For those trying to find out about Pitt recruiting efforts, check out the latest from Rob Lichtenfels at Panthers Report (formerly part of Insiders.com, now Scout.com).

I’m starting to really worry about the Backyard Brawl because WVU is only favored by 4 points (the over under is a whopping 53.5). Plus, I’m seeing people starting to really sell WVU short because of their flop against BC.

There’s no doubt Pitt has improved by leaps and bounds this season, and the victories over Boston College and Notre Dame should have saved coach Walt Harris his job. One reason is quarterback Tyler Palko, who is a cool leader, as evidenced by the two big wins already mentioned. Pitt has a ton of momentum, a 6-3 record and should certainly go bowling after the season.

West Virginia, although 8-2, hasn’t looked good in a month. The Mountaineers’ loss at home Nov. 13 to Boston College showed a distinct lack of effort. How could they not show up at home with the Big East title riding on the game? Maybe they’ll show up for this backyard rivalry, but the way the line has been dropping this week, we doubt it. Also, West Virginia has suspended its top wide receiver – Chris Henry – again.
The pick: Pittsburgh.

While Pitt’s overall run defense looks decent in the standings (42nd overall), they have sucked against teams that have a really good running back (UConn, Syracuse and ND), and WVU has the 5th best rushing attack in the country led by Kay-Jay Harris. Add in the fact that people seem to be devaluing the Hoopie defense that is solid and contains a shut-down cornerback in Adam “Pac-Man” Jones. Well I think people are not looking at the whole picture of the Backyard Brawl.

Last April 3 high school kids tried to hold up a drug dealer with a realistic looking, but fake handgun. The guy happened to have a real gun and defended himself, and one of the kids was killed. One of the kids, Raymond Williams, trying to attempt the hold-up was the reigning Mr. Football for Ohio and a prized WVU recruit.

Today Williams was given probation for the role he played in the death of his friend.

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold said Williams and Huddleston were “extremely remorseful” and placed them on probation, providing they attend college within six months and maintain a C-average. If they violate probation, they could be sentenced to three years in prison.

Williams has completed his high school course in Cleveland public schools but his graduation status is being reviewed by the school district. Huddleston’s high school status is unclear.

No word if he will get his scholarship offer back from WVU.

Not so good. Looks like Harris’ earlier comparisons to Antonio Bryant had more accuracy than he realized. Henry seems to have been challenging WVU Coach Rodriguez’s authority, leaving Rodriguez no choice but to suspend him.

You and I didn’t know that Henry skipped a class last week, reportedly almost immediately after Rodriguez warned him about attending classes.

You and I didn’t know that Henry apparently also missed a weightlifting session, which is akin to just blowing off a practice.

You and I didn’t know that on Saturday morning when the team was supposed to gather for a group photo, Henry showed up an hour late.

The questions remaining are, does he get to play in WVU’s bowl game and will he go pro after the season? Best guess from me, yes to both.

Before Henry was suspended, the Hoopies were last in the Big East (102nd overall) in passing offense. The loss of Henry really hurts the receiving game, unless someone steps up far bigger than previously.

Henry’s absence could deal a crippling blow to the West Virginia offense, which has had little success throwing the ball to anyone other than Henry. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound junior from Belle Chase, La., has 49 receptions for 820 yards and a school record 12 touchdowns this season. No other receiver has more than 15 catches, 200 yards or two touchdowns.

And to make matters worse, the Nos. 2 and 3 receivers on the team are both hobbled. Miquelle Henderson, who has 15 catches for 158 yards, has battled shoulder and rib soreness the past week. And Eddie Jackson, who has 14 receptions for 200 yards, hasn’t played since the first half of the Temple game after spraining a knee.

Jackson has resumed practicing with a brace and Henderson has practiced lightly and Rodriguez hopes both will be able to play Thursday. But after those two, the next wide receivers in catches are Brandon Myles and John Pennington with just six catches each. Charles Hales and Dwayne Thompson, both backup quarterbacks doubling as wideouts, are the only other wide receivers with any catches at all this season — four each.

For the year, Rasheed Marshall has passed for 1610 yards, meaning that Henry was responsible for a little more than half the yardage. Think WVU will be looking to run even more? A team that is 1st in the Big East (5th in the country) in the rushing offense. I’m assuming that Pitt Defensive Coordinator Paul Rhodes understands the what “eight (or even nine) men in the box” means.

