Andrew Taglianetti, a star tailback and defensive back for WPIAL and PIAA Class AAAA champion Pittsburgh Central Catholic, likely will play safety for the Pittsburgh Panthers. But he won't make a contribution until at least 2009.
Despite rushing for 1,161 yards on 103 carries with 12 touchdowns, catching passes for 420 more and five touchdowns, as well as earning player of the year honors, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Taglianetti has accepted a grayshirt from Pitt with the hope that he'll be able to bulk up under Buddy Morris' tutelage.
As a grayshirt, Taglianetti will sign a letter-of-intent next week, but he will not join the Pitt football team until January, 2009 and will still be a freshman -- and eligible to redshirt -- in the fall, 2009 season.
Taglianetti is the son of former Penguins defenseman Peter Taglianetti and will play in the Big 33 game in June.
Taglianetti's teammate at Central Catholic, quarterback Tino Sunseri, has also committed to Pitt and is expected to sign with the Panthers Feb. 6.
Bill Stewart and his new staff at West Virginia have come out with their guns blazing as they landed four prospects over the past week. The action started with JUCO safety Courtney Stuart from Phoenix, Arizona. University Heights (Ohio) Cleveland Heights defensive end Corey Freeman pledged a day later. The undersized Freeman will likely settle into the Bandit or Spur position on defense for the Mountianeers.
The Mountianeers then landed three-star linebacker Bernard Smith from Mays High in Atlanta, Georgia. They then topped of the week by landing another junior college transfer in defensive tackle D.J. Shaw from Copiah-Lincoln in Wesson, Mississippi.
Teddy Jennings
|
|
Listed in the Scout.com data base as Edward Jennings Jr., made some confused when everyone else called him Teddy. But that didn’t matter as long as college coaches knew of his ability and desire to play at the college level.
Teddy Jennings-Farmer of Dayton Chaminade Julienne High School (Ohio) has picked up interest from the likes of Nebraska, Pittsburgh and Ohio University. This past weekend the 6-foot-6, 212-pound future defensive end visited Connecticut and came away impressed enough to give his verbal commitment to head coach Randy Edsall.
“I really liked how the coaching staff was very honest and upfront about everything. Coach Dave McMichael is from the Dayton area and he was my main recruiter. With all the new facilities and the way the team played I’ve very excited about being part of the Huskies program.”
While the official visit took him over the top, it was the in-school visit by the staff that really got the ball rolling in the right direction.
“The coaches came to my school and last Tuesday and that was really neat.”
Rutgers added to their already talented class by adding a pair of post-graduate players to the roster Keith Stroud and Khaseem Green. Stroud pledged to the Scarlet Knights earlier in the year, but was considered as a soft verbal until he confirmed his intentions. The talented wide receiver from Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia.
Green, is an under-the-radar safety from Avon, Connecticut who could press for playing time right away.