Well here is an extremely brief teaser of what is to come later this week. Dave and I recorded a podcast last week as a dry run for what we hope to be a new weekly thing here. This is only the intro and we are going to have our first one up later in the week. Stay tuned to the blog and look for the podcast to come sometime around Thursday.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Partridge Makes 2 of 2
After Dunn was let go, I wrote that there would be one more coming. I didn't get any information about Aubrey Hill, but I was told that Partridge would be fired after LOI day (to save recruits) and also so that he would have time to find a job and didn't have to be fired.
Luckily for him, Dave Wannstedt is a nice enough guy and instead of looking for a job without having one, he was able to get a job at Wisconsin and doesn't have to add "fired from Pitt" to his resume. Instead, he can write "left for Wisconsin". If you ask me, that sounds like a good deal to me.
Both parties involved can separate on good terms. But, better for us, we can improve upon one of our greatest weaknesses. Last year, Linebacker, Offensive Line, and Special teams were all huge weaknesses for us. This season we have 3 new or different coaches to help fix those areas.
Jones and I did something special today for the website (not dinocat tattoos) and we hope to share it with you as soon as possible.
Luckily for him, Dave Wannstedt is a nice enough guy and instead of looking for a job without having one, he was able to get a job at Wisconsin and doesn't have to add "fired from Pitt" to his resume. Instead, he can write "left for Wisconsin". If you ask me, that sounds like a good deal to me.
Both parties involved can separate on good terms. But, better for us, we can improve upon one of our greatest weaknesses. Last year, Linebacker, Offensive Line, and Special teams were all huge weaknesses for us. This season we have 3 new or different coaches to help fix those areas.
Jones and I did something special today for the website (not dinocat tattoos) and we hope to share it with you as soon as possible.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
LOI Day Special or as I Like to Call it Jones Needs a Life
Basically I'm going to try and grab as much info as I can from all the various sources and pool it here so that you The Cat Basket reader can have a semblance of a day.
8:53 A.M: Well this isn't going exactly to be as fun as I imagined but as of now we 10 LOI's signed, sealed and delivered:
Chris Burns, Shayne Hale, Cam Saddler, Ronald Hobby, Jarred Holley, Antwaun Reed, Mike Shanahan, Tino Sunseri, Ryan Turnley, and Justin Virbitsky.
9:10 A.M: In case you haven't heard no decision from Pryor today because he is too big for signing day perhaps and who doesn't love keeping the world in suspense. In other news, Deion Walker a Penn State recruit jumped from the JoePa train and is now going to Notre Dame instead and Josh Jenkins is going to WVU.
Manny Williams is now a Panther.
9:29 AM: No movement at all the big LOI's that are still on the board right now are Jonathan Baldwin and Lucas Nix. This isn't a big deal at all because since guys this level usually take a while to get in their commitment.
9:50 AM: Nothing is happening we have hit the lull in the day already it seems. Mike Golic Jr. the three star recruit who got to play in the Army All American game is going to commit live on the Mike and Mike Radio Show. L-E-G-A-C-Y thats the way they spell national recruiting hype.
9:56 AM: Robert Sands has committed to WVU. We were in the picture with him. Not too much of a loss.
10:17 AM: Kevin Harper the 3 star kicker just committed. He has a huge leg and I can't wait to see what he can do on kickoffs.
10:47 AM: No movement on anymore of the LOI's. We haven't recieved Jonathan Baldwin, Lucas Nix, Mike Cruz, Joe Trebitz, and Andrew Taglianetti. I'm taking a guess but I don't think we get Baldwin or Nix until around noon but I'm just speculating.
11:06 AM: Jonathan Baldwin is in. To me he is the jewel of the recruiting class and I think he will be able to make an impact from day 1 here. Already has the size and speed of a first round pick in the NFL. Lucas Nix is in as well and if Baldwin is the catch of the class Nix is only a step behind him. He has more talent than any lineman we have had come to Pitt in a long time.
11:11 AM: Mike Cruz and Andrew Taglianetti have committed and we are left at one Joe Trebitz.
11:30 AM: No commitment yet from Trebitz but I'm going to leave the blog be for the moment. This recruiting class is pretty staggering looking overall and I can't believe the work that Coach Wannstedt and his staff have done in Western PA. We have got the results off the field in a big way now its coming time for the results to come where it matters on the field.
Thanks everybody for reading.
8:53 A.M: Well this isn't going exactly to be as fun as I imagined but as of now we 10 LOI's signed, sealed and delivered:
Chris Burns, Shayne Hale, Cam Saddler, Ronald Hobby, Jarred Holley, Antwaun Reed, Mike Shanahan, Tino Sunseri, Ryan Turnley, and Justin Virbitsky.