In other stories, a WV paper gets around to doing the Rasheed Marshall going home story that the Pittsburgh papers did a few days ago. Another columnist brings up Pitt’s improvement as the season progressed. Improvement on offense, anyways.

A pretty good news and notes around the Big East piece. Kind of depressing to read about the drop in cash and how attendance has dropped. Only WVU has broken 50,000 per game attendance this year.

A match-up story gives a decided edge to WVU. They only give an edge to Pitt on linebackers, special teams and WRs. They give the QB edge to WVU, but I would call that even. They don’t do a coaching match-up.

Final note, WVU is getting serious about protecting its trademarks. Don’t want anyone else trying to use the Mountaineer. Right.

Lots of stories today. With Chris Henry suspended for the Brawl, this means that WVU QB Rasheed Marshall will be looking for other receivers to make plays. It won’t help that their starting TE will also miss the game because of injury. Let’s be honest, though, this likely means that WVU’s offense will be the opposite of Pitt. They will be looking mainly to run. Whether it’s Kay-Jay Harris or another running back out of the backfield or Marshall taking off on his own.

WVU will try to throw just to keep the Pitt defense off balance and honest and set up more runs. Pitt was already going to stack the line against the run, with the Hoopies’ running game, now it becomes even more vital. The concern will be to contain and keep Marshall from rolling out and getting around the corner.

WVU has been working on trying to fix its special teams, mainly punt coverage. Realistically, this will be a wash, because Pitt is not good on returns.

Everyone is concerned about the Backyard Brawl becoming a real brawl on the field in light of the Pistons-Pacers NBA game and the Clemson-South Carolina fracas (this photo of a Clemson player trying to kick a South Carolina player in the head while the SC player is lying on the ground without his helmet is disturbing). Both coaches have been warning the players since Sunday. Do we have to worry that PC freaks will want to rename the Backyard Brawl to the “Backyard Game?” At least the players aren’t too concerned about it.

May be dating myself, once again, but for me the fighting in the Backyard Brawl was really an issue in the stands. I remember in the late 80s watching from the relative safety of the student section and a drunken stupor fights breaking out at Pitt Stadium at the one endzone where there was a chain-link fence separating people. WVU fans on one side. Pitt on the other. Words and objects hurled back and forth. Eventually some incensed, moonshine filled hick from Hoopieland would try to scale the fence. Leading to him getting pummeled as he was kind of stuck on the fence. Then the fun would really start. Ah, memories.

The NFL was good to former Pitt players this past weekend.

A number of former Pitt players had outstanding days Sunday in the NFL, including several who played for Harris. The group includes Torrie Cox (Tampa Bay), Nick Goings (Carolina), Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona) and Andy Lee (San Francisco). But the player who earned the most high praise from Harris was former Schenley star D.J. Dinkins, who caught a touchdown pass for the Ravens.

“D.J. is one of the two players whose picture is in my office,” Harris said. “The accomplishment of D.J. Dinkins is the best accomplishment I’ve ever been associated with. The young man deserves all the credit. For him to be an active player in the NFL — it is a great key for any of us, of a plan for being successful, how to keep your eye on the bull’s-eye and not be denied in your quest.”

Threw me off when the ESPN highlights referred to him as Darnell, not D.J. I was unsure if it was the same guy.

While Coach Harris wouldn’t talk about his job status, QB Tyler Palko had no problem coming out with firm support. Good. He should be backing Harris. I’m not saying it will make a difference, but it is good to know that the players are still with him.

Wow. Big story that WVU’s stud WR Chris Henry has been suspended for the game for undisclosed violations of team rules.

“I don’t want to go into the specifics about it, but we do have rules regarding effort in the classroom, in the weight room and on the practice field,” Rodriguez said. “And when those rules are violated, obviously the young men have to face some disciplinary action. He will not be playing in the Pitt game and will not make the trip.”

From a strictly personnel decision this helps Pitt. Henry is a talent and with Pitt’s secondary, he was going to be a bear to handle.

Conversely, his suspension is the sort of thing that teams have and do use to rally around and raise their game. I can see the Hoopies getting really up for this game and putting a big team effort — especially with the running game.

This will bear watching and updating.