PITTSBURGH’S PREMIER SPORTS PUBLICATION
Pittsburgh Sports Report
®
AUGUST 2014
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Pittsburgh Sports Report Mike Johnston and the Pens Pitt’s Paul Chr yst
COMING BACK FROM
TOMMY JOHN
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EDITOR’S DESK
Night and Day TONY DEFAZIO PSR EDITOR
Paul Chryst sat at a table in Greensboro, NC, answering questions from the media. The third-year Pitt head coach was certainly anxious to wrap up the interview session and catch his plane back to Pittsburgh, but he was also at ease. Chryst answered the questions thoughtfully, cracking self-deprecating jokes and even peppering his comments with some colorful language. You don't need to spend much time around Chryst to realize he is the complete antithesis of his predecessor. Todd Graham isn't uncomfortable public settings, but he sure isn’t relaxed. He's Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross: always selling, always branding, always pushing his agenda, always trying so gosh-darn hard to convince everyone of something. That's not Chryst. Paul Chryst will coach his foot-
Contents
ball team. They'll either win or lose. And that's the only statement Chryst cares to make. "Night and day," Pitt defensive back Ray Vinopal said when asked to descibe the differences between the Pitt program under Graham and Chryst. Graham has a written definition of his program ready to unleash the moment he gets the chance—”high-octane, up-tempo, left-lane, hammer-down”—and he uses it non-stop. "We’re going to operate extremely fast: fast tempo, high-octane, explosive. We’ll be the most explosive team in the country," Graham says every time a new program introduces him as head coach. "I've never been one to be the guy who announces who we are or what we are," Chryst said in Greensboro last month. "That's for others." Graham was quick to place blame on his players when things went wrong, or when players didn't fit his system. "This is what we've got to work with," he said of his quarterback midway through his only season at Pitt.
Chryst points the finger at himself. "As (a player’s) role changes, can he handle this new role and are you coaching him the right way to handle it?" Chryst asked. "Maybe there's something you can do differently to help him." The Panthers were Graham's program during his brief tenure in Oakland, just as Arizona State is his program now that he is in Tempe. "My kids are going to be the hardestworking, best-prepared, most-disciplined team in the country," Graham said when he was hired at ASU. "I'm going to do it my way, period," he said a year earlier when hired at Pitt. Chryst doesn't see it that way. "I tell people all the time, it's not my program. I get to be the caretaker," he said. What ultimately matters most is wins, and after two years Chryst has 13 of them. He also has 13 losses. Graham was 6-6 in his 12 games at Pitt. That's the only similarity. Graham and Chryst are night and day.
August 2014 Vol. 19, No.7
DEPARTMENTS
PSR FOCUS 6 NORTH SHORE NOTES
Coming Back From Tommy John Minor League Call-Ups
10 PURE STEEL
Steelers Personnel Losses AFC North Update Backed Into A Corner
13 ON CAMPUS
College Football Top 10 Pitt Football Preview Penn State Football Preview National Storylines
18 BLUE LINE
2014 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
New Pens coach Mike Johnston Penguins Goalie Depth
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UP CLOSE WITH PSR
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EDITOR’S DESK
Pitt head coach Paul Chryst Not Todd Graham
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Pittsburgh Sports Report is published 12 times annually by Pittsburgh Sports Report, Inc. a Pennsylvania business corporation, Norwin Professional Building, 40 Lincoln Way, Suite 301, Irwin PA 15642-1887. Distribution at selected outlets. This and every issue of Pittsburgh Sports Report, and all contents therein, are subject to copyright protection held by Pittsburgh Sports Report, Inc. (“Corp. 2014 Pittsburgh Sports Report, Inc.”).
PITTSBURGH SPORTS REPORT • AUGUST 2014 3
PSR INTERVIEW
UP CLOSE PAUL CHRYST Paul Chryst replaced Todd Graham as Pitt’s head coach in 2012. After a 6-7 season in his first year, the Panthers took a small step forward with a 7-6 record last season. The former Wisconsin offensive coordinator is a plain spoken football coach without a lot of flair, distinguishing
himself from his predecessor in a lot of ways. Chryst sat with gathered media last month in Greensboro, NC, and talked about his thoughts on recruiting, coaching and the Pitt program in general. PSR Editor Tony DeFazio was among those at the table during Chryst’s roundtable chat.
“I tell people all the time, it’s not my program. I get to be the caretaker at a great university that’s got a great football tradition. And now we’ve got a great opportunity—and it’s a challenge—but it’s a great opportunity to bring it back.” - Paul Chryst MEDIA: Do you have a greater comfort
level as you enter your third season, not so much with your players skill-sets, but with intangible qualities? CHRYST: Yeah, I think if we’re doing our jobs right then we know them better and they know us better. You say that but then you’ve got freshmen, and I don’t know how many yet, but we’ve got to get to know them. It’s really pretty cool as you go through this, because guys’ roles change and then you’ve got to re-learn that guy in that role. It’s kind of always evolving and I think that’s the neat part of coaching. You may know this guy, but as his role changes, can he handle this new role and are you coaching him the right way to handle it? He can handle it, but maybe there’s something you can do differently to help him. MEDIA: Have you been able to stay in-
volved with the Pitt players in the NFL? CHRYST: When you talk about that tra-
dition, I want our current guys to know it. Because they’re part of something special and there has been greatness around you. We changed buildings, but even in the new building, Larry Fitzgerald, Revis. And Aaron Donald is part of that now. And our recruits will know about it if our players know about it.
