Sorry for the lack of posts again this week I have been insanely busy but I'm back and ready to get thinking about the home stretch of the season. Joe Starkey today in the Trib wrote an article about Shady's amazing start to his career comparing his young career to that of Tony Dorsett. I'll link to the article at the bottom but I'm going to come at the idea of where Shady stands in a different way.
This season Shady McCoy is performing to his potential in the hardest situation he could be in. When looking at his numbers remember that he didn't get the job as the "starting" running back until the Michigan St. game. So thats one obstacle for him to overcome winning a starting job from an established starter who was certainly a favorite of the coaching staff.
After getting the starting job through injury Shady went to Michigan St. and recorded 172 yards off of 25 carries. Then the team goes on the game losing streak where two of the games Shady didn't get over 100 yards. The play-calling during those games was very basic while the coaching staff kept the handcuffs tight on Bostick. All of these things have kept Shady from having even more gaudy stats and as a result a diminished presence for him in the national media. Imagine the hype around him by EPSN if we were 7-2 instead of 4-5.
Another thing that Shady has had to deal with is having the hopes of an entire program on his back. The team while getting better has played poorly much of this season but Shady hasn't at all. Expectations from everyone are extremely high and perhaps unfair. Our offensive line has been ravaged by injuries and inexperience to say the least (a distinct lack of talent on one side to say the worst). No vertical passing game, no offensive line, no problem; Shady still goes out and makes big plays.
I don't think Shady at this point is better than Tony Dorsett but I think he is right there with him. Now can Shady come through the next year or two he will be at this university and play at the same level is unknown. If this team improves just a little bit Shady is going to become unstoppable.
A little something to think about before I finish this column. What happens if Kevin Collier stays healthy? That would have been another player on the depth chart in front of Shady in the camp; Shady was definitely listed at 3rd in all the reports I saw. It makes my head explode trying to think of the ways that Wannstedt would have botched this situation, remember it took about 4 weeks for them to figure out how to use LSH and Shady in the same series.
Wow I was trying to write a positive column about Shady and now I'm angry about the hoops he had to jump through this season just to play.
Pitt's McCoy deserves 'Tony' Award
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
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3 comments:
You really hate Stevens-Howlings dont you?
there is nothing wrong with therod. he is a great player, but just not a versatile as shady. doesnt it make sense to play the best players first?
Hey Jackass, think about this.
Shady was 3rd on the depth chart, now he is one of the best in the BE and NCAA.
Bostick was 3rd on the depth chart and is the best freshman qb in the country.
TJ porter was 3rd on the depth chart and should now be the #1 WR.
Ricky Gary should be starting and is 3rd on the depth chart.
Dom Dicicco is on the bench while Thatcher and Phillips play terribly.
I dont think Jason Jones has as big of a problem with LaRod as he does with the coaching staff's poor choices to play the incompetent seniors/juniors over the much better freshmen and sophomores.
BTW its Stephens-Howling you dick. Why do pitt fans have to go around and try to cause problems?
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