Training Camp Preview
First off, I am glad to be asked to continue to contribute some articles on the 2011 version of PITT Football. It is going to be different and, I believe, much more exciting, than we have seen for the past six years. If anything it will give PITT fans a whole new issue set to bitch about. Let’s hope there is a lot more praise than criticism but we’ll see how that turns out after the end of PITT’s first possession in our first game.
One note: I again remind everyone that these are my thoughts and opinions and if I state facts I’ll try to reference them somehow.
OK, we’ll get into players, positions, etc. in another article, that takes research, but today I’ll show how you can start getting your head ready for the onslaught that will be coming out of the SID department beginning next week.
So, how will we follow what is happening in training camp aside from the news papers and radio (with the new color commentator)? Well, from PITT itself. Borghetti and staff did an excellent job revamping the electronic media and social networking site during the spring and have continued to do so during the off season and going into the meat of the practices.
In drill down order we have Go PITT Football which is an overview of the football program in the Todd Graham epoch. Starts off with Graham himself and then goes into the history of the program… all the way back to 2005 when the ‘modern era’ of PITT football started.
Next we have the real thrust of Grahaminitiny – High! Octane! Football! – which surprisingly says nothing about the High Octane Offense but links to other websites. It does contain some good videos one of which Coach Graham says one of the best malapropisms I have heard in years… “When I was growing up in Texas Tony Dorsett was a big fan of mine”. It reminds me of the dedication in the book Reggie Jackson wrote about himself when he said “To God, my biggest fan”
Finally we have the meat of the PITT outreach with Training Camp Insider which is, if you remember, just like the website PITT had up during the Spring Training Camp. In it are some more videos, some links to other sites and background info on the Big East, the schedule and the teams we’ll play. It also lists links to recent media articles written about the team and the upcoming season, a feature that I like very much. Here is a tidbit from a Post-Gazette article linked to the site:
“West Virginia’s loquacious defensive end, Bruce Irvin, made it clear, however, there would be no getting to know Pitt players this year. A few hours before the clambake, he posted a message on his Twitter, a message which read “I hope a sPitt player dont Try to shake my hand. I will laugh and walk off.”
Irvin did not back off of his comments when reporters asked about them … well, at least until he realized that there were tape recorders and microphones in front of him.
“Those guys up the road, we don’t talk about them in the locker room,” Irvin said. “Only time we talk about them is the week before, and that is a hell week. It is a really serious, hated rivalry. [The Twitter message] is what it is, they know it. I mean, I don’t want to give ya’all nothing to put in the paper because I know that’s what ya’all are looking for but it is what it is.”
You have to love it…. at a clambake for the Big East kids yet.
If you want to get reacquainted with who we have at the individual positions and where they may be on the depth chart go to the Spring Camp Insider and read the excellent series of articles Pat Bostick wrote. For example here is his take on the new systems on offense and defense as it relates to the QBs; I suggest you read it as a primer for the upcoming season. As an example:
This is what many college football fans think of when they hear about a no-huddle offense. The truth is, though, that the spread offense encompasses much more than crazy motions, read options and double reverses. Sure, the quarterback is usually in the shotgun and there are some unique formations and motions, but that doesn’t mean each variation of this offense will look the same
So, here’s what I personally think we’ll see at the beginning of camp. With some looking back to the spring we’ll remember that he one thing that pleased the coaches the most was how well the players picked up the new systems and schemes by the end of camp, especially on the offensive side of the ball. One coach I talked to after the Spring Game said that it was surprising it unfolded that way and “was a huge advantage” going into the offseason and into training camp.
This gives the main O coaches; Calvin Magee (Asst. Head Coach & Co-Offensive Coord., Running Backs) and Mike Norvell (Co-Off. Coord. & Wide Receivers) the ability to get right to work on installing and practicing the actual playbook plays and not having to spend time on installing the system any longer. This will pay big dividends in the long run.
We’ll watch some new personnel trying to get into the two-deep and there is room there. Graham did an admirable job in recruiting given the situation he inherited and has done an awesome job in getting transfers from other programs to come to PITT – seven at last count. One of those transfers, Zach Brown most probably has the best chance of the newcomers to get immediate playing time, but Ejuan Price has a good chance also.
As I said, I’ll try to get some more stuff out before and during the camp days. It may be a wild ride that leads to a season with a lot of question marks attached to it.
