Pitt was dealt a tough blow on Friday, as Chris Beatty, an ace recruiter and the team’s wide receivers coach, accepted a position on the staff of the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. Beatty will serve as the Chargers' wide receivers coach alongside former Pitt defensive backs coach Renaldo Hill, who also accepted a position on Brandon Staley's new-look Chargers staff last week.
The loss of Beatty to the NFL could have a devastating effect on Pitt’s recruiting efforts in Virginia, which was the assistant coach’s territory. Over the last two years, Beatty developed a pipeline to Pitt in the heart of the ACC footprint, and he succeeded in attracting several elite prospects to the Steel City.