Coaches press conferences and player profiles dominated the Pittsburgh and West Virginia newspapers.

As I predicted yesterday, there is another piece on security for the game.

Player profile puff pieces. The West Virginia papers have a couple on Pitt WR, Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald admits that this is the game he most wants to win — or at least tells the WV media that. Mostly there isn’t anything new, except that none of the opposing secondaries he has faced this year have bothered with much trash talking.

“Honestly, guys don’t really talk to me any more,” he said. “Virginia Tech really talked to me a lot last year and some other teams did, too. This year they’ll say, ‘How you doing, Fitz?’ and stuff like that, but no malicious comments or anything like that.

“I think my opponents respect my talent. But they also want to shut me down. It’s a fun relationship. It’s fun to go out there and compete and know that a guy’s going to give you his best. There’s nothing more you can ask for.”

Of course, Pitt hasn’t played Miami yet.

Other player pieces include speculation on Rod Rutherford as an NFL QB; a Pittsburgh area Guard playing for WVU because he got no offers from Pitt or Penn St.WVU RB, Quincy Wilson and his “bruising” style; and the leading WVU receiver Chris Henry. None of which are much more than standard player puff pieces.

Another list. This one listing the 10 greatest players who played in the backyard brawl. How can Marshall Goldberg not be on the list?

There’s a speculative column on why the Big East will root for Pitt over WVU this weekend. Not exactly an earth shattering revelation.

Pitt’s defense thinks it will be better against the run this week (hard to imagine it being much worse than allowing well over 250 yards and 4 touchdowns).

Finally, on the injury front, the Mountaineer underwent an emergency appendectomy this week. The Hoopies are trying to get an emergency Native Appalachian prepared to fulfill the duties.