Khem Birch’s commitment to PItt was likely based on a variety of factors. Specifically, he referenced the faciliies, fans, and current players.
But it’s clear that his relationship with Pitt assistant coach Pat Skerry was a big one. Skerry, the former Providence assistant, appeared to have Providence at the top of Birch’s list according to an interview in January:
.Can you give us a hint about your recruitment? I’m not sure what this question is about, but if it’s about who is on the top of my list it would be Providence
Birch says his relationship with Skerry is a close one:
“My relationship with Coach Skerry is great,” he told PantherLair.com. “We are so close it is unbelievable.”
His coach echoed those same thoughts:
“Providence was the leader in the clubhouse when Coach Skerry was there,” Hurd said. “And when he went to Pittsburgh, it was a no-brainer for Khem.”
“He just felt comfortable with Skerry and Coach Dixon. Khem is a special player. He’s a fantastic player and kid, and it’s tough to coach him sometimes because it’s impossible to get angry at him.”
Jamie Dixon deserves a lot of credit for bringing Skerry to Pitt. The move appears to have paid off.