Pitt mailbag: Are recent misses on 4-star prospects cause for concern?

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
JUL 18, 2023 11:14 AM
Welcome to the Pitt mailbag, where the Post-Gazette reporters Noah Hiles and Chris Carter answer all of your questions about the Panthers. If you have a question, tweet them at @_Noahhiles and @Cartercritiques or email them at nhiles@post-gazette.com and ccarter@post-gazette.com. Noah and Chris will answer your questions in full length each Tuesday on YouTube. You can read the condensed version of the discussion below.
Graham: Should Pitt fans worry about the program missing out on so many four-star recruits?
Hiles: I’m not sure if “worry” is the correct word. While it might be disappointing for Pitt fans to see the team get so close to landing so many four-star talents, it’s not like the class they have is now subpar. The current 2024 class is on par with most recruiting classes in the Narduzzi era. A few more four-star recruits could make it the best he’s had in his time at Pitt. If that happens, yes, that’s great news for Pitt. If not, sure, it’s frustrating, but it’s not a step back. Pitt can win with three-star players.
New Pitt softball coach Jenny Allard poses on the Panthers' field at Petersen Sports Complex in the upper part of Oakland, Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
Christopher Carter
Carter: I wouldn’t worry, but I think it’s fair to be a bit disappointed. It looked like this summer was going to be the one where Pitt took the next step in recruiting. That can still happen, but they certainly lost some momentum from what we saw in early June. But like Noah said, this is a program that’s won with three-star players. Narduzzi and his staff know how to develop these guys. Would it be better for the program if they could land more four-stars? Absolutely. But just because that’s not happening isn’t really a reason to panic. It just shows that Pitt football has more work to do before it can routinely land some of the top players that it targets each year.
Dalton: Could you see Pitt landing any Northwestern players that hit the transfer portal due to the head coaching change?
Hiles: I don’t think so. With camp only being a few weeks away, the Pitt coaching staff would have to have a previously established relationship with a player for them to even consider coming to Pittsburgh. You can’t just make a first introduction in mid-July and expect a kid to move to a new city to play for a new team. What I do think can happen is Pitt potentially landing a few former verbal commits to Northwestern, now that they’re back on the market. That would make more sense, simply because there is more time to establish a relationship.
Carter: With camp this close, I’m not sure if Pitt is really eager to add another player to the roster. At this point in the year, you’re pretty set with what you have. Of course, if a quality player from Northwestern expressed interest in Pitt, I’m sure the coaching staff would welcome them onto the team. But to my knowledge, the program only has one open scholarship spot. There isn’t much room for addition.
Addy: Which player on each side of the football has the most to prove this training camp?
Hiles: I am going to keep things simple. On offense, it’s Phil Jurkovec. Anyone who has followed Pitt football in the past 30 — or more — years knows that the team’s success largely comes down to quarterback play. This is Pitt’s third starting quarterback in three years and the second straight starter to come from the transfer portal. He’s obviously a different case than Slovis due to his familiarity with Frank Cignetti’s offense, but that doesn’t mean he’s a guarantee to succeed. The Panthers have to be better in the passing game this fall — plain and simple. On defense, I’ll go with Bangally Kamara. He was supposed to have a breakout season last year. We hear all the time about how athletic he is and what he can do at practice or in spring ball. He’s said numerous times it’s time for him to take the next step. That starts with a strong camp. The defense has plenty of solid players, but it needs a star. Kamara can be that guy. It starts with a great training camp.
Carter: On offense, I will go with Konata Mumpfield. When he came here from Akron last offseason, there were high expectations. People thought he could be Pitt’s next great receiver. He showed flashes of promise last year, but overall, he didn’t provide much of a boost to the passing attack. I think he can be a really good player, but this is the year he has to do it. They made an upgrade at quarterback. There is no clear No. 1 pass catcher on the team. This is the year he needs to step up and become the top guy. On defense, I’ll go with Dayon Hayes. He was a big-time recruit, and the fact that he’s a local guy only brings more eyes on him. He waited his turn and now, with the entire defensive line gone, Pitt needs a new superstar pass rusher.
Former Allderdice goalie Jesse Goleman will now be working with the Pitt women's soccer program as an assistant coach.
Liz: Which Pitt fall sport will have the most success in 2023? Women’s volleyball, men’s soccer or the field?
Hiles: Women’s volleyball is the pick. Men’s soccer is a great program and football is certainly on the rise, but I’m not brave enough to bet against Dan Fisher. That team returns a ton of talent and made some strong additions in the transfer portal. They once again have a loaded schedule, so they’ll be ready once the tournament arrives. I’m not sure when, but I believe women’s volleyball will be the next Pitt team to win a national championship. It could be this fall, next fall, or another five or 10 years, but they’re the best program on campus. Men’s soccer is a close second.
Carter: I agree. Women’s volleyball is hard to go against right now. They lost a couple of key players, but if you look at the people they have coming back, players like Valeria Vazquez Gomez, Rachel Fairbanks and Chiamak Nwokolo, they’re going to be stacked. They came so close to reaching the national championship game last year. I think they have a great shot at making it just as far this fall, if not further.
Drew: Will it be a problem if Pitt doesn’t get a verbal commitment from a quarterback before camp starts?
Hiles: I don’t know if it’s a problem, but I think it would certainly make the staff feel better if Trever Jackson or Julian Dugger verbally committed in the next few weeks. It’s always nice to cross something off your task list before entering a busy month. Sure, there is still plenty of time to get a quarterback in the 2024 class, but making that happen before the season starts would be ideal. Having one less thing to worry about heading into camp can’t be a bad thing.
Carter: It’s not a problem, but it would give the coaches a bit of relief. They need a quarterback in this class. Landing one before the season starts makes things easier for everyone, including the other verbal commits in the Class of 2024. Especially after missing out on the four-star guys they have in the recent weeks, landing a player that will add future depth to a key position would give the recruitment campaign a major boost.