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Stephen Thompson's Pitt sports chat: 03.31.26
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Stephen Thompson
1:01
Good afternoon everyone and welcome to another Pitt sports live chat. Lots of questions already locked and loaded so there's no time to waste.
gary.oshell
1:02
Stephen....Any word on whether Jackson, the big man lost for all of last season, is seeking another year of eligibility?
Stephen Thompson
1:03
I can answer this one from Gray very quickly: I've have been told my a very reliable source that there is no chance Dishon Jackson is at Pitt next season. The Panthers will have to look for another starting big man as part of their offseason recruiting.
Mr Ed
1:04
Will Pitt  have a viable backup QB this season that if called into action could be trusted to run most of the offensive game plan effectively or will there likely  be a big drop off in performance?
Stephen Thompson
1:05
Good question, Mr. Ed. And timely, given that Pat Narduzzi talked about this earlier today. He said there's a four-way battle for the backup spot right now between Holden Geriner, Beau Jackson and the two freshmen, Angelo Renda and Corey Dailey. I'd suspect Narduzzi has a leader in the clubhouse but he's not tipping his hand.

If Pitt had to play a game tomorrow, I'd guess Geriner would be the backup because of his age, but as time wears on and the freshmen get better integrated to the system and program, it'd probably be one of them. The reality is that none of those four quarterbacks outside of Heintschel have real game experience, so it would be reasonable to expect a more significant drop off in play than there would have been going from Heintschel to say, Eli Holstein.

But remember Heintschel didn't have any experience when he stepped in, either. You never know what you're going to get with freshmen quarterbacks.
H2P DC
1:08
I'm not at all concerned about Brandon Cummings entering the portal. Should I be? And what do you think his market will be considering how much playing time he lost to injury?
Stephen Thompson
1:10
I want to pick my words carefully here, H2P DC, because Cummings is a talented player who buoyed Pitt's offense at important moments during his two years as a Panther. But he was also, much more often, a ball-stopper who's ability to make tough shots often led to him taking lots of tough shots. To that end, I wouldn't be terribly concerned about Pitt turning over much of last year's roster to make room for either more talented players, or ones that fit their system better.

I'd expect Cummings is talented enough to garner some interest from some higher end mid-majors in the Atlantic 10, Mountain West or American. I doubt the injury changes much for him.
gary.oshell
1:11
Stephen...I think either you, or Abby, wrote that there were rumblings that Cummings would transfer. Have you heard anything about such intentions with any other key players?
Stephen Thompson
1:12
We had not heard anything specific, but Cummings and Papa Kante's transfer moves didn't come as much of a surprise. Outside of Roman Siulepa, it wouldn't shock me to see anyone transfer, though Omari Witherspoon and Nojus Indrusaitis should be two players the Panthers prioritize retaining.
JR
1:12
After sitting out last season is Jackson expected to play at full strength this next season?
Stephen Thompson
1:13
I have no knowledge of Jackson's current health or what his plans are for next season, other than that he certainly won't be playing at Pitt.
Mike
1:15
Was Ronald Roman the only other qualified person to be an asst. coach? I don't know if I like that pick. What kind of recruiting ties does he have
Stephen Thompson
1:18
Based on a few conversations I've had since news of Ramon's hiring, I've learned he's a coach well regarded for his grasp of schematic concepts who's been gradually moving up the ranks of Division I coaching. He's also someone Jeff Capel trusts after spending two years on the coaching staff at Pitt.

I can't speak to what other candidates Pitt was considering, but I'm also not sure what about Ramon's resume would suggest he's not qualified for this job.
gary.oshell
1:18
Stephen......I see the notice for the Cummings transfer. Surprised? I can't remember the correct spelling of his name, but doesn't last year's transfer from Iowa State make the loss easier to take?
Stephen Thompson
1:18
They still need to retain Nojus Indrusaitis, the transfer you're referring to, but he would be one piece of the puzzle. The Panthers would have to add more from the portal to help account for Cummings' decision to leave.
Bruce
1:19
Good afternoon Stephen! Lots of comings and goings at Pitt this week. What are your impressions of Robin Harmony? I caught her interview with Josh Rowntree and I was very impressed. She certainly sounds like she knows how to build a program and her resume is very impressive!
Stephen Thompson
1:24
I agree Bruce -- everyone about her past experience indicates she's someone who knows how to get a program off the ground and, despite their being a limited history of success in women's basketball at Pitt, it will be no small feat to get the program back to a competitive state.

In meeting Harmony last week, she struck me as confident and pragmatic. She's not necessarily a huge fan of the transfer portal and all the money flying around college sports now, but appreciates their importance. From a basketball standpoint, she has a modern philosophy in line with how the game has evolved in recent years.

