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Head coach Dave Wannstedt Pitt Sports Info. Dept.
Pitt got off to a slow start in this year's football recruiting for the 2010 season with only 2 athletes giving verbal commitments. They also received disappointing news from some players who they thought were heading their way, but chose to verbally commit elsewhere.
Derrick Burns, a 5-10, 195 lb. running back from New Wilmington, Pa. was the first to choose Pitt this recruiting season when he verbally committed in Mid-February. He was joined in late April by 6-2, 260 lb defensive tackle Aaron Donald from Penn Hills in Pittsburgh, but things stayed quiet after that for almost six weeks.
Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt stated then that the Panthers would wake up in recruiting.
"We're banging heads with the top programs for kids," Wannstedt said. "There will be some wins and losses."
Over the last three weeks however, the Panthers have rebounded and have caught fire with a flurry of activity. They received 11 additional verbal commitments from some quality athletes including one of the latest commitments, and probably the most-acclaimed to date, 6-6, 310 lb. offensive lineman Matt Rotheram from North Olmstead, Ohio.
Another highly-touted recruit who has given Pitt the nod is T.J. Clemmings, a 6-6, 265 lb. defensive end from Paterson, N.J.
Other local players who have verballed to Pitt include wide receivers Andrew Carswell, 6-4, 210 lbs. from McKees Rocks and Kevin Weatherspoon, 5-11, 195 lbs. from Clairton, and Khaynin Mosley-Smith, a 6-1, 275 lb. defensive tackle from Woodland Hills.
Jeff Knox, a 6-2, 205 lb. athlete from Hyatsville, Md. also committed. Knox is originally from Pittsburgh though, and wanted to return to his roots to play college football. Salath Williams, a 6-4, 180 lb. wide receiver from Harrisburg will join a growing group of wide receivers next year at Pitt.
Other verbal commitments include T.J. Peeler, a 6-1, 200 lb. running back from Ashburn, Va. who will help provide much-needed depth in the backfield after LeSean McCoy left Pitt early to enter the NFL.Bryan Murphy, a 6-2, 230 lb. defensive end and Brandon Sacco, a 6-3, 245 lb. athlete, both from Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey , N.J., and 5-9, 178 lb. cornerback K'Waun Williams from Montvale, N.J. will add to the success Pitt has enjoyed in recent years from the state of New Jersey.
Wannstedt expects more recruits to follow, but realizes no program gets every athlete it offers.
"We're going to get our share of guys," Wannstedt said. "They are going to be excited about winning and being a part of Pitt football."
Comments
Pitt recruiting is a sham of what it used to be. How can people including the coach celebrate recruiting and getting major program backwash. Pitt used to be a super power program. Now they are just a washed up shell of their oldselves. 90 percent of the bluechips havent even commited yet which is why Pitts recruiting looks so above average (thats the best i can say about it). They aren't banging heads with anybody except their disappointed fans
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