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Pitt Football Recruiting: Delvon Simmons Leaves UNC

By CardiacHill
Will Todd Graham have a chance at Delvon Simmons this time around? (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
Will Todd Graham have a chance at Delvon Simmons this time around? (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
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Five-star recruit Delvon Simmons out of McKeesport was one of the big fish on Pitt's football recruiting radar this year. Todd Graham couldn't land him and he headed to North Carolina.

Now, a short time after he signed with the Tarheels, they're releasing him from his commitment and he's leaving and looking at options again.

 

North Carolina was apparently cool with Delvon looking elsewhere:

"We have granted Delvon Simmons his release and allowed him to pursue other options," head coach Butch Davis told reporters Wednesday prior to Carolina’s first spring practice.

Lots of credit to UNC for allowing him out of his LOI...though, in reality, I don't know why you'd want a kid there who absolutely didn't want to be there.

Still, don't expect him to head to Pitt. His two favorites, according to Rivals are Texas Tech and USC. Iowa, Oregon, and Rutgers are possibly on the fringe. Pitt (along with about a dozen schools) is on their list of 'No Interest' schools. As of the time of this post, Scout doesn't have an update on his player page yet with possibilities.

So why the reason for the switch? The Sporting News theorizes that it may have been the result of a coach leaving the program:

Though neither party has confirmed that it was the primary motive for the request to be released, defensive line coach Brian Baker's acceptance of a job in the NFL last month may have had a lot to do with the player's change of heart. Many times, a position coach can have as much to do with a player's decision as the school's tradition or academics.

Simmons' high school coach at McKeesport isn't offering anything up...at least right now:

"All I can say is that we've requested his release from his letter of intent," McKeesport (Pa.) head coach Jim Ward said this week. "The situation has to play itself out before we get to that point. I don¹t want to comment further about that until later."

I'm a little surprised Pitt isn't listed as at least a low possibility. It seemed like they were still at least a long-shot to land him on the day of his announcement.

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