3* QB Kenny Pickett has become the latest Pitt recruiting verbal for the 2017 season. He had previously committed to Temple University then got a better offer and took it.
From the Trib:
“Kenny Pickett of Oakhurst, N.J., on Saturday became the first quarterback in the Class of 2017 to verbally commit to Pitt.
A three-star recruit according to Rivals, Pickett is ranked No. 22 overall — and the No. 2 quarterback — in New Jersey. An announcement on a Twitter account bearing Pickett’s name confirmed the news. Pickett, who verbally committed to Temple earlier this spring, also has offers from Boston College, Buffalo and Connecticut.
Pickett (6-foot-3, 191 pounds) threw for 1,796 yards with 19 touchdowns and three interceptions last season. He is considered a dual-threat quarterback and ran for 336 yards and five touchdowns.”
Also Sunday’s Pitt camp brought us a verbal from unranked LB Cameron Bright out of Alabama. Good for us and for them.
That starts to round things out for the future of QB here. As it stands now if Pickett signs a Letter Of Intent (LOI) with Pitt in February then this is what we’ll have going into the future: For 2017 we’ll have, in order of seniority: rsSO Ben DiNucci, rsSO Ryan Adzima (walk-on), rsSO Bo Schneider, rsFR? Thomas MacVitte and FR Kenny Pickett.
See why I have been harping about the need in the staff getting a decent upperclassman to transfer in at this position? As it stands now we’ll have only rsSO Bo Schneider and rsSO Thomas MacVitte competing as the heir apparent starter. Something to note with this is that even with Chad Voytik’s lofty ratings coming out of HS; 4*s, #4 QB nationally and #1 player in Tennessee, HC Paul Chryst didn’t feel he was ready to start as a rsSO. So I wonder just how ready Schneider or MacVittie will be either.
If you wonder why I listed Schneider before MacVitte above its for this reason; Schneider is a year more experienced at the college level, he had better college offers than MacVittie did and he was higher rated nationally coming out of HS overall than MacVittie was. (Schneider = 24th, 25th, 43rd MacVittie = NR, 29th, 42nd).
The fact is that Schneider (6’4″ & 233) is bigger and just as strong armed as MacVittie (6’4″ & 213) and can also run. He played at a HS, Jesuit Dallas (TX), as big as MacVittie’s Moeller but in the football insane state of Texas. Let’s don’t make the mistake that some fans did before Nate Peterman got to camp thinking that the staff was just getting depth at the position – Schneider is certainly here to compete for the starting job and has as good a chance as getting it as does MacVittie if MacVittie redshirts.
Offensive MVP
No question, it’s Dallas (Tex.) Jesuit three-star quarterback Bo Schneider, who torched defenses as a senior. He threw for 3,492 yards and 45 touchdowns, with just eight interceptions. In some games, he didn’t even play the second half. The 6-foot-4, 233-pounder was easily one of the best quarterbacks in the state this season.
The thing about Schneider’s high school is this: as of last season the Jesuit Dallas Rangers football program had a total of 22 graduates actively playing college football …. with 15 of those in D1 programs. Oh, and out of those 15 kids – 11 are in Power 5 schools (!). Guys – there is no better credentials than that for a high school’s football resume. Take a look at their 5,000 seat stadium:
Schneider was a star QB at star Texas prep school and had an amazing SR season. So – I’m not going to say I told you so but will remind readers that I had the exact same feeling about Nate Peterman when he transferred in last summer that I do now with Bo Schneider – that he’s a serious contender for the starting job.
Because of that I’m not at all sure that MacVitte is a lock to be the starter in ’17. The staff will have a full year to evaluate both these kids before they have to make a decision in fall camp. And remember – even if MacVitte gets some playing time this season this staff has sat down starting QBs for other talent already. We fans at Pitt know that when it comes to our football team nothing is etched in stone…
Here is another tidbit about McAlone. Get this, he was the Chairman of the Jesuit Dallas American/African Outreach Society (AAOS). Another good student/athlete to have on Pitt’s roster.
Note – I have a two part series on the behind the scenes workings of the recruiting game that I’m just now finishing. Part One will be Tuesday and Part Two on Wednesday.
Schneider will compete for the starting job next season but but I wouldn’t favor him just yet.
Great to get Schneider so that there is competition and depth at the position next year. Hopefully one of these guys will be ready or we will backslide.
We lose a lot of starters next year, so a lot of opportunity for guys that develop in backup this year.
I think Stocker is just an insurance policy that hopefully will not be needed.
Gotta feel good about this guy. Hopefully he will take Peterman and our offense to the next level.
Hoping that Flowers and/or Ffrench are the real deals. I have a lot of concern about Weah learning how to catch the ball, especially in pressure situations. Hopefully Henderson and Tipton come through as well.
We will also see how Ford does with the double teams this year.
AS far as Watts and Camp, wouldn’t be surprised if one or both see some PT this year. It’s amazing what the Pitt staff was able to sign late Jan and Feb last year, at least from a prospective level.
Maybe I missed it.
Regardless, it’s a fact that Quarterbacks named “Bo” usually end up Starters… and pretty good ones.
But the thing about college ball is that there is competition at positions – unlike the NFL where starting jobs are pretty much known way in advance of the season, save few exceptions.
I like Narduzzi’s approach to personnel so far in that he looks at these kids as ‘team’ members first – and he’ll make switches, sit down players, let kids go, etc… based on that concept. We may say that it was a Chaney-Peterman deal last season but I can guarantee you that even though he was a rookie HC Narduzzi wasn’t going to play someone at QB unless he wanted that kid to play QB.
We have seen a more of JUCO and transfer personnel activity in HCPN’s first 12 months then I can remember in any other Pitt HC’s time at Pitt. It obviously worked well for him last season – to the tune of a new QB and 8 wins – so when he makes the move to get transfers to come to Pitt I take it seriously.
We’ll see transfer get major PT with Hendrix at DE, Peterman at QB, Ford at WR and Edwards at DE.
In addition we’ll see these position switches get PT: OL O’Neill, LB Ziese, TE Parrish (from FB), DE Folston (from LB).
And of course next season we’ll have transfers TE Chris Clark who may start and QB Schneider.
BTW – one of my ‘breakout‘ players of 2017 is rsSO FB George Aston. Keep an eye on him… Cheney used him kind of a lot, hope Canada does the same. He blocks very well.
“2015: Played in all 13 games, starting four at fullback to letter in his first active season…had eight receptions for 40 yards (5.0 avg.) and two touchdowns on the year…had a pair of four-yard touchdown catches in Pitt’s 45-34 win over Louisville.”
Bo Schneider FR QB 8 105 54 51.4 534 5.1 2 7 87.11 13.1 66.8
In the above, you may notice a modest 5/1 YPA and 2 TDs and 7 Ints
This is not to say he won’t pan out here; that remains to be seen
But equally impressive is the accuracy of the passes heading his way… thrown by Bo Schneider.
MacVitte and Picket are better prospects.
Right now, I see no clear favorite in the 2017 Pitt QB derby.
Looked but was unable to find any Game Tape.
I thought someone said Todd Sibley RB from Ohio was announcing today, didn’t see that anywhere
Pickett has some Athleticism to him along with the ability to make plays on the run… which is obviously a requirement if you want to play QB for Matt Canada.
Read his tweet a few hours ago – you’ll have to scroll down a few – Pitt not in top 5.
Smooth
HTP!
Brother of a very good Pitt receiver who is currently playing in the NFL. Now let’s get a verbal from a WR from Georgia – the son of Pitt legend Craig “Ironhead” Heyward.
HTP!
H2P