Up at 4:45 am, leave at 5:30 and arrive at Heinz Field at 8:45 am, sounds like a schedule for the guys who are headed somewhere in life. That’s what we did Saturday to visit the University of Pittsburgh. My super Sophomore QB Mark Waid from Girard HS in Girard, Ohio and 2 of my awesome Sophomore WRs Cameron Phillips from Westerville Central, Westerville, Ohio  and Mershawn Riceof Reynoldsburg HS, Reynoldsburg, Ohio were invited to a spring practice where the three rivers meet in beautiful downtown Pittsburgh. I must admit, I have been to a lot of D1 places in the country and coached at several but I was totally impressed by the entire experience and the facilities, coaching staff and the food. I think after all the comments, so did all the boys enjoy it.  The next day Mark texted me and said, “Thank you for yesterday!   I had an amazing time!† “The place was awesome!â€Â I think all 3 guys and their Dad’s felt the same way.
It sure didn’t hurt, that we were not only on the field where the Pittsburgh Steelers play, but ate from the same cafeteria with the same chef, and visited the practice fields where both the University of Pittsburgh and the Steelers practice daily and some days at the same time.  Their coaching staff, form head coach Pat Narduzzi, to our recruiting coordinator and offensive line coach John Peterson, to WR coach Tim Salem, to my good friend and awesome offensive coordinator Shawn Watson,couldn’t have done more to make the kids welcome and it would not surprise me at all if we see three offers before the summer is out.
My outstanding WR Kory Taylor, from Hilliard Bradley, Hilliard, Ohio also visited Pitt on Thursday last week as he came back from the East where he visited several major programs including Yale of the Ivy League. We are very proud of him as well and look forward to an outstanding senior year for the Panthers.
Between the upcoming Senior and Junior classes, we will have some incredible D1 players and we are very excited about this upcoming year. We are blessed.
Photo: Left to right, Mershawn, Mark and Cameron outside Art Rooney’s office in Heinz Field.
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