Alex Karabin Gets Scholarship

As expected, starting center Alex Karabin got his scholarship today, according to Associate AD E.J. Borghetti (via Twitter):

Congratulations to 5th-year senior walk-on center Alex Karabin. Received scholarship today!

Karabin, understandably, was pleased:

"I guess I was expecting it, but I'm still a little bit surprised," Karabin said. "It's nice to see it actually come through. It means a lot."

As I mentioned before, you've got to find a way to get a starter a scholarship. Khaynin Mosley-Smith's misfortune was Karabin's gain as Mosley-Smith's academic issues opened up the scholarship.

He's seen his share of guys start ahead of him over the years and rather than go to the service academies that offered him a scholarship, he chose to walk-on at Pitt. It's got to be hard to motivate yourself at times when you're putting in the same amount of work as others, but not reaping all of the awards. Karabin talked about staying motivated in Sunday's PG piece:

College football also is filled with walk-ons, but only a select few are good enough to earn starting positions. Karabin is now one of the few, but he had to endure constant competition as the coaching staff continually brought in scholarship players to challenge him. He most recently beat out Lippert, a converted defensive lineman.

"As a walk-on, you can't really slack off," Karabin said. "You have to go out there every day and get better every day. As long as the coaches see that, it helps out a lot. It's not like you ever really get mad about it. It's more like motivation. You say to yourself, 'I have to get better.'

Karabin is part of an offensive line with three new starters. The offensive line will largely determine Pitt's success this year and I'm glad Pitt was able to take care of him.

Mosley-Smith Ineligible

Freshman DT Khaynin Mosley-Smith was ruled academically ineligible. Rivals has the low-down and t apparently stems from an online course he took:

Mosley-Smith, 6'2" 295, enrolled at Pitt this summer after graduating from Woodland Hills High School. On Thursday, WPXI in Pittsburgh reported that the NCAA was investigating the participation of several Woodland Hills students in Passkey, an online course program.

"They rejected the class, so if [Mosley-Smith and his family] appeal it, which I'm sure they will, that takes time," Wannstedt said. Classes for Pitt's fall term begin on Monday, August 30th.

Mosley-Smith is a local kid (Woodland Hills) and was a three-star recruit last year. He likely would have redshirted this year anyway and he's had a tough go of things with his family life:

• Why the hyphenated last name? My mom and father wanted me to have both of their names so it's hyphenated. I get asked that a lot. But my father [Kendall Mosley] passed when I was 10 years old. He was murdered.

• How hard has it been to grow up without a father? My mom has always been strict. That's what has motivated me more than ever. I have six other brothers and sisters, and I feel like I have to be the one to someday get my mom out of the struggle. That's one of the real reasons I wanted the scholarship. I'll be the first one in my family going to college.

Hopefully he can find his way back into the program. Anyone that likes Cinnamon Toast Crunch and can throw back 40 wings is okay with me.