Alston reacts to Wannstedts departure

As if Quinton Alston hadn't had a difficult enough senior season at Sicklerville (N.J.) Timber Creek, Tuesday's news that Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt will no longer be serving in the role he has held was just more bad news for the prospect.

The three-star recruit from the Garden State is echoing some of the other comments from Pitt recruits that have been reached today.

"It's a difficult situation and I understand that everything happens for a reason, but at this time I'm just trying to find out what that reason is.

"I'm staying strong with Pitt until I get all the details. I'm going to try to stay in contact with the coaches until I find out exactly what's going on.

"I do have to say that the door opens a little bit with coach Wannstedt leaving. I've just got to find out what the hell is going on. We'll see how it turns out. That's why I'm probably not going to be giving many direct answers," he concluded.

The 6-foot-1, 218-pound linebacker said he will be talking things over with his parents and his head coach in the days ahead.

"Coach Wannstedt and coach (Bernard) Clark were two of the major reasons I picked Pitt. Since coach Wannstedt isn't going to be there anymore I'm not sure if coach Clark is going to be there. Over the recruiting process I got closer and closer to coach Clark. I started thinking of him as family. He's basically a mirror image of my uncle. They've got similar personalities.

"I can't lie and say it's not heartbreaking because I probably won't be able to play for coach Clark. I was so close to him. They were two very big factors."

Alston missed almost all of his season because of injuries and while he performed well in a playoff performance it was in a losing effort and the season ended abruptly.

He admits it was a frustrating season and he said this just makes it even more difficult.

"All of us commits are close," he said. "I've talked to a lot of them and we're in shock, basically. It came out of nowhere. I've been wearing my Pitt hat and just repping my school. Everybody's still congratulating me and it just came out of nowhere. We're just sitting back and trying to get all the details. But as of right now I'm staying strong with Pitt."