I tell people all the time, it’s not my program. I get to be the caretaker at a great university that’s got a great football tradition. And now we’ve got a great opportunity—and it’s a challenge—but it’s a great opportunity to bring it back to the relevance it once was. You talk about a great run, in the 80’s, now that was pretty impressive. They know. Tyler Boyd knows about Larry Fitzgerald. But Larry Fitzgerald also knows about Tyler Boyd, and that’s what’s pretty cool. MEDIA: Would you say that you have a
specific coaching style? CHRYST: You don’t spend time thinking of your style. I believe in the game. The values of the game. Clearly I know this about me – I am motivated by and energized by the players. I think it’s the coaches job to help them be the best they can be. I know I’m not smart enough to set the bar at a certain level, because I don’t know how good a guy can be. So we’ll always try to demand more. I think philosophically, if you’re going to demand it from them, you need to first demand it from yourself. Believe in the game. I think it’s a great game, but I don’t want players or myself to be defined solely by your football role.
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MEDIA: Do you have a specific philoso-
phy on recruiting? CHRYST: More schools are recruiting more broadly, but I think there can be a danger to that too. Whatever you do, do it well. Whatever job you do, do it well. We all want to be so much about everything that we’re not good at anything, and I think it can be the same trap for a recruiter. I really believe that good recruiting is finding guys that fit your program. And how do you know that? It’s not hard identifying who the good players are. It’s harder finding the good players that fit and have an interest in Pitt... It’s easy to find the 15 best players in each state. You need to find guys who will come to your university, and once they’re there will have success, and once they’re there will enjoy it. Because if you’re there for more than just football, then you’re going to keep growing... It’s not as simple as just take the top 100 and send out 100 letters and then call them when you can call them, and see who you get... It’s still got to be about a fit. MEDIA: Players talk about your open-
door policy as head coach. Can you explain that a little bit? CHRYST: The first coach that influenced me was my dad. If you’re a coach with
no players, it’s not really a great job. So I learned that from him. But (the players) are where I get my energy. That’s why we do this. I think you’re a better coach if you know your players. And I know I haven’t arrived at that yet, I don’t think any of our coaches have arrived at that point yet. I have to get know our players better and they have to know us better, and to me that’s part of the fun. And there’s nothing wrong with enjoying it. MEDIA: How has reality matched your
perception of being a head coach? CHRYST: I never really had this
grandiose vision of "when I become the head coach, this is what it’s going to be like." I wanted to be prepared that if it did come my way I would be able to take advantage of the opportunity. You have a vision of it, and you hope you’re doing it right. I think it helped that I didn’t have this grand plan because if anything comes off it, it screws with you. I think you grow and I think that’s our job. I tell the players, "Get better. Get better today," and I think we’ve go to do that. You can be critical of yourself without being a big downer.
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Coming Back From Tommy John BY KURT HACKIMER
Forty years ago, Tommy John, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, walked into Dr. Frank Jobe’s office with an injured elbow and told him to “make something up.” The result was Tommy John surgery; a then-revolutionary procedure that replaces an injured ulner collateral ligament (UCL) with a spare tendon in the patient’s body. Today, the four-inch scars that decorate the elbows of hundreds of active and retired professional pitchers throughout the decades have become somewhat of a rightof-passage among professional baseball players, particularly pitchers. “So many guys have had it, it’s so common,” Steve Delabar, a pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays organization who had Tommy John surgery in 2002, said. “It’s so common now that the majority of guys have at least run across it or known somebody that had it. It’s just like any guy who sprained his ankle or did something like that.” Since the first surgery in 1974, more than 500 active and retired major and minor leaguers have had Tommy John surgery. Upwards of 40 players have had undergone in the 2014 season alone, and the season is still going. Dr. Edward Snell has been the
Pirates starter Charlie Morton has been a stronger, more consistent pitcher since Tommy John surgery.
Pittsburgh Pirates’ team physician since 1995 and has plenty of experience with UCL reconstruction surgery. “[Tommy John] is the only surgery where you take a ligament that looks completely normal but isn’t well enough to deliver the throw that you want,” Dr. Snell said. If a non-athlete injures or strains his or her UCL, that person may not notice anything peculiar. For a professional baseball player, however,
6 PITTSBURGH SPORTS REPORT • AUGUST 2014
the health of the ligament could represent the difference between the Major Leagues and unemployment. “When you deliver a pitch, the whole arm deforms,” Dr. Snell said. “As your body moves forward, you get a whip-like mechanism that allows the arm to whip forward for maximum velocity. That little ligament is extremely important because it stays in one position so that it can stabilize the elbow as it de-
forms.” The surgery itself is relatively simple. A surgeon harvests a non-crucial tendon, usually one attached to the palermis longus muscle in the forearm, although fifteen percent of people do not have that tendon. The tendon is then looped through a series of holes in a series of figureeight patters until it is able to mimic the injured ligament. SEE TOMMY JOHN, PAGE 7
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UNDER THE KNIFE Several Pirates pitchers have undergone ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (Tommy John surgery). MARK MELANCON Surgery Date: October 2006
Melancon had Tommy John after just seven professional games. He missed the entire ‘07 season but returned in ‘08 and reached the majors in April ‘09. He made the N.L. All-Star team in 2013. FRANCISCO LIRIANO Surgery Date: November 2006
TOMMY JOHN, from PAGE 6 There have been several surgical advancements, particularly in avoiding a nerve in the elbow that used to just be removed, but Dr. Snell said that the most important advancements have come in rehab. “Surgical techniques have improved, but fifty or sixty percent of the solution is post-surgery rehab,” Dr. Snell said. “The understanding as to what happens when that tendon reincorporates itself, understanding how you’re going to stress it and understanding when you’re ready to apply that stress.” Dr. Snell laid out a rough recovery timeline: Six months before a pitcher picks up a baseball, nine months before a pitcher throws any stressful sessions and three-to-six
additional months before the pitcher regains the control or velocity that he is used to. Fifteen months in exchange for the potential to return to full strength is a trade-off a Major League pitcher will make every time. But, for a pitcher, the recovery period is tedious. “It’s like Groundhog Day and it’s not fun,” Blue Jays pitcher Drew Hutchison, whose first professional season was cut short by a UCL injury, said. “You want to do more, but you can’t. I think that’s the toughest part: The daily grind.” “The first game I pitched in extended spring training, I was excited just because I felt good and there was no pain,” Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton said in 2013 while he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. “The velocity was
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great, the stuff was great, there was movement. But it was a process.” “I just felt like I got stronger as I kept going,” Dustin McGowan, current Blue Jays pitcher who had Tommy John as well as a variety of shoulder surgeries, said. “At first it’s still in the back of your mind and you’re a little timid when you’re throwing the ball. You’ve got to trust that its healed and just let it go.” While the success rate for Tommy John patients is remarkably high, Dr. Snell estimates around eighty percent, doctors are constantly seeking to better understand the recovery process and improve methods of rehabilitation.
