Pitt FB Recruiting
Pitt Loses Commitment From 2023 3-Star WR Zion Fowler
Zion Fowler and Kenny Minchey were Pitt’s first two commits in the class of 2023, an athletic three-star wide receiver and a rising four-star quarterback, but now both have officially decommitted from the university.
Minchey announced his decommitment earlier this week, much to the chagrin of Pitt fans, and Fowler announced his decommitment tonight via Twitter.
“First, I would like to thank Pitt, coach Narduzzi, and staff for recruiting and developing a personal relationship with me and my family,” he wrote on Twitter. “Thank you to the Pitt fans who have been a great support throughout my recruitment. After difficult discussions with my family, I will be decommitting from Pitt and opening up my recruitment.”
In gods hands now 💯 pic.twitter.com/aujYnUn2qo
— Zion Fowler ✞ (@CantGuardZion) November 18, 2022
Fowler, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound wide receiver fro St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City, New Jersey, committed to Pitt over a year ago, back on Oct. 26, 2021, and he made his official visit to Pittsburgh over the summer. Former receivers coach Brennan Marion recruited him, but he expressed his excitement at working with Frank Cignetti Jr. and Tiquan Underwood.
“(Cignetti) told me that he’s going to do his best to make me the best player that I can be,” Fowler told PSN in January. “Plus, with the addition of Coach Underwood now coming to Pitt, getting to know I’ll be able to learn from both of them, that will make me an even better receiver.
“I’m very pleased to know that I’m going to be coached by two guys that have coached before in the NFL, plus someone like Coach Underwood who’s also played in the league, I’m going to get the best of both worlds.”
He committed to Pitt back when he only held offers from Pitt, Virginia Tech and Massachusetts, but he picked up offers from Louisville, Michigan State, Syracuse, Duke in the months that followed. And he will now play his college football somewhere other than Pitt.
The loss of Fowler, following three-star wide receiver Daidren Zipperer’s decommitment in October, leaves just two wide receivers in the class of 2023 — three-stars Kenny Johnson (York, Pennsylvania) and Lamar Seymore (Miami, Florida).
With just under a month until National Signing Day, Pitt’s coaching staff is now in a pinch when it comes to landing any more receivers in the class — and ensuring that the two currently in the class remain committed to Pitt.
Actually I’m sort of happy to see this at this point. Instead of Narduzzi BSing through the next few seasons and bloviating about his nonsense, just tear the thing down now, fire Narduzzi after next season, and move on.
U my friend are a nitter
Great reply for anyone that disagrees with you. Sorry, but nope. Just call it like I see it, good and bad. Season ticket holder. Narduzzi has one good season and he’s some sort of legend? Look at his body of work. It’s not too bad. Not too great. Show me signature wins. He’s in year 8 I believe. Sure, he brought stability to the program. That’s great. But look at his record. Average most seasons. Gets blown out by good teams. (Remember going for the FG against ND?) Last season lined up nicely with a down ACC and a generational… Read more »
How do you define success? If it is solely win-loss record than your point is valid. If this is the definition of success then we should hire one of these type of coaches and forget about a program with integrity. I am a proud graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. I have been following Pitt football since the early 1970’s. I am impressed, confident and proud with where Pitt football is now and the direction Pat Narduzzi have Pitt football headed. Pitt’s glory days were formed with the “bullies in the trenches.” I remember Jimbo Covert, Russ Grimm, Bill Fralic… Read more »
You act like winning at pitt happens every year and is easy. Nobody has won at pitt since 1980. Narduzzi isn’t great nor a legend, but the chance of getting better than him is very slim, More than likely pitt football will turn into pitt basketball if they get rid of Narduzzi. I’m sure you were leading the charge to run Dixon out of town as well. If you want to root for a team that gets 5 stars at will and wins every year then go root for Ohio st, If your going to be a pitt fan then… Read more »
Signature wins?
How about Clemson and Penn State? Wake Forest and West Virginia this year. North Carolina.
Miami
Duke, 2022?
Typical Nardog nonsense.
WVU this year a signature win? Have you seen their record? UNC just lost to GA Tech. The Clemson and PSU wins were how long ago?
Yes a year after winning a championship and being the most successful coach in 40 years we should fire him lol F-ing Pitt fans.
He’s a niter. Ignore him.
Maybe now Narduzzi will realize Cignetti is a disaster. Players know.
Shocked. Not!
The insistence on playing Slovis plus the less than stella play by the receivers, Makes PITT look less than exciting to these kids. I still don’t blame Cignetti.
When will Narduzzi wake up and realize the problem is Cignetti? Players know.
Let me get this straight, some people want to tear it apart and dismantle a program that after the season would have won 19-20 games in two years… at PITT. I understand why a 4* QB and a talented WR would want to play elsewhere after watching this “aerial attack “ Pitt’s offense has displayed this year. But as far as a head coach, who are you going to get better to not only come to PITT but actually want to be here and not use PITT as a stepping stone. I, like many people can’t stand Narduzzi at times… Read more »
Narduzzi is a good HC that many programs would love to have. He made a big error on Cignetti. Fix it and move on.
Narduzzi is not a great head coach. He’s average at best. He runs offensive coordinators out of town because he thinks he’s in the Big Ten where they just run the ball every play. He’s afraid to play a modern style of offense and afraid to change with the times. Like I said, up until last year and this year he’s been average. No team will want an average head coach.
Listen the 2021 season was special a Heisman finalist and the best WR in the country but that was a bright spot in the long long history of being average and mediocre. Signing these average recruits is not going to recapture the magic of 2021.
Someone at Pitt needs to see what student athletes “hosted” these recruits during their on campus visits, just to rule out any internal bad-mouthing of the progam. Not saying there is a problem, but it should be easy to eliminate a potential one.