Sports Pitt Redshirt Diaries Things Come Together-Day 9 of Camp
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Happy hump day everyone. As stated yesterday, I’m back by popular demand because Paul has today off, and I’m going to start by expanding on what he said yesterday about the players only having today Thursday and Friday before Saturday’s scrimmage.
In the 11-on-11 action today, the sense of urgency to impress coaches was at a higher level this morning. The idea of “pop and wrap” was completely out the window, as there we multiple, but not by any means brutal, takedowns on a few plays. Sure, people have been going to the ground all practice, but these were more complete tackles. Guys were hitting and driving. The pad popping was also more intense than what I’ve seen in the past week.
Paul did quite the thorough overview of the positions and while many positions seemed to have established starters, there are still a couple of good battles that I monitored during play.
Todd Thomas was out with the first unit for the entirety of the 11-on-11 session this morning, which confirms that he is most likely winning the competition against Greg Williams for the spur linebacker position.
The corners today were Buddy Jackson (below) and Antwuan Reed, but that decision is mostly because K’Waun Williams was out of practice this morning but will be back out tonight according to Graham. Regardless of who starts at corner, it appears that their experience coupled with Graham’s intent to force turnovers could mean good things for the Pitt defense this year.
At the Mike and Sam positions, I’d further Paul’s observation that Max Gruder is entrenched as a starter on the inside. He was out there with the first team again alongside Shane Gordon.
While the defense displayed a sense that they are settling into their depth chart by putting all their top guys out on the field, the offense showed it by sitting their top players. Cam Saddler (who was sporting a green No. 2 today), Ray Graham and Zach Brown all sat out the morning scrimmage, so freshman Corey Davis saw first-team reps out of the backfield. Salath Williams and Joshua Brinson we at the wide out positions vacated by Devin Street and Saddler.
Speaking of green jerseys, I figured that to couple Paul reporting walk-on Trey Anderson (below) getting bumped up to the backup role I should let you all know what he looks like. I agree that he’s probably a shade under six feet tall (although I cut his legs off to get a closer shot), but he can chuck a pigskin pretty well regardless. He looked pretty good with the second team today and showed some pretty good patience on one play. The pocket collapsed to a certain extent, yet Anderson kept his eyes downfield and connected with a deep crossing route.
As for the fifth person wearing green today, it seems like the Anthony Gonzalez (below) project is in full swing. He was taking reps with the tight ends/h-backs, although he also threw to some receivers immediately after stretching. To me, the their intentions for his future can be seen when they have him driving the blocking sled with the other ends. It’s not every day you get to see a green jersey doing that.
Following practice, Graham announced that defensive back and Montour High School graduate E.J. Banks has been cleared to play this season. Banks redshirted at Notre Dame in the 09-10 season, and although he would normally have to sit out this season because he transferred, that restriction was waived.
Judging by yesterday’s comment string and a less-than-friendly email sent to me over the weekend, I’d like to notify those that don’t want to read anything fun that they can safely browse away without risk of being uninformed, as that’s all the “important” stuff from the morning.
If you’re still here, then thanks for sticking around.
I’d like to start by saying that one thing I always get to see in the first hour of practice is a special teams drill that looks absolutely ridiculous but is also understandably necessary. They really do put the “special” in special teams, as they are so specific that you almost wonder why they really need to practice them.
Yesterday wide receivers coach Mike Norvell had them doing the old “practice messing up the receiver while he’s trying to do a fair catch” drill. While the receivers were working on the highly important job of securing the catch, the gunners were practicing getting close to him and yelling as loudly as possible. I guess that’s necessary, but it is hard to not chuckle at in person.
Today’s drill was focused on blocking punts, and it involved players running at their coach, who would then punt a deflated ball. About halfway through the drill, Graham called for a few soccer balls, which just made it look even more out of place. As silly as it looked, though, I can see the importance of practicing it. Blocked punts happen a decent amount in college football and can really turn the tide. And with the difference between a block and a miss plus a penalty sometimes being just a few inches, teaching proper technique (hands low, right on the ball as opposed to high and over your head) for a few minutes certainly won’t hurt the Panthers.
