram and Clemmings already to graduation.
Let’s hope that Biz & Johnson step up there game, as that is the side of the line I would assume most runs would be directed now. Those 2 need to get tougher imo and meaner.
Coach Peterson …..turn them into fanatics – razors.
All RB’s seem to have a preference or an inclination to one side.
Now you really want bad news have the DL get decimated by injuries, that there would be BAD news.
Please, don’t you fret that I bring such stuff like this,in the first place. How dare I summon the curse of the SOP?! Sure, in days gone by such utterances would beckon the SOP jinx for sure, no worries, mostly good fortune will prevail with the Panthers this season. Averages always even out. You just have to believe that Pitt has had such Shitty Misfortune befall them over the last few years that the odds are in our favor that Lady Luck comes for a long visit in the very near future.
The times they are a changin.
They did for the Buccos. 2nd best record in the NL presently. Most likely a 3rd consecutive year in the playoffs.
And that franchise was in worse shape, results wise, than Pitt football was over 30 years.
Anything appears possible.
Net sorry for JJS. Give credit to former to former staff for emphasizing recruitment of O-linemen.
Best wishes to a quick recovery for Jaryd.
HTP!
Enjoy the ride, it may get bumpy at times but once again, we are on the threshold of a time to simply enjoy the experience be able to truly say “Hail to Pitt”!
Go Pitt.
Important position, which may cost a game or two this year, if his replacement is not adequate. Big opportunity for someone.
Bad news usually comes in threes, time to brace ourselves?
So when you provided that link on Butler, I almost threw up…
Instead I will focus on the positive – Mr. Butler hasn’t de-committed. He is just flirting with his options…
WR1 – T.Boyd / Challingsworth / Weuster
Slot – Ibrahim / Araujo-Lopes / Q.Henderson or Whitehead
WR2 – Ford / Weah / Zeiss
TE – Holtz / Orndorf
LT – Bisno / Guy
LG – Johnson / Baker
C – Artie or Officer / Roberts
RG – Officer or Artie / Herndon
RT – Bookser / Reese
I’d fit Grimm into the 3 hole at guard or tackle
QB – Voytik / Dark Knight / Bertke or Peterman
TB – Conner / James / Ollison
FB – Parrish / Lively
I’m ready for camp to begin – in the mean time I will play lots of golf when I am not working.
HTP!
Good thing all kids are like this one.
Gotta keep recruiting till they sign. When they sign, then fall in love with them.
Thus far, Michigan and OSU ‘sources’ also claimed that Butler was theirs, and OSU hasn’t even offered as yet.
I presume that a ‘Pitt source’ source has claimed that Miles Saunders will be flipping to Pitt. It may happen but may not. These 16/17 yr old early commits will probably change their minds a few more times before LOI.
Johnson was pushed into service too early and seemed like a flop. We have new coaches now and I trust they will develop and place the best starting five on the field each week. Johnson will be one of the five (IMO).
Things change … and again they are 16 (early commits) and 17 year olds.
wbb, on 247 they give all the predictions by the prognosticators, that somehow seems redundant. Anyway that seems to be part of the recruiting universe. Wonder if there is an accounting of accuracy after the fact. In any case they are all talking to the prospects. You wonder how many of the prospects have a sense of humor and feed them BS.
Also, they hate our recruits.
The top ‘national ranking’ kid we have is Flowers at 428th, after the the kids are ranked in the 600s down to 838th… with Moss and Ford not being ranked in the Top 1000.
Terrell Pryor committed to Pitt BB after his soph year, and 6 months later he became the #1 FB prospect in the nation.
Mustapha Heron committed to the place when he was 15; a place where the assistant coach was best friends with his dad.
Kevin Givens committed to Pitt before his senior year and stayed committed even though Pitt changed coaches. Then PSU offered 3 days before LOI, and the Altoona native who lived 45 minutes from State College in the heart of PSU country, accepted.
This is what happens when you deal with 15, 16 and 17 year olds. Or even 27, 28 and 29 year olds, etc. I know I jumped jobs a couple of times when I received what I thought to be a better offer
Some of these kids use offers and then commit to garner other offers.
He’s seems to gaming the system.
Game it with somebody else’s college kiddo.
Happy Hour has arrived !
