One of the reasons that Henry Hynoski reportedly left school early was because he wasn't sure how he'd fit in Todd Graham's new system. Like the fullback position, there are questions of how much a tight end will fit as well.
That apparently has Brock DeCicco thinking that maybe he should head elsewhere. With Dorin Dickerson and Mike Cruz around, DeCicco hadn't played much yet. But with both players gone, he was hoping to get on the field in 2011.
The other factor in all of this is the transfer of Hubie Graham. With Graham on board and with two years of eligibility, that could cut greatly into DeCicco's playing time.
So, where's he headed if he does decide to go?
Well, the first time around, DeCicco reportedly had several offers from schools including: UConn, Cincinnati, Rutgers, Iowa, Tennessee, Maryland, Wisconsin, and, ironically, Illinois - the school that Hubie Graham transferred from. I don't see Pitt letting him transfer in-conference, so that would knock out the first three schools. But in all actuality, the latter schools might be his biggest targets, anyway.
Pitt, unsurprisingly, isn't saying anything:
"Brock DeCicco has been excused from practice for personal reasons. We will respectfully decline to comment on his situation until there has been a change in his status."
I totally understand where DeCicco is coming from. I'd love to see him stick around, but if he decides to go, I'd understand. The fit in Todd Graham's offense is one thing, but with Hubie Graham on board, there's more competition for what could be a small amount of plays. Sure, there's bound to be competition wherever DeCicco could go, but he'll likely be trying to find a more conventional offense where the tight end is going to be utilized more often.