First Practice: August 8th.
This coaching staff however should blend well with that kind of attitude and I think Tino has the perserverence to make the most of it by putting in the time to make this offense effective. Sunseri should be a better QB in the shotgun where he can use his feet (a Tino strong point) on designed plays to keep things changed up. If the play calling eliminates the dependence on long throws down the field to keep the chains moving (a Tino weak point) this offense could confound some defenses early on with the pace of play and the completely transformed play book they will be showing up with. On the defensive side, I fear there is going to be some bumps in the road with a steep learning curve for the secondary to deal with. This 3-4 Nitro defense, running blitzes and bringing up corners to provide additional pressure on the QB is going to take some getting used to. A good team can exploit a secondary when these types of risky defensive moves occur and the secondary is caught out of position. Thankfully we have a couple easy opponents to work the kinks out on this before we run up against Iowa. That Iowa game is going to be a pivotable game for Coach Graham this season. That game will either be a huge confidence builder for this team, with a win, or a reality check that our first two wins (hopefully) were accomplished with smoke and mirrors if we lose. Going into the ND game at 3-0 however will be a fun time if we can pull it off. a 3-1 start in non-conference play would be a good kick start for Big East play and of course it is well known that Graham is expecting a Big East Championship as the brass ring for this team in 2011. He has set the bar high for himself with such expectations! It is just a totally different feel with Graham at the helm as compared to when Wannestadt was in charge. Great expectations, I’m just hoping that Graham can produce early to keep the nah sayers at bay until the Panthers can produce enough positive momentuem not to be discouraged by the inevitable loses that will occur down the line. In any case this season should be a lot of fun to watch unfold.
Pitt’s D-line is still stacked with thoroughbreds. If the other team’s O-line has to worry about a LB or DB coming on a blitz, that’s going to help our D-linemen get loose and wreak havoc.
Time will tell. Don’t know if there is that much room for qb debate with a new coach. Graham owes nothing too no one, his main priority is to win games, so, he will go with the guy he thinks can get him some w’s, right????
Couple shoddy performances, I’m sure he won’t full around in pulling the trigger.
That being said, does anyone remember the Bowl game vs. Oregon State in 2008? That may have been the single worst QB’ing effort in the history of ‘major’ college football.
I saw nothing that bad from Tino last year, so I, for one, anm willing to give him a chance this year.
The 2nd year sure worked out better for Stull…
As for Sunseri, I agree with Dr. Tom that this offense complements his abilities more so than did Cignetti’s.
One thing Sunseri does extremely well is throw on the rollout. He’ll be doing more of that this season both off designated roll outs and off the read-option plays. Being in the shotgun will give him a better view and we’ll see many more short, quick passes to our speedsters than we have in the past.
If you remember Sunseri’s two best games against SYR and RU where in successive weeks he threw for 578 yards and seven TDs. The passing game in those wins was centered around short passes with good YAC. This season we won’t see the past habit of having the same two or three receivers in on every play. Most notably Baldwin, Street and Shanahan. We’ll rotate kids on the field with speed and throw a lot more to the running backs. We’ll also see the old TE – now 3-Back – position get more passes to them I think. That will be interesting to see in camp how that position is handled.
I don’t expect stardom from Sunseri but I think he’ll do well as long as Norvell and Magee call plays to his strengths. How many times last year did we see Cignetti and Wannstedt try to force the deep throws when us fans knew the completion percentage was low. n They obsessed that Baldwin could come down with every pass and that wasn’t true… but they kept at it. We’ll not see that this year I think. We’ll take shots but this offense isn’t deep play oriented.
I’ll attend a couple practices and let you know what I see from him, but he looked pretty good running this offense in the spring.
Well, I did what I said I was going to do and bought season tickets again the day after they fired Wanny. Nothwithstanding the fact we have had three head coaches in the last 8 months, I am looking forward to the next era. Nobody knows what to expect, but given this coach’s system is totally differen than the last HC, I think we need to give him some slack. I think Tino will struggle, but I am rooting for him since he is a Pittsburgh guy. Can’t wait for 9/3. HTP
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Runner up:
“Tino can thrive in this offense”
Can’t wait for monday!!!
This year should be interesting .. even the 1st 2 games draw interest due to the unveiling of the No-Huddle, High-Octane O. I’ll be just as interested in how our new defense will do (but that’s just me.)