9:10 A.M: In case you haven't heard no decision from Pryor today because he is too big for signing day perhaps and who doesn't love keeping the world in suspense. In other news, Deion Walker a Penn State recruit jumped from the JoePa train and is now going to Notre Dame instead and Josh Jenkins is going to WVU.
Manny Williams is now a Panther.
9:29 AM: No movement at all the big LOI's that are still on the board right now are Jonathan Baldwin and Lucas Nix. This isn't a big deal at all because since guys this level usually take a while to get in their commitment.
9:50 AM: Nothing is happening we have hit the lull in the day already it seems. Mike Golic Jr. the three star recruit who got to play in the Army All American game is going to commit live on the Mike and Mike Radio Show. L-E-G-A-C-Y thats the way they spell national recruiting hype.
9:56 AM: Robert Sands has committed to WVU. We were in the picture with him. Not too much of a loss.
10:17 AM: Kevin Harper the 3 star kicker just committed. He has a huge leg and I can't wait to see what he can do on kickoffs.
10:47 AM: No movement on anymore of the LOI's. We haven't recieved Jonathan Baldwin, Lucas Nix, Mike Cruz, Joe Trebitz, and Andrew Taglianetti. I'm taking a guess but I don't think we get Baldwin or Nix until around noon but I'm just speculating.
11:06 AM: Jonathan Baldwin is in. To me he is the jewel of the recruiting class and I think he will be able to make an impact from day 1 here. Already has the size and speed of a first round pick in the NFL. Lucas Nix is in as well and if Baldwin is the catch of the class Nix is only a step behind him. He has more talent than any lineman we have had come to Pitt in a long time.
11:11 AM: Mike Cruz and Andrew Taglianetti have committed and we are left at one Joe Trebitz.
11:30 AM: No commitment yet from Trebitz but I'm going to leave the blog be for the moment. This recruiting class is pretty staggering looking overall and I can't believe the work that Coach Wannstedt and his staff have done in Western PA. We have got the results off the field in a big way now its coming time for the results to come where it matters on the field.
Thanks everybody for reading.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
New WR Coach/Zack Stoudt Going To Louisville
Thought I would just combine the two because we didn't touch on Bryan Bossard becoming the new WR coach replacing Aubrey Hill. He came out of nowhere in this process a little bit and has not been officially announced but its been reported a couple reliable places. Bossard was fired from the same job at Maryland at the end of season. I'm not sure what to think about the hire as Maryland's Head Coach Ralph Friedgen blamed Bossard for bad performances of the wide receiving corps, especially the drops in their Emerald Bowl game. Who knows what he can do with our level of talent at wide receiver, he is going to get a chance to work with legitimate NFL level talent?
The other news story is Zack Stoudt decided to go to Louisville and I don't think anybody can't fault him one bit. He started going around to look at other places after giving us the verbal in December and I believe he saw some of the writing on the wall. I, like many others, thought Stoudt looked like a kid with some big time potential due to his physical size and some of the arm strength he displayed on video. This isn't a catastrophic loss for the program seeing as we still have Greg Cross and Tino Sunseri in the class. Stoudt had about zero chance of seeing the field here until at least his junior season after a redshirt because there are just too many bodies in front of him.
Look for a surprise from DPJ and myself later in the week. Tomorrow I will get a running collection of the LOI's and when they are signed, I'll do all the boring loser work searching so you can get it in one place.
The other news story is Zack Stoudt decided to go to Louisville and I don't think anybody can't fault him one bit. He started going around to look at other places after giving us the verbal in December and I believe he saw some of the writing on the wall. I, like many others, thought Stoudt looked like a kid with some big time potential due to his physical size and some of the arm strength he displayed on video. This isn't a catastrophic loss for the program seeing as we still have Greg Cross and Tino Sunseri in the class. Stoudt had about zero chance of seeing the field here until at least his junior season after a redshirt because there are just too many bodies in front of him.
Look for a surprise from DPJ and myself later in the week. Tomorrow I will get a running collection of the LOI's and when they are signed, I'll do all the boring loser work searching so you can get it in one place.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Phil Bennett New Defensive Coordinator
Well it looks like we have a new Defensive Coordinator and he is the former coach of SMU. By all accounts Bennett is a great coordinator with connections into the recruiting holy land of Texas. I'm interested to see where this leaves Greg Gattuso, I'm thinking perhaps a move up to Assistant Head Coach. Two days from signing day I wonder what else Wanny has up his sleeve......
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