When I was watching Ejuan Price get his ten tackles, six tackles for loss and his five sacks in the win over Louisville last month I started to cast my mind back and was wondering when was the last time Pitt had games totally taken over by a single defensive player. I mean the type of dominance that offensive coordinators dread and that makes a ballgame lopsided in our favor.
Of course Aaron Donald came to mind, he being the winner of almost every defensive and lineman award possible in college ball. He was certainly wonderful for Pitt and has continued his great play into his career in the NFL. Plus he’s in modern times and that means all of us on The Blather have seen him play either live or on TV. So he’s a big favorite Panther of ours.
However, in my mind the #1 “Disrupter” in my book has always been our shining DE/OLB/MLB/Every Defensive Position Hugh Green.
He was and still is legend in college football and his name is very much in the conversation when talking about the greatest college football players, both on offense and defense, who ever played the game. For good reason – as you’ll hear in this audio clip of the Sport’s Illustrated article titled “Green Light for the Panthers”
Enjoy…
Here is what the newspapers had to say about the man:
Pittsburgh Press’: “Paint Irish Green – Huge Green That Is“,
Observer-Reporter’s: “The Selling of Hugh Green”
Spartanburg, SC Herald’s: “Hugh Green’s Small But Quick”
Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s: “Hugh Green was Best Athlete Available” and “Hugh Green Selected as Bay Bucs’ Top Pick”
HTP and Merry Christmas and happy holidays to my fellow blather items and your families. Peace.
My uncle has the ’77 cover framed. Years ago I asked him if he would leave it to me when he dies. He said, “sorry it’s going in the ground with me. ” I’ll see him tomorrow, maybe I’ll revisit it and see if he softened his stance?
Anyone know how many if any players we have had from Mississippi since Hugh Green? None come to mind.
Hey Blatherites just want to genuinely say Happy Holidays to all you guys. Hope everyone eats and drinks well and has a safe joyous Holiday Season. Wish it was in the cards to make the bowl game but it wasn’t. For all you guys going have a safe trip. Be loud, be proud, and let’s get that 9th win!
Thanks Chas, Justin, and Reed for giving us this great forum to discuss, debate, vent, and sometimes argue about our beloved Pitt athletics.
Again, Happy Holidays and looking forward to an even better 2016, which will include and not be limited to; a top 25 recruiting class, a return to and maybe even a run in the NCAA Tourney, a healthy and cancer free James Conner, a win Sept 10th against Pedo St, and an ACC Coastal Championship…
Hail to Pitt!!!!
He was simply the best football player ever to play at Pitt not named Tony Dorsett.
Merry Christmas to all, may we celebrate the birth of the Savior of all mankind. Amen
Wishing you all good times with friends and family over this holiday weekend. Read the Conner article, as suggested above. That was a hopeful way to begin my Christmas. James Conner’s journey is exactly the kind of reason that I bleed Blue & Gold. It’s all about the people that call Pitt alma mater. I have a good feeling that he is going to come through this cancer treatment 100% cured and better from those trails that are testing his perseverance right now.
Enjoy your day.
The Conner article was both inspirational and encouraging. This young man is mature beyond his years. And he wants to play in the big games next year (pedo state and Clemson). I love how HCPN includes Conner is practice just after a Chemo treatment and James knows the play they are running. A must read article if you are a Pitt FB fan.
Note to interim OC Salem: in Navy’s two losses this year, nd and Houston (never forget fame…) both rushed 40 and 44 times respectively. In seven of Pitt’s victories this year, the O ran the ball 40 or more times (7-0).
In ALL four of Pitt’s losses, the rushing attempts were less than 40.
Key to beating the Navy Midshipmen – heavy play calling with the run game – pass plays to T.Boyd, JP and Orndorff will exploit the Navy D even more.
Prediction: Pitt 45 – Navy 28
Merry Christmas everyone.
Plus, Alabama runs a pro-style offense with a power rushing attack.
Currently making about $350,000.
Hmmm…
I believe you are trying to remember DLs Boyarski, Meisner and Jay Pelusi.
(BTW Guys – that link is one of the best college football reference sites I have found).
“Meanwhile, Thomas Sr. said the family will continue to divert the advances of other schools trying to flip his son’s commitment. It helps that Rodenberg doesn’t allow schools to recruit his committed players. “I’m very, very hard core,” he said.”
I don’t believe in this at all and don’t think it is in a HS HC’s purview to restrict a player’s opportunities. Hard core or not he’s inserting himself into a decision process that should be limited to the player and his family.
Now in this case the parents want to limit exposure… but that isn’t the case in most recruits and their situations. The kid and parents want the best offers possible – even up to and including LOI Day.
Let’s say one of his players commits to Toledo or Miami of Ohio and then Pitt, OSU or PSU, or any of the bigger and better programs, come calling. Why should this coach have the authority, on his own, of turning them away?
This coach isn’t the only one I’ve heard of doing that either.
