The scrimmage was played. Coach Walt Harris answered questions afterwards (PDF version and Stats).

Harris still hasn’t made a decision on a starting QB. He seemed to have declared training camp a draw. Not clear when he will decide. Judging by the stats, I guess this time Palko got the protection (5 of 8, 0 INT and sacks, but only for 23 yards) and Getsy was running for his life (2 of 6, 0 INT, 2 sacks, 64 yards).

Kirkley looks to be the starter at RB, but only because Murphy has been banged up. Harris obviously has questions about Kirkley’s mental part, “he’s got to be a better football player. That would be the most important area he needs to improve.” Hardly a ringing endorsement.

Greg Lee played today. He looked pretty good (judging by calling his performance “standout” in the question itself), but Coach Harris really implied that Lee was nursing his quad or hamstring to stay out of practice, “Obviously he must have got himself in the right frame of mind.” Subtle.

Usually I save the puff pieces for last, but this just doesn’t make sense. Both the Trib and the P-G do stories on the new Strength Coach, Mike Kent. Plenty of player raves about the guy and how he motivates them. Kent stresses lower body fat, flexibility at the hips, and more shoulder and hand strength. He came here from Louisville, which joins the Big East next year and has become a respectable program.

So why do these puff pieces bother me? Well the big story of camp and again yesterday were the sheer number of injuries to Pitt players. How about the entire starting interior O-line being out of practice yesterday with injuries. Guard Rob Frederick is going to be out for a while. Whatever the MRI showed, Pitt hasn’t told the press yet. Two more WRs, Kevin Chandler and Jason Gaffney were injured and didn’t practice yesterday. The number of players out with injuries yesterday was 15.

Now, I’m not blaming Kent and his program. I happen to agree with lowering body fat and increasing flexibility. And considering I have bum shoulders, I can’t argue with doing anything to strengthen them. I am wondering why no one is asking if the Pitt conditioning program may have anything to do with the volume of injuries. Whether it is some sort of adjustments to the new regimen, and the players’ bodies hadn’t fully adjusted to the changes before practices and hits started. Or if it’s something else. It at least seems like a legitimate question.

At first, I was writing off the injuries as not a big deal because most seemed like minor dings and kids learning about playing through and with pain. Now, with some of the players out a week or longer, you have to wonder and worry.

Back to the rest of the news. Freshman Darrelle Revis is now in the mix to pull down a starting position at cornerback. Darrell Strong already looks good at the TE position. Coach Harris has done a fair amount of personal coaching . Safety Tez Morris tried to thin out the WR depth even further when he knocked out Joe Stephens with a hit as Stephens lunged at a tipped ball.