Liriano went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA in '06 with the Twins, but underwent the procedure after the season to curtail the pain in his pitching elbow. He missed the 2007 season, returned in '08 and has had his ups and downs ever since. EDINSON VOLQUEZ Surgery Date: August 2009
In 2008, Volquez won 17 games for the Cincinnati Reds, posting a 3.21 ERA, making the All-Star team and finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. Elbow pain in 2009 led to the surgery in August. CHARLIE MORTON Surgery Date: June 2012
Morton had hip surgery in October 2011 and struggled to get healthy, eventually developing elbow pain that led to Tommy John in June 2012. Almost exactly one year later, Morton returned to the mound a more consistent pitcher.
PITTSBURGH SPORTS REPORT • AUGUST 2014 7
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Moving On Up BY TONY DEFAZIO
Gregory Polanco is the most publicized member of the Pirates to receive a promotion this season, as the highly regarded outfielder made the leap from Triple-A Indianapolis to the leadoff spot in the Bucs’ lineup in June. Polanco isn’t the only young member of the organization to get “the call” this season, however, as players regularly move through the levels of the minor leagues as the season progresses. Two prospects to watch are pitcher Nick Kingham and outfielder Josh Bell. Kingham, one of the organization’s top pitching prospects, was the Pirates’ 4th-round pick in 2010 out of Sierra Vista High School in Nevada. He split the 2013 season between High-A Bradenton and Double-A Altoona, combining to go 9-6 with a 2.89 ERA with 144 strikeouts in 27 games (25 starts) and 143.1 innings. He opened this season in Altoona again and while he had trouble picking up wins, Kingham posted a 3.04 ERA for the Curve and got the mid-season call-up to Indianpolis. The wins have come more easily for Kingham at Triple-A, where he got off to a great start but has since leveled off. To go along with a 4-3 record in his first 10 starts, Kingham has a 3.47 ERA, has allowed just 49 hits in 62 innings and owns a 1.027 WHIP. At just 22, the 65, 220-pound righty figures to be in the mix for a major league job at some point next season. Bell, who will turn 22 this month, has fully recovered from the torn meniscus
Top Prospects Get Mid-Season Call Ups that limited his first professional season to 15 games in 2012. The ourtfielder had flashed the form that caused the Pirates to offer him first-round money after selecting him in the second-round out of Dallas Jesuit High School, successfully convincing him to bypass playing college ball at Texas. Following a promising 2013 season at Single-A West Virginia, Bell made the jump to High-A Bradenton, where he thrived. In 84 games, the 6-3, 213pounder hit a robust .335 with an .886 slugging percentage. Bell belted nine homes, four triples, 20 doubles, scored 45 runs and drove in 53.
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He got off to a slow start in his first week at Double-A, but picked up the pace and is hitting .288 after 19 games. Bell’s immense potential promises to make him a sought-after trade target,
and rumors abound that his future with the Pirates will be at first base. For now, however, the organization is content to let him remain in the outfield as he progresses through the system.
OTHER NOTABLE PROMOTIONS Mel Rojas, OF, AA to AAA
Barrett Barmes, OF, Low-A to High-A
24-year-old former 3rd round pick is hitting .280 in every day action. A.J. Morris, P: AA to AAA 27-year-old former 4th round pick of the Washington Nationals posted 3.13 ERA in 4 starts before injury. Orlando Castro, P, A to AA 22-year-old native of Honduras has struggled mightily in two starts.
Oft-injured first-round pick in 2012 has played in just six games at Bradenton since his promotion Shane Carle, P, Low-A to High-A 10th-round pick from Long Beach State in 2013 is working through the typical learning curve in his five starts at Bradenton.
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Shoes To Fill season in a Steelers uniform if the two sides can agree to a contract. The Steelers can bring Keisel back at a veteran minimum $955,000 deal. His locker remains unoccupied and his No. 99 has not been issued to any player on the roster, making a return a possibility.
in the NFL early in his career and led to a multi-million dollar contract four years ago. Injuries and poor conditioning prevented him from returning to that elite status, and the albatross of a contract made him expendable. Ryan Clark, Free Safety.
Ziggy Hood, Defensive End
BY ANDREW CHOYNOWSKI
The Steelers had a productive offseason, but nevertheless must replace several veterans. Here's a look at who's gone and how their absences may impact the team. Emmanuel Sanders, Wide Receiver
Sanders was a solid second receiver in Pittsburgh. He caught 67 balls for 740 yards and 6 touchdowns during his fourth professional season. While the Steelers still have Antonio Brown as the number one pass-catcher on the depth chart, Sanders will certainly be missed. His projected replacement, Markus Wheaton, has some big shoes to fill and must improve from last season where he only caught six passes for 64 yards.