The 10 quarterbacks who have committed to Pitt this decade:
2016: Thomas MacVittie: Only 1 interception in 211 attempts this season
2015: Ben DiNucci: Redshirted this season as a freshman; Alex Hornibrook: Verbally committed to Pitt, signed with Wisconsin
2014: Adam Bertke: Redshirt freshman, third-team this season; Wade Freebeck: Verbally committed to Pitt, signed with Vanderbilt
2013: Tra’Von Chapman: Attended spring drills, dismissed after domestic incident, backup at Akron
2012: Chad Voytik: Started in 2014, backup to Nathan Peterman this year.
2011: Trey Anderson: Didn’t join team until August, graduated from Pitt as a career backup
2010: Anthony Gonzalez: Played little quarterback, two-year starter at linebacker; Mark Myers: Transferred to John Carroll
Read more: link to triblive.com
PN make the Panthers great again.
I think that the other DL that played a good bit was Bill Neill.
What a great defense!
And the offense wasn’t anything to sneeze at also.
How did that team not win the NC????
Merry Christmas to all.
Speed
Motor
and every other Superlative you could add.
I was a teenager 13-16 when he played.
He was my hero.
I think you can write off Adam Bertke as a future contributor at Pitt. He’s being recruited over by DiNucci first then MacVitte. I watched Bertke in many practices and while he has a strong arm he was inconsistent and inaccurate on the deep passing throws.
He was recruited as a backup player and most probably will stay there… especially if Narduzzi reaches out for a transfer QB for the 2017 season when he’ll have DiNucci as a rsSO, MacVitte as a rsFR and Bertke and a rsSO (the pecking order which I think they will go into the 2017 fall camp.
I’m not sure DiNucci fits the Narduzzi mold either.. it would help if he were a legit 6’2″ or above. I like him but who knows with players Narduzzi and staff didn’t recruit themselves.
It doesn’t look like we’ll pull in any late minute QB help from the JUCO ranks for 2016 either…
Happy holidays, all!
Looking forward to meeting many of you in Annapolis! HTP
DiNucci had no other decent offers other than Akron… and no Power 5 offers at all. He was a recruiting ‘right before LOI Day’ afterthought offer and, I think, a stop gap measure until Narduzzi could get QBs via transfer (Peterman) and recruiting (MacVitte).
But all that is my opinion – here is an article by Chris Peake of Rivals that describes the QB situation on 2015’s LOI Day – make your own judgements…
I may have told this story before, after a Pitt game I was in Zelda’s Greenhouse when Hugh Green comes in. I gave him a congratulatory slap on the back. It was like hitting a brick wall. I have been around a lot of muscle bound guys, but never experienced anything like that. He was a ferocious hitter. I have never seen anyone grab a running back by the shoulder pads and throw them down like a sack of potatoes. He was truly a man among boys. As dominant as TD was on the offense, Hugh Green was that and more on the defense.
I think we can be pretty sure that Narduzzi is going to finish this recruiting class with some more exceptional kids.
I also remember thinking that DiNucci would be a project that might pay off big. QB seems to be the position that is most difficult to predict a kids trajectory. Too many variables. The other issue is opportunity, there can only be one QB at a time, so sometimes good guys don’t get to learn on the job or ever show what they got. Tom Brady, the greatest of them all was not a first round draft pick. Hard to imagine now, but if he would have gone to Cleveland, would he have crashed and burned like all of the others.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to all.
Grandkids are all getting older. None of them came down to open presents until 7:30. Use to wake us up at 5am.
The car accident caused the loss of legendary status in the Pro’s.
If there was a four team playoff back then, we might have 3 more National Championships.
And a gift for all of us.
********
“We’ve got some huge games next year,” he (James Conner) said. “I’m excited for the Penn State, Clemson games. Really, just to be back with my teammates again. Every day, that 2016 Pitt season is on my mind. I’m really excited for it.
“I’ll be back.”
— Post Gazette
Obviously, HUGH made a HUGE splash after having his number called and coming off the bench in the Notre Dame Game. He went on to start the rest of his Freshman year.
However, there was another young Linebacker who wasn’t seeing playing time… who went around bragging to everyone how he was going to be BETTER than “Hugh Green.”
And eventually he was proven right… though not at Pitt.
Thanks!
Upitt
Actually the way it went during the Notre Dame Game was that no one, not even the Announcer… knew who Hugh Green was.
When Green got into the Game and made his first tackle the PA Announcer started by saying “Tackle on the play by NUMBER 99″… and everyone was like looking around saying who was that?
The next time around after apparently finding Green’s name in the program, the PA Announcer started saying “Tackle on the play by NUMBER 99 Hugh Green.” Fans responded by saying “WHO?”
By the end of the Game, after Green was making tackle after tackle, it eventually got to the point where the PA Announcer would simply say “Tackle on the play by NUMBER 99…” and the CROWD would shout “HUGH… Green!”
That’s the way I remember it.
The sleigh is all packed and ready for the trek north to cheer on the Panthers. Hail to Pitt!
Thanks, I saw there are tickets available on the Navy side and will get tickets there. I was just checking to see if anyone had extras on the “good” side!!