I’ve discovered that the good stuff always comes during special teams practice. Today the punters, including red shirt sophomore Matt Yoklic, were sporting cutoff football pants with thigh pads in them that were cut well above the knee. After watching Yoklic launch a few very impressive punts, he gave him a high five and then asked if he could “get these a little shorter,” pointing to the shorts.
As intense and focused as practice has been this past week, there have been many moments like this that show Graham also wants his players to have a little fun. Things like this aren’t new to football practices (it’s a game after all), but that doesn’t mean seeing them doesn’t provide some kind of enjoyment.
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written by pmdhailtopitt, August 17, 2011 - 03:51 PM
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written by Imma Man! Im 40!, August 17, 2011 - 04:18 PM
Focus on special teams? Wow, what a novel and refreshing concept!
Wannstedt's biggest mistake, by far, was being his own special teams coach, thus relegating them to an afterthought or hobby, probably at best his 3rd-highest priority.
With only slightly better special teams play, Pitt would have beaten either WVU or Cincy (or both) in 2009 and UConn last year, and played in two consecutive BCS bowl games. And the Wanny regime would still be alive and well in Oakland.
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written by have a dave hart, August 17, 2011 - 04:45 PM
Luv this new coaching saff ( I'm very optimistic :-)
& LUV your pictures !
dave in SD
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written by Esteban, August 17, 2011 - 05:44 PM
Love the pics, Charlie.
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written by PantherMan, August 17, 2011 - 09:13 PM
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written by csf, August 17, 2011 - 09:56 PM
This was indicative of how he lacked that extra something that separated him from meeting expectations. In production terms, he lacked QC and QA.
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written by Richmond Steve, August 18, 2011 - 09:38 AM
1. The staff seems way more optimistic and willing to praise the players than their predecessors were.
2. I sense that the coaches expect the players to make mistakes, but then move on to the next series or snap. No looking back in these schemes.
3. The systems seem to allow coaches to better match players with specific skills for specific positions.
4. The players seem to have really bought into the new systems on both sides of the ball.
These points are likely related to one another, with the fourth one being a logical consequence of the first three.
So what does it mean? Are the coaches blowing smoke that will lead us to a big letdown once the season begins? Will this team start playing to win instead of playing not to lose?
I can't wait to find out.
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written by pantherstuckinwv, August 18, 2011 - 09:40 AM
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written by PittofDreams, August 18, 2011 - 12:35 PM
Here's my observation about Coach Graham with his first game yet to be played.
He's a salesman at his core. Always putting a positive spin on everything almost to the point of hyperbole.
You're never going to get much of what's really going on out of him. He obviously likes to play things close to the vest.
Different than Wannstedt, who, while not necessarily telling all about everythhing... was easy to read.
You just knew what his feelings were about things when he was asked a question even if his words didn't exactly spell it out.
Graham is a much tougher read. Guarded might be a good description.
Not a bad thing. Just different.
However, the truth will show on Saturdays.
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written by TigerPaul, August 18, 2011 - 12:36 PM
You have hit it right on the head. It was suggested to Coach Wannstedt numerous times to hire a special teams coach. He should never have tried to coach that unit, which is 1/3 of the game. You are also right, in your statement about 2009 and 2010. He did not hire a special team coach because he would have had to reduce the rest of his staff's compensation to do so. He should have delegated that duty among the several staff members. The athletic department in the Wannstedt years, claimed it didn't have any additional funds available for more staff. Coach Wannstedt personally took a 150,000 a year cut to bump up the staff's compensation. So he made a judgement call and tried to take on too much. We now know the money thing was not true, as Graham and his staff are making twice what Coach Wannstedt and his staff were paid. The Athletic Dept must have suddenly hit the lottery, because in the year of the University's biggest financial trouble they suddenly had the money to pay Graham plus the 4,000,000 they still owe Dave.
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written by Panther Pride, August 18, 2011 - 12:39 PM
I'm disappointed that Paul didn't take days off prior to the beginning of Pitt's camp...or throughout the summer prior. Also, that the Pirate's seem to be taking priority as their season winds down to no postseason. I'm a Pirate fan, but the reality is we have found out they aren't going to the playoffs this year. They should drop in focus at this point, and Pitt should take higher priority.