Jerricho Cotchery, Wide Receiver
Another blow to Pittsburgh’s passing game was losing Jerricho Cotchery in the offseason to the Carolina Panthers. Last season the 11-year veteran caught 46 passes for 602 yards and 10 touchdowns. Veteran Lance Moore and rookie Dri Archer will get opportunities to replace Cotchery in the slot, while Darrius Heyward-Bey and youngsters Martavis Bryant, Justin Brown and Derek Moye must prove they deserve to move up the depth chart. Brett Keisel, Defensive End
Life-long Steeler Keisel became an unrestricted free agent following the 2013 season. He remains a free agent, but has said several times that he wants to continue playing. There have been reports that Keisel could return next
A former first round pick in 2009, Hood signed a four-year $16 million with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason. Hood never quite lived up to his expectations in Pittsburgh but he did play an important part in the team’s defense, playing in all 80 games since he became a Steeler while starting 47 of them. Hood is among three defensive ends lost by Pittsburgh this offseason, a real blow to a young defense.
The Steelers opted not to resign Clark following the 2013 season, and the veteran signed a one-year deal to return to the Washington Redskins. Clark’s success was over shadowed at times by the play of Troy Polamalu, but the team will certainly miss Clark’s presence on the field and in the locker room. The Steelers signed former Carolina Panthers free safety Mike Mitchell to replace Clark. Jonathan Dwyer, Running Back
Al Woods, Defensive End
Woods is the third defensive end to part ways with the Steelers after he signed a two-year deal worth $5 million with the Tennessee Titans. His versatility made him a valuable player in the defensive line rotation with the Steelers last season. The team needs free agent signee Cam Thomas to step up and replace Woods as a swing man between nose tackle and defensive end. LaMarr Woodley, Linebacker
Woodley signed a two-year deal with Oakland this offseason worth $12 million. Last season Woodley put up 36 tackles, 5 sacks, and forced a fumble in the 11 games he played before finishing the year on injured reserve. Woodley was one of the most feared pass rushers
Despite starting six games in 2012, Dwyer was released by the Steelers prior to last season. He rejoined the team after Week 1 and played in the next 15 contests, but the Steelers did not resign him and he inked a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals. Larry Foote, Linebacker
Foote's Steelers career basically came to an end in the first game of the 2013 season, when the 12-year veteran ruptured a biceps in the Steelers' 16-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 and missed the rest of the season. Foote spent 11 of his 12 seasons with the Steelers but was released in March. He signed with the Arizona Cardinals.
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Behind Enemy Lines
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
BY ANDREW CHOWNOWSKI
Baltimore Ravens
LOSSES: Chris Pressley (FB), Michael Johnson (DE),
LOSSES: Jason Campbell (QB), Ontel Cousins (G),
LOSSES: Ed Dickson (TE), Tandon Doss (WR),
Otis Hudson (G), Andrew Hawkins (WR), Brandon Ghee (DB), Anthony Collins (T), Cory Brandon (T) ADDITIONS: Jason Campbell (QB), Danieal Manning (SS), Dontay Mach (LB), Sam Montgomery (LB), Marshall Newhouse (T), R.J. Stanford (DB), Darqueze Dennard (CB), Jeremy Hill (RB), A.J. McCarron (QB) BIGGEST LOSS: Johnson Johnson signed a five-year, $43.75 million deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following a 2013 campaign in which he put up just 3.5 sacks. A year prior, however, Johnson had 11.5 sacks and wreaked havoc in opposing backfields. With defensive tackle Geno Atkins’ effectiveness unknown following his return from an ACL injury, Johnson’s absence could make the pass rush vulnerable. BIGGEST ADDITION: Hill The team’s second round pick from LSU, Hill carried the ball 203 times for 1,401 yards and 16 touchdowns. Cincinnati’s 2013 backfield tandem of veteran BenJarvus Green-Ellis and rookie Giovani Bernard combined for 1,451 yards, and 12 TDs. While GreenEllis, Bernard and Hill will split carries, Hill could be a long-term replacement for the aging Green-Ellis.
Caleb Hante (QB), D’Qwell Jackson (ILB), Shawn Lauvao (G), Naaman Roosevelt (WR), Alex Tanney (QB), T.J. Ward (SS), Brandon Weeden (QB) ADDITIONS: Anthony Armstrong (WR), Miles Austin (WR), Nate Burleson (WR), Karlos Dansby (ILB), Jim Dray (TE), Larry Grant (LB), Andrew Hawkins (WR), Paul McQuistan (T), Chris Pressly (FB), Ben Tate (RB), Isaiah Trufant (DB), Donte Whitner (SS), Justin Gilbert (DB), Johnny Manziel (QB), Joe Bitonio (OL) BIGGEST LOSS: Ward Ward signed a four-year, $23 million contract with the Denver Broncos following a Pro Bowl season last year. The 27 year-old had a career year, registering 112 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 interceptions and a touchdown. His physical presence in the Cleveland secondary will be missed. BIGGEST ADDITION: Tate Despite drafting Johnny Football, the new addition poised to make the earliest impact is Tate, who signed a two-year, $6.2 million contract. The former Houston Texan looks like he could be the guy to round out Cleveland’s offense and make them a relevant team late in the season.
Shaun Draughn (RB), Corey Graham (CB), James Ihedigbo (SS), Arthur Jones (DE), Jameel McClain (ILB), Michael Oher (T) ADDITIONS: Owen Daniels (TE), Justin Forsett (RB), Dominique Franks (DB), Aaron Ross (CB), Steve Smith (WR), Darian Stewart (SS), C.J. Mosley (ILB), Timmy Jernigan (NT) BIGGEST LOSS: Graham Graham signed a four-year deal worth up to $20 million this offseason with the Buffalo Bills. Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith are capable corners, but depth is important in the pass-happy NFL. The Ravens could find themselves in trouble when they play teams with deep receiver pools. Graham was especially valuable covering the slot and also contributed in special teams. BIGGEST ADDITION: Smith The former Carolina Panthers star signed a threeyear deal worth $11.5 million. Baltimore’s offense already features plenty of weapons, but hasn’t been the same since Anquan Boldin left after the 2012 Super Bowl. Smith may no longer be a deep threat, but his presence should allow fellow receiver Torrey Smith to make plays and open the ground game for Ray Rice.