It has all the makings of a good hire, but, of course, she has to put it all together on the court before we can pass any definitive judgements.
demosthenes98
1:24
The Pitt softball team got off to a 13-6 start but is only 4-8 in the ACC.  Water finding its level, or a young team finding its way?
Stephen Thompson
1:27
I'd say it looks more like water finding its level. Pitt has lost two of its four ACC series to date, both by way of sweeps to top-20 opponents in Stanford and Virginia. But the Panthers won both series played against unranked opponents, Boston College and Notre Dame. It's tough to compete at the top of the ACC and Pitt is probably right where you'd expect it to be at this point in the season. They end the season with four straight series against unranked teams, so there will be chances to stack victories before the ACC championships in early May.
Mike
1:27
Do you think this is Kade Bell do or die year with his system he brought in?
Stephen Thompson
1:28
The Panthers can and should expect improvements, but Kade Bell is not "on the hot seat," if that's what you're asking.
Bruce
1:32
One more question regarding Coach Harmony, I watched her introductory presser online, and it appears that she is bringing her entire staff from Charleston to Pitt with her. Is that the case? I actually like it. Also a dog and two cats..
Stephen Thompson
1:33
Two of her assistants from Charleston were in attendance for her introductory press conference. I'm not sure how big her staff was at Charleston, but at this point, I would anticipate they are the only ones joining her.
Mr Ed
1:33
Jay Kuntz is supposed to be integral to Pitt’s portal efforts. I don’t know anything about him personally. What does his role exactly entail? Is he a knowledgeable BB guy that can scout talent or more that he has a lot of contacts and is getting the inside scoop on what players will be entering portal and who Pitt might have a chance at?
Stephen Thompson
1:37
His role is more concerned with the financial side of things. Kuntz's primary job is helping Pitt determine how to allocate its limited resources. But he is also keeps tabs on prospects throughout the season, so coaches can focus on coaching. At the end of the day, the coaches need to identify which kinds players best fit what they want to do on the court and it's Kuntz job to find them players that fit the desired mold and realistic budget.

If you'd like to learn more, someone wrote a nice profile of Kuntz in the Post-Gazette last October. I'd encourage you to track that one down. And be on the lookout for more from Kuntz via Abby Schnable's pen in the near future.
Michael
1:39
Why didn’t it work with Beebee Cummings? Big Pitt family and a decent player
Stephen Thompson
1:41
Looking back on Cummings' Pitt tenure, he never carved out a set role for himself. He could get hot quickly, but was a streaky shooter. And he wasn't a good enough playmaker or defender to justify time on the floor when he wasn't shooting well. He swung between the starting lineup and the bench so often, it was clear Pitt didn't quite know where to fit him in.
Michael
1:41
Why no love for Pitt baseball? They are doing great things this year
Stephen Thompson
1:43
You must have missed Abby Schnable's feature on them from a couple of weeks ago! High-powered offense had not been a trademark of Mike Bell teams past, but home runs are fueling the best Pitt team he's fielded to date.
Bruce
1:44
One more observation from Coach Harmony's presser. I noticed that Allan Greene said something to him effect that Pitt isn't going to outspend anybody. I understand that's the case but I don't think that I have heard it verbalized before.
Stephen Thompson
1:44
That made my ears perk up too, Bruce. Pitt can and will outspend some folks, but I wouldn't expect significant investment in women's basketball until Harmony proves she can make the program more competitive with the resources it has now.
Michael
1:44
Can we expect more foreign basketball recruits this next season
Stephen Thompson
1:45
I'm inclined to say yes, largely because they can be a cheap way for college basketball teams to acquire high level talent. St. Mary's and Illinois are good examples of this.
JuniataKid
1:52
Will D1 college sports ever go to something like an age limit? Some of these guys are getting close to claiming social security.
Stephen Thompson
1:55
At this point, any meaningful limits on eligibility in college sports seem to be a long way off. A collective bargaining agreement and employment status for athletes increasingly looks like the only feasible way to implement any kinds of guardrails on compensation and eligibility.
John Capel
1:59
Hi Stephen-As a member of the press do you find it odd that Pitt hasn't officially released any statements (either from the administration or Coach Capel) regarding the firing and hiring of assistant basketball coaches? Maybe I missed it but usually there is some fluff piece from the coach stating how excited they are to have Ramon on board. Is this normal?
Stephen Thompson
2:00
It's not out of the realm of possibility that Pitt is waiting until both assistant coaching spots have been filled before making official announcements. If I remember correctly, the football team operated the same way with their assistant coaching hires this offseason.
2:01
That's all the time we have for this live chat. It sure was lively. Thanks for all of your questions and I'll see you next time.
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