Pitt first to offer rugged NJ running back

Pitt head coach Paul Chryst is known for his ‘ground and pound’ Pro-Style offense.  For his offense to flourish on the football field, it’s imperative that Panthers stock their roster with large, rugged running backs.  A few weeks ago, they offered an early scholarship to a great prospect out of the state of New Jersey.

“I got on a conference call with the Pitt coaches.  My teammate Daiquan Kelly was on with me.  They told me they wanted to offer me a scholarship,” stated Union City (NJ) running back Tamaine Boyd (6-foot, 235 pounds).  “They want Daiquan and me to go to Pitt as a package deal.  It was very exciting.”

“The offer came out of nowhere.  It was really exciting.  The Pitt coaches want both of us to visit in the near future.  Daiquan is my best friend.  We’re like brothers.  It would be great to play together.”

Kelly visited Pitt on junior day.  He relayed his experience to Body upon return.  “Daiquan told me he really liked the campus.  He fell in love with the school and it felt like home.”

Boyd is rare combination of size and speed.  At nearly 240 pounds he’s capable of running a 4.5 forty-yard dash.  As a junior, Tamaine rushed for 1,440 yards and scored 24 touchdowns.

Tamaine has elicited interest from a number of schools including Rutgers, Miami (FL), Massachusetts, Temple, Duke, East Carolina, Syracuse and Ohio State.  Pitt has been the only school to extend a scholarship offer.

When asked about his strengths as a running back, he stated, “I run with a lot of power.  I’m a downhill runner with a lot of speed.  I can go through a defender and around them.”

“That first offer meant a lot to me,” he said.  “It showed me that Pitt thinks very highly of me and their early offer is proof of that.”