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PITTSBURGH PITTSBURGH SPORTS SPORTS REPORT REPORT • AUGUST • MAY 2014 11
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H C Stats Playoff OT
ORNERS
Backed Into a Corner
Cornerbacks on the Steelers roster BY JEREMY TEPPER 28 Cortez Allen, 6-1/196 Ocala, FL/The Citadel
25-year old fourth-year player has started 11 games over two seasons. 41 Antwon Blake, 5-9/198 Jacksonville, FL/Texas El-Paso
Blake, 23, recorded 11 tackles in 14 games for the Steelers in 2013 after a year in Jacksonville. 22 William Gay, 5-10/190 Tallahassee, FL/Louisville
Gay has never missed a game in his seven-year NFL career. He started 11 games last year and was perhaps the team’s best CB. 39 Isaiah Green, 5-10/180 Los Angeles, CA/Fresno State
Green spent most of last season on the Steelers practice squad. 25 Brice McCain, 5-9/187 Dallas, TX/Utah
McCain enters his sixth season after making 10 starts in five years with the Houston Texans. 31 Shaquille Richardson, 6-0/194 Carson, CA/Arizona
Richardson was the first of two fifth-round draft picks in May. 30 Devin Smith, 5-11/186 Coppell, TX/Wisconsin
Smith spend most of 2013 on and off the practice squad. 24 Ike Taylor, 6-2/195 Gretna, LA/Louisiana-Lafayette
The 34-year-old Taylor is the oldest member of the Steelers and a veteran of 11 NFL seasons. He's played in every game but 4 since 2005.
Coming off consecutive 8-8 seasons, the Steelers revamped a large portion of their depth chart, acquiring new starters at every level of the defense. But the cornerback position—outside of free agent addition Brice McCain and rookie Shaquille Richardson—looks strikingly similar the 2013 group. Between an inconsistent Cortez Allen and an aging Ike Taylor, the corners often struggled to avoid giving up the big play. At times, William Gay’s work in the slot and sub-packages seemed to be the group’s saving grace. With the same personnel, how can this group get better? ESPN analyst and former Steeler Merril Hoge sees a solution at the front end of the defense. “What’s the best way to make my whole secondary better? Less time to throw the football,” Hoge said. “If the defensive line comes up big, the linebackers become the most violent in football again, and the corners, whoever starts, are going to be pretty good.” At 34, Taylor is the veteran of the group. He was also the least effective amongst Steelers’ cornerbacks last season, surrendering 1,043 yards in coverage and six touchdowns, placing him as the 98th best corner in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. Although it’s clear that Taylor lost a step last season, much of his ineffectiveness was related to the Steelers’ front seven. “Can Ike Taylor rebound? Yes. But a lot of it is going to depend on how much pressure that front seven can get,” said Dave Bryan of SteelersDepot.com.
Improvement at Corner Key for Steelers Cortez Allen was more successful last year than Taylor, but still struggled at times with inconsistencies in coverage. In all, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 36th best corner in the league. Bryan sees Allen building off his 2013 campaign and having a breakout year. “He’s got a knack for making plays on the football,” Bryan said. “I think he could have a year where he intercepts four or five passes and is credited with 20 or so passes defensed.” Rounding out the Steelers’ top corners is William Gay, who saw the field mostly in nickel packages. Gay was the most effective of the group, ranked ninth in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. Behind those three is loads of ambiguity. Former Houston Texan Brice McCain is expected to battle special teams ace Antwon Blake for the fourth cornerback spot on the roster. Taking the last spot amongst the corners will likely
be fifth-round draft-pick Shaqulle Richardson of Arizona. Bryan believes the biggest boost to the corners could come from safety Mike Mitchell, a free agent signee from the Carolina Panthers. “The Mike Mitchell addition at safety will help the cornerbacks. With that speed, he’ll be able to cover up a lot of their mistakes,” Bryan said. Hoge also sees Mitchell helping. “Because he has such great speed, he can be very effective in a lot of pressures,” Hoge said. If the Steelers’ fail to generate pressure on the quarterback again, the corners could be in for a long season. “When you give a quarterback as much time as they have over the last two and half seasons, you see what happens to the Steelers secondary,” Bryan said.
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PSR’s Top 10
“They’re some of the best in the field — and they help keep us on it.” — Neil Walker
There’s nothing like being on a great team. 1 Florida State Seminoles
The Seminoles will be optimistic about their chances to repeat as National Champions, as they return Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston at quarterback and will have five seniors starting on their offensive line.
4 Auburn Tigers
Auburn’s defense will again be a weakness, but the offense looks to be as explosive as ever. Quarterback Nick Marshall awaits team discipline after being charged with marijuana possession. 5 Oregon Ducks
2 Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama has questions at quarterback but Florida State transfer Jacob Coker hopes to fill that void. The Crimson Tide will boast the most complete roster in the nation if Coker lives up to the hype.
Quarterback Marcus Mariota and five starting offensive linemen are returning, but Oregon will need to replace much of their receiving corps. Standout receiver Bralon Addison tore ligaments in his knee in April and may not play this season.
We’re proud to take the field with Neil Walker as the OfficialMedical Provider of the Pittsburgh Pirates. All year long, we’ll be there with the best in sports medicine care — including physical therapy, speed and agility training, surgery and rehab, exercise physiology, strength and conditioning, sports psychology, concussion prevention and more. All from doctors and specialists who utilize the most modern techniques, treatments and technology. We’re there for the Pirates, and we’re here for you, too. With the same nationally renowned care that’s designed to keep you at the top of your game.