Looking forward to the game. HTP
To the poster that suggested Hugh green was a HOF player if he wasn’t hurt I would say no…green was a good but not great player prior to injury
Randy MacMillan was a beast in college. Whether that would have translated to the league is unknown
As Collegians however…they were both friends of mine as well as top shelf talents.
How he has Crosby ahead of Lemieux though is anyone’s guess…
Merry Christmas fellow Blatherites!
Remember him having some decent games.
Didn’t translate to the NFL was well as everyone expected.
On the other hand, Rickey Jackson turned out to be BETTER than I and a lot of others thought… except maybe for the scouts for the Saints.
Carried a lot of weight and was a NATURALLY STRONG Guy. Was pretty DOMINANT for awhile rushing off the edge.
I’ve overcome the old belief that the only way to get good QB play is to grow them from the roster. If you look at college ball today QBs are switching schools all the time and more and more programs are turning to JUCO players.
That was one of DW’s big mistakes I thought. Instead of grabbing a prototype Pro-Set passing QB for the JUCO ranks he went out and got Cgeg Cross who literally couldn’t throw a pass under any sort of pressure at all. He bailed out of the pocket way faster than even Voytik did.
This is still one of my favorite Paul Zeise Q&As:
Q: How will Pitt try to use Greg Cross this year? Is he still apart of the team? As an athlete, he should be used for something besides standing on the sidelines.
G. Simon, Houston, Texas
ZEISE: OK, let’s try and answer this one early on so we don’t have to address it again. Unless something changes dramatically (i.e. a rash of injuries or suspensions) Greg Cross will be the answer to this trivia question: “Name the ultra-athletic junior college quarterback who came to Pitt in 2008, scored a touchdown in a big game the first time he touched the ball and then was never heard from again.”
So true. And Cross is a poster boy for recruiting website overrating a player. He was listed the #2 JUCO qb in all of the US (not just the ones looking to transfer) and fell flat on his face at Pitt. I went to a lot of DW’s practices back then and people standing on the sidelines couldn’t believe just how bad his passing was.
Hard to believe that in 2009’s roster we had the following QBs: Bostick, Stull, Sunseri, Cross, Kolby Gray and A. Janocko. Six kids and we couldn’t find one that could play 360 degrees of QB.
Speaking of Kolby Gray – I was always a fan of the kid… and like what he’s done here also.
Here’s why he went that route.
Anyway – let’s get Andrew Ford and whoever else we need to win now. Growing players for the future is great for long term winning programs but with Pitt’s recent history we need an influx of talent ASAP.
BTW – I think we can say goodbye to Rori Blair if EJuan Price gets a 6th year…. with the two DE Narduzzi transfers able to play in ’16.
Played till 91 though.
That’s not too bad.
So, Duke is reloading with 4 5 star players, Louisville with 3 4 star players, FLST with 1 5 star and 2 4 star, and ND with 2 4 star.
Pitt may be better than 10 in the conference, but not by much. There are many teams that are talent loaded, and few if any easy victories. You can tell we are better than last year, but how that translates in wins and losses is hard to predict.
Syracuse on Wednesday without Boeheim and without the Zoo should tell us something.
JD recruited true freshman Damon Wilson this year. Wilson is a 4 star and looks like he has loads of potential.
True junior Mike Young is a 4 star and headed toward being all conference and first round NBA pick. Has every skill one would want at 3 or 4. Enjoy the greatness while we have it.
Junior Jamel Artis was a three star that has added to his game every year. Looks like at least a legit NBA second rounder at small forward. A possible first rounder depending on need. Sam Young and Lamar Patterson were second rounders. Artis’ offensive game is already more complete than their games were as seniors. Artis is taller and faster than both. Enjoy the greatness.
Pitt isn’t Duke and won’t be until Pitt at least regularly appears in a Final Four. Heard an interesting story the other day about how Coach K was the middling/muddling third year coach on the hot seat at Duke until his class that graduated in 1986 came along and took Duke to the finals that year. Duke of course had a basketball tradition before that. Pitt does not.
So FSU got lucky with a five star? So did JD with Steven Adams and Khem Birch. One left after one year. Another transferred and plays in the NBDL. Both have played for Pitt in the past five seasons.
Pitt thankfully isn’t Louisville, who employs scumbags for coaches. Louisville has Pitino who has managed to win national championships at two schools, one begin fabled Kentucky. He also coached in the NBA, where he largely disappointed However I am sure that means a lot to recruits.
Please stop the whining about rankings and trite nonsense about recruiting stars.
When The Big East ( the most powerful college BB League ever assembled) closed the ACC’s “Underground Railway” (their pipeline to NYC/NE talent) the ACC had no choice but to try to raid them. Now, maybe, they’ve got enough of the Big East talent in them to come close to that level.
But I seriously doubt that I’ll live to see the day that the ACC comes close to the standard the BE set.
Don’t mean to sound hostile, but, as you can tell I LOVED TBE BB!! Very sad to see it gone! The other side of that coin is that I’m very happy that Pitt FB has a home that pays well! Have always wished TBE could have done something to improve the $$ payout to the FB teams!
