Pitt Panther Prowl

PITT FOOTBALL SPRING CAMP - OFFENSE – RUNNING BACKS

Last article we discussed PITT’s starting QB position prospects, and how they are up in the air due to the need to find improvement for that position for 2008. We are much more secure at our other offensive skill positions, but what remains to be seen is if the PITT offense can get the quarterback to properly utilize the abundance of talent we have at other positions.

If any of today’s fans were lucky enough to have watched PITT football in the early to mid 1970’s, you had a chance to see one of the greatest college running backs of all time in Tony Dorsett. He broke every major college rushing and scoring record, led PITT to a National Championship in 1976 (how could we forget, right?) and won a Heisman Trophy. A common phrase written about him back then was “We are seeing a once in a lifetime running back in Tony Dorsett” And, you know what? We all believed that.

That is, until now. Last season we saw PITT get a surprise commitment from one of the highest rated high school RBs in PA since Dorsett, and then we had the pleasure to watch him play in his first year on the squad. He is, of course, LeSean McCoy (So), and he lived up to every bit of advanced billing he received. With our almost non-existent passing game, McCoy was asked to carry the offensive load and he did, by totaling 1328 yards on 276 carries (4.8 ypc) and 14 TDs - setting Big East rushing yardage and TD records for a true freshman and being named as a freshman All American. If that isn’t impressive enough then consider that he did this with opposing defenses stacking 8 or 9 players up close to the line of scrimmage specifically to stop him - every single game. But, they couldn’t stop him on a consistent basis regardless of the defenses they put up.

McCoy is a triple threat with his outside speed, his running inside the tackles where he is surprising strong and tough for a HB, and in his receiving the football on swing passes out of the backfield. By no means is he the ‘scatback’ type of runner you might expect with someone of his speed (4.45). In essence, he is all Wannstedt could have asked for in a young running back. One of the more telling qualities McCoy has is his ability to make defenders miss in space without slowing down himself. Against WVU McCoy juked a DB so well he literally had the defender diving in the opposite direction while McCoy went on his way for a TD (and it was a TD, the ref who threw the flag was the only person in America who thought differently). So, with all due respect to Dorsett, we have to modify the quote above and say Dorsett was a “once in a generation running back” and must acknowledge now that McCoy might just be on that same level and a true star for this younger generation to call their own.

There is no question that McCoy will be the starting HB. Spelling him will be the experienced LaRod Stevens-Howling (SR), who saw his carries plunge drastically last season due to McCoy’s success. He finished the 2007 season with 320 yards on 78 carries (4.1) and 1 TD, a big drop from almost 900 yards rushing the year before. However, LSH handled it with maturity; he stayed ready and certainly contributed when called on. If tragedy strikes in the form of an injury to the starting HB, LaRod will be able to step up and produce.

Sharing time as a back-up HB will be Kevin Collier (rsSO) - 33 carries for 115 yds and 2 TDs in 2006. PITT fans have had high hopes for Collier, a 4* recruit who sat out last for a redshirt season due to a knee injury. His progress back from that injury will be one thing to look for in Spring Camp. If he returns fit and can go full speed we might see a real battle between him and LSH for that second spot in the two-deep. No one really knows what he can do at the D-1 level as he’s not gotten an opportunity to play much, but if he plays to his potential (which we can say about every kid I suppose) he can be a real asset. At the least we need to get him sufficient carries to prepare him for 2009 should McCoy choose to go into the NFL after the 2008 season.

We see the HB depth chart as this: McCoy, LSH, Collier and possibly Shariff Harris (rsFR), a 3* 2007 recruit who has garnered some national mention of his strong play on the practice squad last season due to his size and speed (6′2″. 205, 4.5). PITT fans haven’t seen anything from Harris except in some practices during Summer Camp last season, but indications are that he could rise in the depth chart and contribute if needed. He could be a surprise in the Spring.

Fullbacks aren’t used to carry the ball much in the current PITT offense as they are usually kept in as blocking backs for both the run and the pass. Regardless, PITT has some talented FBs waiting to show what they can do. The current starter is Conredge Collins (Sr) - 33 carries for 110 yds (3.3 ypc) and 1 TD - and he most likely will remain in that spot going into camp. He’s been highly praised for his blocking and has been projected as one of the higher round FBs in the 2009 NFL draft.

Behind Collins is where we might see a battle in the Spring Camp. Shane Brooks (rsJR), 7 carries for 25 yards (3.6 ypc) with 2 TDs, and Henry Hynoski (rsFR) will be competing to get playing time. Brooks has been waiting for his time to come, but we think it’s possible that “Hyno” Hynoski might just pass him by on the depth chart. We also have no real reason for believing this except for we love the type of player Hynoski is; a 4* recruit who is the son of an ex-NFL player. At 6′2″ and 235 he has the size, and is hard nosed but with some speed to him (4.65). In addition, and - to borrow a local sportswriter’s phrase, “he runs like he’s mad at the ground“. We have no idea what that actually means, but it sounds like PITT could use some of it. On the other hand, he’s also been described as a “Message Board Hall of Famer” which is also witty. We’ll see in the Spring which way the coaching staff feels. We see the FB depth chart as Collins, Hynoski and Brooks at this point. We are reaching putting Hyno at second spot and could be off base with that projection, but we hope not.

All told, the impact of our rushing game this year will depend strongly on the quality of our passing game. Should we create an ability to complete passes in a way that will keep the defense honest in its sets, without allowing the LBs and DBs to cheat up to the line of scrimmage, then we might see our running game blossom with a higher yards per carry average. That is important as we need to be able to produce first downs, and get McCoy into open space more often. So, going into Camp we fans will be looking first at Collier’s injury and whether Harris has been moved into the mix; how much work Brooks and Hynoski each get; and whether Cavanaugh fully integrates the spread “Wildcat” formation with the strong running QB Greg Cross into the offense. If we see the Wildcat being practiced as an equal part rather than the desperate measure it was last season, then we might see a shuffling around in the offensive backfield of these RBs.