I do like Charlie's pictures though, they are well done. He writes well too, but he just can't fill the void of Paul's expertise and experience. Most readers such as myself know so much more currently and historically that it diminishes the value to navigate to the blog - no offense to Charlie.
Also, I agree, I’m not a big fan of the ‘fun’ aspects of camp..
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written by DBaldone, August 18, 2011 - 01:37 PM
And as far as expertise and experience go - we don't need history in camp reports, we need to know where we go moving forward. I'm enjoying the look forward - a new staff, a new era, a new focus... H2P!
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written by originalether, August 18, 2011 - 05:15 PM
As far as I know, Pitt has always had the limit, so Wanny couldn't have hired another coach (without getting rid of one) no matter what the budget was.
If he was in over his head as head coach and special teams coach, he should have shifted responsibilities.
As it is, the fact that Wanny was the special teams coach isn't the why he's no longer here.
BTW, if memory serves me correctly, Wanny's assistants were paid better than Walt's, so this issue (coaching salaries) isn't anything new.
As for Graham, the Haywood incident - for better or for worse - I think has a lot to do with "Pitt hitting the lottery" It became a coaches market at that point.
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written by jacobmarley, August 19, 2011 - 09:05 AM
Uh, Duh, Yes the NCAA designates the maximum number of coaches a team can employ at one time. Duh, how many would that be? Uh, maybe 2 less than Pitt had. Doesn't the NCAA also stipulate how many rules violations any one NCAA team can have in a year and claims it monitors that closely? Duh, that is unless you are Ohio State, USC Oregon, or Alabama and on and on. Why Coach Wannstedt is no longer at Pitt is not the point. One thing for sure is;it is not because you know more about football than he does. He is coaching an NFL defense and you are writing blabber on a blog. Your memory is like duh, okay. Pitt's assistants under Wanny vs,Walt were paid more as a result of Wanny's desire not to gouge his alma mater and take less , so they could make more. What does that have to do with the sudden enormous wealth Pitt has found under it's new AD (Pederson the terrible)? They are rolling in money. Why else would Graham be on TV, more than Obama? Duh, uh
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written by Pedersonhostage, August 19, 2011 - 09:21 AM
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written by TigerPaul, August 19, 2011 - 09:27 AM
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written by jacobmarley, August 19, 2011 - 09:32 AM
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written by originalether, August 19, 2011 - 10:16 AM
Since reading comprehension is lacking right now, I'll guess I'll have to spell it out...
Imma man and csf both criticized the performance ot special teams under Wanny and how that led to the end of his coaching stay. To be fair, I should have been more clear in defending Wanny as the special teams coach. As a whole, they were average. They did some things well (block kicks), some things not so well (return punts), and was pretty much average everywhere else.
BTW, everybody but apparently one person in Heinz Field knew NOT to kick it to Mardy Gilyard. I guess if that's cheating, then....wow.
Tiger shows up and implies that the special teams "isues" could have been solved if the athletic department would have allowed Wanny to hire another coach. Of course, this is impossible as the NCAA only allows 9 assistant head coaches (plus strength/conditioning and some grad assistants)
http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/coaches-bios.html
http://pittpanthersgameday.com/coaching-staff
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_Bobcats_football#Present_coaching_staff
Contrary what you what to believe, I'm not interested in bashing Wanny (kudos to him, BTW, for getting an NFL job. He's far better suited there than college), but those who feel the need for blast the Pitt administration for Wanny's failing - in some cases, to the point where I know they want Graham to fail to they can say "I told you so" - are quite frankly, delusional.
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written by Pedersonhostage, August 19, 2011 - 10:35 AM
Hi Steve, Welcome back, Thanks for your input. Oops aren't you the one who fired the present Ohio Bobcat coach? Didn't that get you fired at your last job?
Is that the reason you fly to Wichita instead of Omaha?
