Things couldn’t get much worse for Pitt basketball these days, even with the buzz surrounding the hire of former Duke assistant Jason Capel.
Capel arrives in the Steel City at a time when the Pitt program is not only at the bottom of the ACC. He arrives without a full compliment of players, with a checked-out fan base, and with a variety of hurdles to overcome on the recruiting trail.
Roster uncertainty
Numerous players have asked for releases from their scholarship to Pitt in order to look around coming off the termination of Kevin Stallings. The list includes Ryan Luther, Marcus Carr, Parker Stewart, Malik Ellison, Khameron Davis, and Terrell Brown. Shamiel Stevenson and Jared Wilson-Frame have annouced they will be staying at Pittsburgh for the 2018-19 season.
Just how rough could it be next year in Capel’s first season at Pitt?
For starters, the Panthers may only have eight or fewer scholarship players. That is, unless Capel makes some late moves for JUCOs or transfers, or a few of the Pitt players who have asked for releases decide to come back to the Panthers. Capel may have no choice but to try and add a few additional bodies however he can.
Stevenson and Wilson-Frame gives Capel a foundation to start with. Wilson-Frame emerged as Pitt’s leading scorer, averaging 13 points per game, while Stevenson was in the top five on the Panthers in scoring (8.5 ppg). But Luther, Carr, and Stewart were three of Pitt’s other five leading scorers.
Luther was averaging a double-double before suffering a season-ending injury, while Carr and Stewart combined to average better than 19 points per contest. Schools are coming from all over to pursue Carr, as Minnesota, Ohio State, Texas, and Marquette have all reportedly reached out.
Recruiting focus
The odds are high that Pitt will have a large 2019 signing class. The Panthers had already extended over twenty scholarship offers before Stallings was terminated. Pitt offers will be flying this summer, as the Pitt staff evaluates prospects across the country. And with Capel on board, the Panthers are positioned to have a better chance with some of the prospects they’ll be targeting.
Capel’s ability to recruit is well-known. He lured Blake Griffin to Oklahoma before returning to Duke and helping the Blue Devils land Brandon Ingram, Harry Giles, Wendell Carter, Marvin Bagley, Trevon Duval, and numerous others. On the other hand, Kevin Stallings was never regarded as a dynamic recruiter, either at Vanderbilt or Pitt.
Capel is a younger, more energetic coach with an excellent pedigree. Although he won’t have nearly the success rate at Pitt that he had with elite prospects at Duke, it shouldn’t take too long before Capel has talent flowing again through the Panther program.
Next season will be a rough go for the Panthers. A second straight winless season in ACC play isn’t out of the question. But once Capel can get some of his own players in, things should begin to turn around.
Hear more: David Glenn on Pitt Basketball: “Jeff Capel has proven that he can run a program”