OT: D1

[IUPbigINDIANS]

We've ruined a good thing. FCS, D2, and D3 conferences should advertise that they're "real" college football.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/spo...t-20299985.php

You sure? I thought only the top half of the P4 actually counted?

[Fightingscot82]

We've ruined a good thing. FCS, D2, and D3 conferences should advertise that they're "real" college football.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/spo...t-20299985.php

[IUP24]

Has it not become clear that the center of PA high school foosball and the level of talent has moved eastward?

Not sure that's what the conversation is. I don't think anyone is arguing about where the talent is. Just stating that there's less population in Western PA, thus less players, equaling less big prospects.

[IUPNation]

No WPIAL players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Has it not become clear that the center of PA high school foosball and the level of talent has moved eastward?

[IUP24]

Okay. I think I confused him with Quinton Martin.

Yes. They provided Martin’s family with an apartment somewhere around State College to sweeten the deal to get him. Not sure they needed to do that though. He grew up a Penn State fan and had little interest in other places.

[IUP24]

I just hope they beat Duquesne. Losing streak needs to end.

I will buy you a Tesla if they don’t.

[Fightingscot82]

Devin Whitlock was a preferred walk on at Pitt, did not have a single "star" ranking from any recruiting site, and didn't have a single FBS offer. I'm not sure where you are getting that he was going to be a local star.

His two biggest scholarship offers were Duquesne and Youngstown State.

Okay. I think I confused him with Quinton Martin.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I don't know how this is going to end or where it's going ... but, Jordon Hudson's involvement in UNC Football will be fantastic to watch.

Not sure if this will be more Jersey Shore or Dateline.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Then they should tell their head coach and his top recruiter to stop obsessing over it. He doesn't cherry pick it. He gets about 80-85% of every P4 level coming out of Western PA. I have it on good accord that James Franklin's obsession over the WPIAL is largely due to Terry Smith and Franklin's personal beef with Pat Narduzzi. They offer all WPIAL players that commit $100k and a Tesla simply so that they don't go to Pitt. Pitt can't offer that. They really don't care what they do once on their roster. Most fizzle out up there. The last player from the WPIAL to make any tangible impact at Penn State was Lamont Wade, and even he wasn't exactly a world beater up there. Franklin said this spring in a press conference that, "We love Central guys." He was referencing the massive number of Central Catholic recruits to Penn State over the last 10 years. The best college player he got out of that bunch was John Petrishen and his best 2 years were after he transferred to Pitt after not playing at Penn State lol.

I also know that Narduzzi doesn't really care about the WPIAL in the manner than most Pitt fans want him to. Pitt is hardly in the mix for any WPIAL guys ever anymore. They target maybe 3-5 local players and don't really bother with the rest. I don't necessarily have a problem with that to be honest because a bunch of them just end up transferring home in 2 years anyways (hello MJ Devonshire). And a 3-star from Florida or Georgia is likely a better player long term than a 4-star from Western PA. I think the sad part though is that not enough players see the value in simply getting on the field early and getting tape. Pitt doesn't stack up to the elite programs of college football. But they are exceptional at developing talent and getting guys into the league. That's mostly been true regardless of who the coach is. A Tesla and a bag of cash is nice at 18, but playing early and generating tape to have professional opportunities down the road is nicer.

I just hope they beat Duquesne. Losing streak needs to end.

[IUP24]

That's a pretty good synopsis.

Part of the Dugger situation might be that the WPIAL is no longer producing much top talent beyond the offspring of Steelers. I wonder how degree that played into Devin Whitlock transferring from Pitt to IUP. Whitlock was one of the more heralded WPIAL recruits the last couple years and seemed poised to become the local star at Pitt. I've always suspected of SWPA overvaluing WPIAL talent (especially now with a shallower divisional structure).

Devin Whitlock was a preferred walk on at Pitt, did not have a single "star" ranking from any recruiting site, and didn't have a single FBS offer. I'm not sure where you are getting that he was going to be a local star.

His two biggest scholarship offers were Duquesne and Youngstown State.

[IUP24]

If you read the PSU boards, ... they will say exactly that (WPIAL talent is way overrated).

Big Game James still seems to cherry pick it quite well but I'd agree, overall, it's way, way down.