3 Oklahoma Sooners
Quarterback Trevor Knight and the Sooners will attempt to build on their 45-31 win over Alabama in the All State Sugar Bowl. Keith Ford appears to be the front-runner in what may be a crowded backfield in Oklahoma.
6. Michigan State Spartans 7. Ohio State Buckeyes 8. Stanford Cardinal 9. UCLA Bruins 10. Georgia Bulldogs Compiled by Geoff Pfiel
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PITTSBURGH SPORTS REPORT • AUGUST 2014 13
2014 SCHEDULE
Pitt Football 2014 A Young Man’s Game BY TONY DEFAZIO
Sat, Aug 30 DELAWARE
12:00 PM Fri, Sept 5 at Boston College
7:00 PM Sat, Sept 13 at Florida
International 12:00 PM Sat, Sept 20 IOWA Sat, Sept 27 AKRON Sat, Oct 4 at Virginia Thu, Oct 16 VIRGINIA TECH
7:30 PM Sat, Oct 25 GEORGIA TECH Sat, Nov 1 DUKE Sat, Nov 15 at North Carolina Sat, Nov 22 SYRACUSE Sat, Nov 29 at Miami (FL)
A quick glimpse at the 2014 Pitt football team reveals major red flags. A veteran quarterback and the program's all-time leading wide receiver have departed for the NFL. The most decorated defensive player in the nation last year, defensive tackle Aaron Donald, is one of seven 2013 starters (including injured defensive end Ejuan Proce) that won’t be back in this fall. The roster features just 11 seniors, and the success of the program is now in the hands of the 53 first- and secondyear players who make up the bulk of head coach Paul Chryst's squad. "We've got some excellent seniors and need their leadership,” said Chryst. “We've also got a large number of first and second year guys, and we're going to need them to grow up.” Things may not be as dire as they seem, at least offensively. Sophomore Tyler Boyd was the nation’s most productive freshman receiver last year, catching 85 passes for 1,174 yards and 7 touchdowns. Boyd also set the ACC record for receptions as a freshman en route to earning several Freshman All-America honors. “Tyler is one of many young guys that need to step up and be leaders,” acknowledged Chryst, “and the best way to lead is to continue to be productive." Boyd isn’t the only young star on offense. Sophomore James Conner returns in the backfield after posting four 100-yard games as a true freshman, including a bruising 229-yard performance in Pitt’s 30-27 win over Bowling Green in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. Highly regarded sophomore Chad Voytik takes over at quarterback after
14 PITTSBURGH SPORTS REPORT • AUGUST 2014
leading Pitt to a victory in the second half during his only extended playing time. Chryst thinks the experience will help as Voytik prepares to take the reins. “For Chad to be able to step in and perform the way that he did, it was big for our team at the moment but I think it was also great for his confidence,” said Chryst. After allowing 43 sacks a year ago, coaches are optimistic that four returning starters will resault in improvement along the line. J.P. Holtz returns as the starting tight end, but there will be an open competition in camp for the receiver spot oppostive Boyd. Defensively, there are major questions up front with the departure of tackles Aaron Donald and Tyrone Ezell to the NFL, the loss of end Bryan Murphy to grade issues and a seasonending injury to pass rusher Ejuan Price. “We won’t replace Aaron’s production with one guy,” said senior safety Ray Vinopal. “But we have guys we know we can depend on to play team defense and get it done as a unit.” While tackles Khaynin-Mosley Smith and Darryl Render offer promise inside, finding ends who can get to the quarterback could be a challenge. Linebackers Todd Thomas and Anthony Gonzalez have plenty of experience, but Shane Gordon must
be replaced in the middle. The secondary lost veterans K’Wuan Williams and Jason Hendricks and will depend on junior cornerback Lafayette Pitts to return to the form he displayed as a freshman after he struggled in 2013. Trenton Coles and Titus Howard will battle to start opposite Pitts at corner, while Vinopal returns at safety. Place kicker Chris Blewitt returns after a solid freshman season that saw him set a Pitt freshman scoring record with 82 points, converting 14-of-18 field goals and 40-of-41 extra points.
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2014 Penn State Football BY CONNOR WHOOLEY
After 45 years of one head coach and two more of another, a different figure will be pacing up and down the sidelines at Beaver Stadium this season. New head coach James Franklin comes to Happy Valley after leading Vanderbilt to consecutive Associated Press Top 25 finishes in 2012 and 2013 and bowl games in each of his three seasons with the Commodores. One proven talent returning for Franklin is sophomore quarterback Christian Hackenberg, who gained the starting job as a true freshman in 2013 and led the team to seven wins while throwing for 2,955 yards and 20 touchdowns with just 10 interceptions. “I just want to be the best player for this team and help these guys in any way that I can and help this team be successful,” Hackenberg said after the Blue-White scrimmage in April. The Lions also feature a solid stable of running backs, as Zach Zwinak and Bill Belton each return for their final season at Penn State — Zwinak as a graduate student and Belton as a senior. Zwinak handled the bulk of the carries last year, rushing for 989 yards on 210 attempts with 12 touchdowns, but Belton was not far behind with 803 yards on 157 attempts and five touchdowns, including the game winner in an exciting 43-40 fourovertime win against Michigan. Belton could see direct snaps in wildcat formations as well. Hackenberg loses his top two targets as wide receivers Allen Robinson and Brandon Felder have moved on. Eugene Lewis, who hauled in three
New Opportunites touchdowns and had 234 yards last year, could see an increased role. Tight end Jesse James, the team’s third leading receiver, totaled 333 yards on 25 catches with three touchdowns a year ago. A shaky spot on the offense could be the line, where Miles Dieffenbach and Donovan Smith will try to anchor a front five that lost Adam Gress, Gary Gilliam, Ty Howle and John Urschel from 2013. New starters Angelo Mangiro and Derek Dowrey, who made the switch from d-line in the offseason, will play key roles. “I have a ton of confidence in those guys and I know the coaching staff does,” Hackenberg said.