Steve, you know when you get like this you wet the bed at night so let's get to the point. It is 11 coaches Steve, That's 10 assistants and a head coach. This may come as a shock to you, but a strength coach is part of your staff. Now, cheerleaders such as yourself wouldn't or shouldn't be expected to bothered with such trivial matters. Steve, we know you were away ruining Nebraska's football program, while Terrell Pryor was negotiating his contract with Ohio State, but you should be aware that Bill Stewart, Dave Wannstedt and Joe Paterno all told him "NO SIDE DEALS". Steve, you are such a big time deal maker, if you would have been here then, we could be 0-11 like Ohio State was last year. Do you know how to spell leather?
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written by Imma Man! Im 40!, August 19, 2011 - 10:44 AM
You two guys are amazing, even I can figure this out: it's ETHER (like the gas...), not a misspelling of leather. Why? Well, now that's question for him. Otherwise his screen name would be a misspelling of Original (due to the missing "el") and a misspelling of leather.
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written by jacobmarley, August 19, 2011 - 10:46 AM
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written by originalether, August 19, 2011 - 10:58 AM
Now, to be fair, in the link I provided there was no listing of an assistant to strength and conditioning coach Buddy Morris. I want to say there was one, but for now, my link says otherwise. Now, if you think that's the reason for everything that went wrong for Pitt football the past 6 seasons, then....wow
Yes, it is ether (like the gas). Got the nickname while at Pitt.
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written by TigerPaul, August 19, 2011 - 11:24 AM
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written by originalether, August 19, 2011 - 11:32 AM
Wait a minute, I thought Sean Lee,s brother or some other kid kicked the ball to Gilyard! That's just like that Wanny to run out there and kickoff without any equipment on?
Uh, you tell/coach the kid (Connor Lee) not to kick it him. Or squibb the kick. Anything to avoid the one thing that would have put Cincy back in the game: a kickoff return for a TD.
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written by Imma Man! Im 40!, August 19, 2011 - 12:45 PM
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written by mark, August 19, 2011 - 02:13 PM
Just wondering...if a kick should happen to be returned for a TD against Pitt this season should we continue to blame Wannstedt or can the players finally be held responsible for failing to make a play?
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written by originalether, August 19, 2011 - 02:52 PM
I'm paraphrasing, Bear Bryant said this about leadership : "A good leader gives credit to the players when things go well, and a good leader takes the blame when things go wrong".
It's one thing when a kick gets returned for a TD. It's another thing when it's returned by Cincy's version of the Rocket, the one player everybody knew could get Cincy back into the game. (in other words, there's a lot less blame the coach if the other kick returner returns it)
And, fair or not, the fact that it completely changed the momentum of that game is why is still gets brought up.
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written by Pedersonhostage, August 19, 2011 - 03:05 PM
As you can see from originalether posts he has never coached or taught a student. Anyone that has, knows sometimes players
DON"T LISTEN TO INSTRUCTIONS!!!!!!!!!! That's why they are called student athletes. For example, to some on this bog, it was Wannstedts fault that Sadler dropped a kickoff inside his own 5 twice in 2 weeks. Fortunately the ball rolled out of bounds. Thank god Coach Graham is here because he will straighten Sadler out. You won't see any player on his team ever make a mental error. If you do you know who will be at fault, you bet it will be Wanny!!
Regrettably, he was at that time their best return man
Regrettably my friend, you will be stuck with the
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written by originalether, August 19, 2011 - 03:30 PM
Who recruited Sadler?
Who coached and developed Sadler?
Who kept Sadler in despite him not listening?
Who was unable to recruit/develop a better return man that Sadler?
That's why the responsibility, ultimiately, falls on the head coach.
And you're actually right on the student athlete part. Unfortunately, one of Wanny's biggest undoings is that he coached the same way as he did in the NFL. That usually doesn't work with 18-23 year old student athletes.
Most college coaches do lousy in the NFL. Many NFL coaches aren't fit for the college game.
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written by TigerPaul, August 20, 2011 - 11:18 AM
New code at Pitt.
G= If it's good it's Graham
W= If it's bad, its Wanny
S= If it's senseless it's Steve
S + G = 11-2
S + W = 9-3
9-3 BAD
11-2 The least we can expect.
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written by Grahamfan, August 20, 2011 - 11:25 AM
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