Football: Pitt opens training camp

Pitt’s head football coach Todd Graham set high expectations for his first year at a press… Pitt’s head football coach Todd Graham set high expectations for his first year at a press conference Monday. After taking over a troubled program and shaking up its football philosophy, he’s aiming to take the Big East, then a BCS Bowl.

“I came here to win a championship,” Graham said at Pitt’s media day and first day of training camp. “We talked about it as a staff. When we looked at the opportunity to come to Pittsburgh, it’s the City of Champions. It’s pretty obvious that people expect to win championships here.”

Pitt hired Graham in January to replace Michael Haywood, who was hired and then fired shortly after replacing Dave Wannstedt. Graham, who coached at Tulsa last season, will change Pitt from a pro-style offense to a no-huddle system that will often place redshirt junior quarterback Tino Sunseri in the shotgun.

In order to help with the adjustments, the Panthers started player-led workouts this summer. In June, Sunseri said that’s something the team never did before. Now, the Panthers will put the final touches on their preparation for the season during August’s training camp.

Graham said that this season—with his coaching staff and the players on the roster—is the best opportunity he’s had as a football coach. He said the team bought in to what he’s trying to bring to the program, mainly what he calls high-octane football — a slogan now plastered on advertisements around the city and a web site of the same name.

Last season at Tulsa, Graham’s offense averaged 505.6 yards per game and 41.4 points per game. The Golden Hurricanes ranked fifth in the country in total offense. In 2007 and 2008, Tulsa led the country in total offense.

During the summer, the Panthers worked on learning the system and boosting their conditioning with player-led workouts.

“We had a great summer program,” Graham said. “We got a lot done. We were able to do conditioning that we were doing during our last year at Tulsa. We were able to that at one year here These guys really made a big commitment.”

Pitt running back Ray Graham said the summer workouts started the Panthers toward reaching level of conditioning needed for the no-huddle system.

“Our conditioning is at a crazy level now,” Ray Graham said. “Coach [Shawn Griswold] worked us hard. He pushed us to a limit that we didn’t think we could go to. That’s going to be the main key.”

But Ray Graham said the players still have work to do in order to achieve the necessary level of conditioning.

“I don’t want to say we’re at the point, but we have a high percentage of it,” Graham said. “We need this camp to get things really ready.”

Other than conditioning, protecting the football is another important factor in running Todd Graham’s system effectively. Redshirt junior quarterback Tino Sunseri said that the coaches preach that every time the Panthers turn the ball over, it’s five less plays they get to run. He said that while Pitt scored last season, the team didn’t score enough.

“In this type of offense, you want to be able to make plays,” Sunseri said. “You want to be able to run the offense and put some pressure on the [opponent’s] defense.”

Ray Graham said the players have mostly bought into Todd Graham’s system, adding that they’re “not actually all the way dialed up, but [are] getting dialed up as the practices go along.”

The players in key roles have really accepted the system, Todd Graham said. Graham added that about 70-75 percent of the players grasp it and the rest seem to be waiting to see if this is how he’s really going to run the football team.

“It’s not negotiable what our philosophy is going to be,” Todd Graham said. “I really like this football team because I believe that these guys have opened their hearts up. I believe we’ve built trust which makes us dangerous.

“I believe in relationship. I believe that if you make somebody do something, they’re only going to accomplish so much. If you inspire them, then you have a chance.”

Sunseri said as a quarterback, he takes on a natural leadership role in helping other players learn and accept the system.

“I have to go out there and be a vocal leader and set the standard,” Sunseri said.

“I understand that what I need to do.”

Overall, the adjustment to the new coaching staff has gone well, Ray Graham said.

“It’s been good,” he said. “On and off the field, they’re very helpful. They want to win and they’re very excited about the season. We’re trying to win the Big East, we’re trying to win a BCS bowl. Coach preaches that all the time, it’s time to it now. You can only talk so long.”

Todd Graham said he is looking forward to the team’s goal of being champions. He said from the moment the coaching staff and the team got together, they’ve worked with a sense of urgency.

“We’ve gotten better every single day, first as people then as football players,” Graham said. “We’re really satisfied with the progress we’ve made this summer, not just on the football field as far as training but also the classroom and guys understanding their standards.”

Notes:

-Sophomore outside linebacker Bryan Murphy was declared academically ineligible to play this season and will redshirt. Murphy, enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences, played in six games last season and lettered.

“It’s very disappointing for him and for our team, but he’ll red shirt and he’ll work and help our team,” Todd Graham said. “There’s no such thing as sitting out here. Everyday you’re getting better and you’re working hard every single day. We’d like to have him, but we’re moving forward and I feel good about the guys we got.”

-Redshirt sophomore Kevin Adams moved from playing outside linebacker to playing the h-back position for the offense. The h-back is hybrid of a fullback and a tight end.

-Injured senior Dan Mason and redshirt freshman Derrick Burns aren’t participating in practice.

“They’re working hard and making improvements to get back everyday,” Graham said.

-The NCAA denied North Carolina transfer Branden Felder a waiver. At this point, the wide receiver won’t be eligible to play this season. Redshirt sophomore Devin Street, redshirt junior Mike Shanahan and redshirt junior Cameron Saddler will lead Pitt at receiver this season.

-Following surgery, incoming freshman running back Steve Williams will redshirt this season.