This past Wednesday evening found me at the East Lounge at Heinz Field with friends Dan, John, and Paul to attend the National Letter of Intent Signing Day for the 2015 Pitt football recruiting class. I have done this once before, and it is usually something that I don't get too excited about, but I did want to see and hear new coach Pat Narduzzi, and what else is there to do on a cold February mid-week night?
I will say that I was rather impressed with Narduzzi. No snake oil like with Todd Graham, and no instant somnambulism like with Paul Chryst. He's an earnest and articulate guy, and he seems at this point to be a good representative for the University. Let's hope he can coach football. We also had an opportunity to talk one-on-one with new OC John Chaney for a bit prior to the program. Another impressive guy.
As for the meat and potatoes of the night, the new recruits, I can't get too excited. I mean, we are talking about 17 and 18 year old kids here, so who the heck knows. To me, projecting these kids is a bigger crap shoot than the NFL Draft. I look at it like this, there were fifteen recruits announced on Wednesday night. I am guessing that despite the accolades the coaches rained down on these kids, or, excuse me, these young men on Wednesday, I am thinking that at least one-third of them will never play for Pitt, and at best five of them become starters and make a significant contribution to the Pitt football team over the next four years, so why get too excited. I am guessing that Coach Narduzzi would sign up for it right now if he could be assured that there would be five significant, impact players from this group.
But, as I say, it was a fun night out, and it does make you look forward to September 5 when that juggernaut from Youngstown State will be rolling into Heinz Field, and we all remember what happened the last time the Panthers took on YSU.
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