Then they should tell their head coach and his top recruiter to stop obsessing over it. He doesn't cherry pick it. He gets about 80-85% of every P4 level coming out of Western PA. I have it on good accord that James Franklin's obsession over the WPIAL is largely due to Terry Smith and Franklin's personal beef with Pat Narduzzi. They offer all WPIAL players that commit $100k and a Tesla simply so that they don't go to Pitt. Pitt can't offer that. They really don't care what they do once on their roster. Most fizzle out up there. The last player from the WPIAL to make any tangible impact at Penn State was Lamont Wade, and even he wasn't exactly a world beater up there. Franklin said this spring in a press conference that, "We love Central guys." He was referencing the massive number of Central Catholic recruits to Penn State over the last 10 years. The best college player he got out of that bunch was John Petrishen and his best 2 years were after he transferred to Pitt after not playing at Penn State lol.

I also know that Narduzzi doesn't really care about the WPIAL in the manner than most Pitt fans want him to. Pitt is hardly in the mix for any WPIAL guys ever anymore. They target maybe 3-5 local players and don't really bother with the rest. I don't necessarily have a problem with that to be honest because a bunch of them just end up transferring home in 2 years anyways (hello MJ Devonshire). And a 3-star from Florida or Georgia is likely a better player long term than a 4-star from Western PA. I think the sad part though is that not enough players see the value in simply getting on the field early and getting tape. Pitt doesn't stack up to the elite programs of college football. But they are exceptional at developing talent and getting guys into the league. That's mostly been true regardless of who the coach is. A Tesla and a bag of cash is nice at 18, but playing early and generating tape to have professional opportunities down the road is nicer.

[Fightingscot82]

If you read the PSU boards, ... they will say exactly that (WPIAL talent is way overrated).

Big Game James still seems to cherry pick it quite well but I'd agree, overall, it's way, way down.

No WPIAL players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

That's a pretty good synopsis.

Part of the Dugger situation might be that the WPIAL is no longer producing much top talent beyond the offspring of Steelers. I wonder how degree that played into Devin Whitlock transferring from Pitt to IUP. Whitlock was one of the more heralded WPIAL recruits the last couple years and seemed poised to become the local star at Pitt. I've always suspected of SWPA overvaluing WPIAL talent (especially now with a shallower divisional structure).

If you read the PSU boards, ... they will say exactly that (WPIAL talent is way overrated).

Big Game James still seems to cherry pick it quite well but I'd agree, overall, it's way, way down.

[Fightingscot82]

From what I'm being told, Dugger's father felt he should be an FBS starting quarterback this fall. He fell to third on the depth chart after Heintschel passed him up. When it was clear he wasn't going to play, he transferred. He supposedly has a visit to Washington State, but otherwise, what I'm hearing is he is likely dropping to a smaller school to play QB and try to ascend back to P4 down the road. Pitt was his only P4 offer out of Penn Hills.

Cole Gonzales helps Pitt as an experienced QB who can be a backup. He played at Western Carolina (for Kade Bell and his dad) before going to Oklahoma for one year. He knows the Kade Bell offense and provides good experience in the event that Holstein goes down. I have to think there still may be some lingering health items with Holstein if they were able to attract Gonzales, although I have not heard anything to suggest that. QBs 1-3 of Holstein, Gonzales, and Heintschel in 2025 is far superior to Holstein, Nate Yarnell, and Ty Deffienbach of 2024.

That's a pretty good synopsis.

Part of the Dugger situation might be that the WPIAL is no longer producing much top talent beyond the offspring of Steelers. I wonder how degree that played into Devin Whitlock transferring from Pitt to IUP. Whitlock was one of the more heralded WPIAL recruits the last couple years and seemed poised to become the local star at Pitt. I've always suspected of SWPA overvaluing WPIAL talent (especially now with a shallower divisional structure).

[IUP24]

Interesting development over the weekend at Pitt, with promising QB Julian Dugger entering the transfer portal. The Panthers also signed Oklahoma QB transfer Cole Gonzales.

Dugger (Penn Hills) showed a lot of flash in Pitt's bowl game. It will be interesting to see where he lands.

From what I'm being told, Dugger's father felt he should be an FBS starting quarterback this fall. He fell to third on the depth chart after Heintschel passed him up. When it was clear he wasn't going to play, he transferred. He supposedly has a visit to Washington State, but otherwise, what I'm hearing is he is likely dropping to a smaller school to play QB and try to ascend back to P4 down the road. Pitt was his only P4 offer out of Penn Hills.

Cole Gonzales helps Pitt as an experienced QB who can be a backup. He played at Western Carolina (for Kade Bell and his dad) before going to Oklahoma for one year. He knows the Kade Bell offense and provides good experience in the event that Holstein goes down. I have to think there still may be some lingering health items with Holstein if they were able to attract Gonzales, although I have not heard anything to suggest that. QBs 1-3 of Holstein, Gonzales, and Heintschel in 2025 is far superior to Holstein, Nate Yarnell, and Ty Deffienbach of 2024.