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“They’re going to do a great job.” On defense, Jordan Lucas will be key in the secondary, as the team’s 2013 co-leader in interceptions with three, enters his junior season. Seniors Adrian Amos and Ryan Keiser return at safety. Fifth year senior C.J. Olaniyan (five sacks) returns to the defensive line, while Anthony Zettel (four sacks) will be back for his redshirt-junior season as well. “I think we’ve got depth and I think we’ve got talent on the defensive line,” Franklin said. Mike Hull, who was second on the team in total tackles with 78, highlights a linebacker corps that could also feature Ben Kline and Nyeem
Wartman, who both saw action last season. Kicker Sam Ficken, who converted 15 of 23 field goals in 2013—including a long of 54 yards—returns. The Lions open their season in Dublin, Ireland against Central Florida on August 30. The team also travels to Michigan and hosts Big 10 powers Ohio State and Michigan State. “I think we’re in a good position as a unit to move forward,” Hackenberg said. “We’re very excited we have about the opportunity that we have.”
PITTSBURGH SPORTS REPORT • AUGUST 2014 15
National Storylines
Can Jameis Winston avoid distractions? The Florida State quarterback has a Heisman Trophy and a National Championship after just one year of competition. But Winston has also found off-the-field trouble every year he's been in Tallahasse. A year without an arrest would be a first for Winston, and it's a must if Jimbo Fisher's mega-talented team is to repeat as champions. Winston showed remarkable focus in the face of a building storm last season, but the constant trouble is a recipe for disaster sooner or later. It’s also one thing for Winston himself to face the media time after time, but it’s quite another to expect his teammates to constantly deal with his distractions. Winston was the story at the ACC Media Days last month, and it’s clear that the Seminoles season will be all about him. That’s fine if the headlines are football-related, but once they move off the gridiron, it’s an act that gets old quickly.
Will Florida rebound? By the time the Gators take the field to open the 2014 season, it will have been nearly 11 months since they won a football game. Florida ended the 2013 season with seven consecutive losses, a collapse that has head coach Will Muschamp on the hot seat. The offense was the main culprit as the Gators failed to score more than 20 points in any of their final seven contests. The only major addition to the offense is new coordinator Kurt Roper, although quarterback Jeff Driskel is healthy again. The Florida defense may have to key any revival, and there are nearly as many questions on D as on offense. The Gators have had trouble getting to opposing quarterbacks in recent years, and the secondary has paid the price. There is plenty of talent, but too much inconsistency. The SEC schedule doesn't do the Gators any favors, although LSU, Georgia, South Carolina and Missouri all make trips to the Swamp. Road games at Alabama and Florida State will be bears.
16 PITTSBURGH SPORTS REPORT • AUGUST 2014
BY TONY DEFAZIO
Will James Franklin live up to the hype?
Will the four-team playoff satisfy critics?
Penn State's new coach clearly has no trouble taking center stage. Franklin made headlines by using a gigantic blue and white Penn State Football trailer to move his family from Nashville. He then showed up on Twitter in April with his face photoshopped into a half-man, half-lion with the message, "The LION has always been a part of me." Franklin has been outspoken about his intention to "dominate the state" of Pennsylvania in recruting, and he has backed up his brash talk with a 2015 class ranked fourth by ESPN. But Franklin will soon face the ugly distraction of a rape trial involving four of his former Vanderbilt players, tentatively set to begin in August. Franklin could concievably be deposed, and possibily testify. He has nothing to do with the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse coverup, but that won’t stop the questions about the trial of former Penn State administrators Graham Spanier, Gary Schultz and Tim Curley, all charged with perjury and obstruction.
The BCS is gone. The oft-criticized method of creating a unified national champion, which was flawed but much more successful than the randomness that preceded it, has been replaced by a four-team playoff. A selection committee will choose the four teams based on strength of schedule, head-to-head results, common opponents and other factors. There will be no automatic qualifiers. The two semifinal games will be contested in the Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl this year (the semifinal rotation will also include the Cotton, Peach, Orange and Fiesta Bowls), and the national title game will be played on Monday, Jan. 12 in North Texas. A four-team tournament figures to be better than a two-team playoff. But the selection committee will still be criticized by the teams claiming to be deserving of that fourth and final spot. Coaches will complain, fans will demand justice and media will whine the inept committee. But you can bet we'll all still watch.
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Miked Up
THE FUTURE
Mike Johnston hiring picking up steam among local, national media
TRISTAN JARRY Catches: Left DOB: 04/29/95 Birthplace: Surrey, BC, CAN Acquired: Drafted by the Penguins
in the 2nd round (44th overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft 2013-14 Season: Finished his 3rd season with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL), helping them win the WHL championship by winning Game 7 on the road.
MATT MURRAY Catches: Left DOB: 05/25/94 Birthplace: Thunder Bay,
ON, CAN Acquired: Drafted by the Penguins
in the 3rd round (83rd overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft 2013-14 Season: Made his professional debut with the WilkesBarre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL), stopping 23 of 25 shots in his one regular-season contest with the team, a 2-0 loss to the Utica Comets.
BY MATT JACOBS
Here’s what we know. Mike Johnston wasn’t the Penguins’ first choice to replace Dan Bylsma. He might not have even been among the top 10 when new general manager Jim Rutherford started compiling his list of coaching candidates. He certainly wasn’t the people’s choice. They clamored for the Penguins to pry Mike Babcock out of Detroit a year before his contract expires. They pleaded for former defenseman Ulf Samuelsson. Johnston wasn’t the flash choice, the splash choice or the (insert trendy adjective here) choice that made headlines in Canada or anywhere else in North America outside of Pittsburgh. He’ll have to win 233 games just to become the winningest Johnston in Penguins history. But he might be the right choice. For this team. Right now.
