Nothing seemed particularly definitive from Coach Wannstedt’s press conference regarding practice today. Mostly positive, but kind of vacuous. There’s probably a reason for that.

On the depth chart:

Right now we’re still juggling a lot of positions, as everybody knows. We haven’t finalized the depth chart yet and probably won’t finalize one for sure until a couple days before the Notre Dame game. Everybody knows pretty much who we’re working and who’s getting the reps, but there’s no need to do that right now. We’ll continue to work as many guys as we can.

Much as I’d like to see a depth chart tomorrow — just to keep things straight — I’m not shocked. Between minor injuries, working in a lot of freshmen, new systems and coaches; how can the depth chart be set at this point.

Coach Wannstedt seems happy with the way the offensive line is shaping, and indicated that if Tim Murphy isn’t a starting tailback or even second on the chart, it will only be because other backs — Stephens and Mason — have been just that much better in camp. Interesting. Mason seems to have really stepped up his performance in the last 3-4 days.

This AP story on practice today, focuses on Lee’s slow return. Matt Cavanaugh is itching to get him and Terrell Allen back.

Junior wideout Terrell Allen is still having some problems coming back from a hamstring injury. He has not been able to do much running the past few days.

“We need to get both those guys back in there and up to full speed,” Pitt offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh said. “We have a lot of receivers, but we haven’t been able to establish our depth chart there.

“The injuries have hurt us, and some of the younger guys just haven’t stepped up.” Cavanaugh said.

I wonder if Pitt has a play calling for a 3 Tight End set?

Plus, a little more on Furman’s move to Wide Receiver. He apparently was pushed before he jumped.

“I saw my reps cut a little bit every day, and I actually was going to ask about moving to receiver,” Furman said. “So, I’m looking forward to this move. I know I’ve moved before, but I only go where I can help the team. And maybe I can help myself out a little bit, too.”

Can’t hurt.

I was thinking a little more about the AP Poll. Ray Fittipaldo had a story on Sunday concerning the first set of rankings. Disappointingly, he neither identified himself as a voter this year and did not disclose how he voted. Perhaps it appeared in print only. If any of the Pittsburgh-based readers who gets the P-G can check the Sunday paper to confirm or deny, I’d appreciate it.

For purposes of possible bias breakdown I listed the voters roughly by region. After each writer, I indicated the conference relation based on closest major school geographically (sorry MAC programs).

By region:

National Voters (4)
Chris Fowler, ESPN
Craig James, ABC
Stewart Mandel, SI.com
John Tautges, Westwood One Radio

Northeast (6)
Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Big East)
Aditi Kinkhabwala, The Record, Bergen County, N.J. (Big East)
Neill Ostrout, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport (Big East)
Mike Radano, Courier-Post, Cherry Hill, N.J. (Big East)
Dave Rahme, The Post-Standard, Syracuse, N.Y. (Big East)
Mike Vega, The Boston Globe (ACC)

Southeast (9)
Jack Bogaczyk, Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail (Big East)
Barker Davis, The Washington Times (ACC)
Joe Giglio, The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C. (ACC)
Jeff Gravely, WRAL-TV, Raleigh, N.C. (ACC)
Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald (ACC)
Joe Person, The State, Columbia, S.C. (SEC)
David Teel, Daily Press, Newport News, Va. (ACC)
Ken Tysiac, Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (ACC)
Adan Van Brimmer, Savannah (Ga.) Morning News-Augusta (SEC)

South (11)
Beau Bishop, WCTV-TV, Tallahassee, Fla. (ACC)
Mike DiRocco, Florida Times Union (SEC)
Rick Bozich, The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky. (Big East)
Gregg Ellis, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo, Miss. (SEC)
Bob Holt, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock (SEC)
Jimmy Hyams, WNML AM-FM, Knoxville, Tenn. (SEC)
Dan McDonald, Lafayette (La.) Advertiser (SEC)
David Paschall, Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times Free Press (SEC)
Scott Rabalais, The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La. (SEC)
Doug Segrest, The Birmingham (Ala.) News (SEC)
Jay Tate, Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser (SEC)

