With the departure of Dave Wannstedt, Pitt stands to lose some big name recruits. But that could be nothing compared to losing the guy who's recruited some of them - Jeff Hafley. Hafley is apparently leaving Pitt to go to Rutgers. It was expected that new coach, Mike Haywood, would change most of the staff. Still, it would have been nice to keep Hafley around. He was the key recruiter in landing New Jersey talent such as Dion Lewis and Bill Belton. Pitt had landed several New Jersey stars recently and while Hafley's departure doesn't mean Pitt won't be able to get more talent in that state, it could be harder.
↵Hafley's departure hurts all the more considering he's going to Rutgers - which, along with Penn State, is the very school that Pitt is competing against for top recruits.
↵One area that Pitt won't likely miss Hafley in is his coaching. That's not to say that he can't be a decent coach, but as the leader of the secondary, he oversaw a unit that was one of Pitt's worst. But overall, the Panthers could have an uphill battle in finding an adequate replacement for Hafley.