Check out the fan boards. The vast majority have declared the Penguins’ coaching search to be a botch job for the ages. Select members of the local media have echoed that sentiment. Some, quietly. Some, vehemently. But if you’re paying attention, what started as a faint whisper in hockey circles has grown into a discernable roar, as praise for the hire has begun to gain momentum in recent weeks. “Great coach! Detail guy,” Penguins TV analyst Bob Errey offered. “He’s always learning, adjusting, adapting. He’s respectful of the game, people and players. They got a worldly coach who has seen the game at every level.” Johnston has been an assistant and associate coach (Vancouver, Los Angeles) but never a head coach in the NHL. He spent the past five-plus seasons as coach and general manager of the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Hockey League. In his first full season in Portland, they improved by an astounding 48 points and made the playoffs for the first time in four years. Something in which disgruntled Penguins fans can take solace? Those that truly know Mike Johnston expect him to be an unmitigated success. “I don't think it's accurate to say the Penguins acted out of desperation in hiring Johnston,” said Los Angeles Times columnist Helene Elliott, who covered the Kings during Johnston’s
tenure. “He's considered a knowledgeable hockey guy by just about everyone I've ever heard speak about him. I think Johnston is well regarded by hockey executives and deserves the chance to be an NHL head coach.” The only perceivable knock against Johnston came when the WHL suspended him for most of the 2012-13 season, fined the Winterhawks $200,000 and stripped them of draft picks for providing benefits for players and their families against league rules. “He came upon the worst franchise in the WHL when he arrived in 2008. It was a laughingstock,” said Kerry Eggers, who covers the Winterhawks for the Portland Tribune. “The previous owners had cut costs at every corner and run a once-proud franchise into the ground. Mike immediately resurrected the program and turned it into a winner. He did a great job orchestrating drafts, developing talent and with his on-ice coaching. They reached the WHL finals in each of the last four seasons, no small feat. “Beyond that, he's a class act who got out into the community and was terrific to deal with.” Johnston will undoubtedly be under intense pressure from Penguins management to produce – immediately. Anything less than a return to the Stanley Cup final will be deemed a monumental failure. And Babcock-watch can begin all over again.
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Pushing Up Flowers Tristan Jarry and Matt Murray offer great promise BY MALLORY MERDA
One topic that often floats around the Pittsburgh Penguins organization is the discussion of goaltenders. MarcAndre Fleury, the Pens go-to netminder, is in his final year of contract and the question of who has what it takes to step up to the number one spot in goal is on everyone’s minds. Fleury has had his fair share of struggles in the regular season and, more often than not, has had even more struggles in the playoffs over the past few seasons. Tristan Jarry and Matt Murray, two up and coming goaltenders within the Penguins organization, are developing the skill to step in and take Fleury’s place should he move on after this year. Jarry, 19, was selected in the second round (44th overall) in the 2013 NHL draft by the Penguins and currently plays in the Western Hockey League for the Edmonton Oil Kings. Jarry’s skill in goal has brought him various league-leading statistics and put him at the top of the list for eventual replacements. In the 2013-14 season, Jarry won the WHL championship with the Oil Kings, held the WHL’s best regular season GAA with a 2.24, and won a career high 44 games. “Due to his postseason reputation and impressive durability, Jarry looks like a potential No. 1 goalie in the NHL, maybe a star,” said Jonathan Bombulie, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pens beat writer for the Times Leader.
“The Penguins really like Jarry’s athleticism and mental make-up.” Penguins goaltending development coach Mike Buckley also had praise for Jarry, especially after his run with Edmonton in the WHL championship. "I think it was stepping up and understanding the role as a starter, playing every night, managing your game, managing your time," Buckley said. Jarry’s career numbers make him look like a potential star goaltender in the NHL, especially with achievements such as a gold medal with Canada Pacific at the 2012 World Under-17 Challenge, and his dominant statistics in the WHL the past two seasons. Despite all of these achievements, Bombulie still believes Jarry has a long road ahead of him before he will be NHL material. “He’ll have to fine-tune his game so he relies less on athleticism and more on sound technique when he turns pro,” Bombulie said. “Trying to project what kind of goalie a 19-year-old will be when he’s 23 is a difficult task, even for scouts who get paid to make such judgments. I’d think [Jarry] would need at least a year in the AHL before moving on up.” The same can be said for the Penguins other potential replacement goaltender, Matt Murray. “Murray is a lanky 6-5 kid who has great fundamentals and is very coachable,” said Bombulie. “He needs to fill out physically, and as he does, the Penguins hope that will add some explosiveness to his lateral movement.
Murray’s ceiling probably isn’t as high [as Jarry’s]. He might end up being a dependable No. 2.” Twenty-year-old Murray was selected in the 3rd round (83rd overall) by the Penguins in the 2012 draft and spent most of the 2013-14 season with Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League. He finished the season with the Baby Pens in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Murray’s accomplishments at the OHL-level last season made him a potential candidate for the Pens’ number one goalie spot. He was tied for the OHL lead with 6 shutouts, ranked second in wins, third in save percentage and sixth in goals-against average. Murray also won a gold medal with Team Ontario at the World Under-17 Challenge in 2011, a bronze medal with Team Canada at the World Under-18
Championships in 2011-12, and was named one of Canada’s ‘Top 3 Players’ at the World Under-18 championships in the same season. The final question after looking at the skills and stats between both Jarry and Murray: when will both be NHL-ready and contend to take Fleury’s spot? “I can’t imagine any NHL general manager would take the keys to a Stanley Cup contender with two superstar centers in their prime and hand them to a 20-year-old goalie,” said Bombulie. “If Fleury moves on, I think it’s safe to say the Penguins would need to acquire, via trade or free agency, a bridge between him and Murray or Jarry.”
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