Midwest (16)
Steve Batterson, Quad City (Iowa) Times (Big 11)
Jim Carty, The Ann Arbor (Mich.) News (Big 11)
Herb Gould, Chicago Sun-Times (Big 11 & ND)
Doug Harris, Dayton (Ohio) Daily News (Big 11)
Kirk Herbstreit, WBNS-AM Columbus, Ohio & ESPN (Big 11)
Rich Kaipust, Omaha (Neb.) World-Record (Big 12)
George Lehner, WTVN-AM, Columbus, Ohio (Big 11)
Tom Mulhern, Wisconsin State Journal, Madison (Big 11)
John Niyo, Detroit News (Big 11)
Jeff Parson, Wichita (Kan.) Eagle (Big 12)
Michael Pointer, The Indianapolis Star (Big 11 & ND)
John Shipley, St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press (Big 11)
Mark Tupper, Decatur (Ill.) Herald & Review Bee (Big 11)
Graham Watson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Big 12)
Doug Wilson, Bloomington (Ind.) Herald-Times (Big 11)

Southwest (8)
Kirk Bohls, Austin (Texas) American Statesman (Big 12)
Jimmy Burch, Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram (Big 12)
Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle (Big 12)
Joey Goodman, The Lawton (Okla.) Constitution (Big 12)
Tim Griffin, San Antonio Express-News (Big 12)
Iliana Limon, Albuquerque (N.M.) Journal (Mountain West/WAC)
John Moredich, Tucson (Ariz.) Citizen (PAC 10)
Jimmy Tramel, Tulsa (Okla.) World (Big 12)

Rocky Mountain (4)
B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News, Denver (Big 12)
Bob Hammond, Laramie (Wyo.) Boomerang (Mountain West/WAC)
Shawn Harrison, Logan (Utah) Herald Tribune (Mountain West/WAC)
Joseph Hawk, Las Vegas Review-Journal (Mountain West/WAC)
Mike Prater, The Idaho Statesman, Boise (Mountain West/WAC)

West (7)
Paul Arnett, Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Mountain West/WAC)
Todd Harmonson, The Orange County Register, Santa Ana, Calif. (PAC 10)
John Blanchette, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash. (PAC 10)
Aaron Fentress, The Oregonian, Portland (PAC 10)
Ray Ratto, San Francisco Chronicle (PAC 10)
Jon Wilner, San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News (PAC 10)
Scott Wolf, Los Angeles Daily News (PAC 10)

Roughly based on where the papers are located and the strongest team(s) closest:

ACC – 8
Big East – 7
Big 11 – 12
Big 12 – 10
PAC 10 – 7
SEC – 11
Mountain West/WAC – 6

Of further possible interest, check out this semi-confessional/defense from an AP voter.

That brings us to the purpose of this little confessional. I’ve been one of those stupid media-types. Not just once or twice, but more like 12-14 times serving on the “AP Poll Board” during the 1980s and ’90s.

The commitment is not an easy task. It starts now, in mid-August, and continues every week through early December, then again after the bowls for the final poll. Each voter puts together a top 25, every Saturday night or Sunday morning, and submits the ballot to AP.

If you’re thinking it must be fun, you’re wrong. It’s serious business, requiring constant awareness, preparation and analysis. Every voter knows the nation is watching. Nobody wants to be embarrassed.

Also, nobody wants to get booted. Which has happened.

One guy from Raleigh, N.C., already found himself on unofficial probation. He put Louisville as his No. 1 team. Not smart. Four went with Texas, but at least the Longhorns are No. 2. Tennessee figured to have some No. 1 votes from this part of the world, but no.

Back in New York, the AP folks look at those ballots as they are tabulated. If they see something that doesn’t pass the smell test, they make phone calls. If a Florida voter had ranked Tennessee ahead of Southern Cal, that would’ve been OK. But if that voter were to put Florida or Florida State as No. 1, alarms would go off.

The weekly ritual continued beyond voting. As soon as the poll came out, I checked it closely. You have to be brave sometimes and stand up for your feelings, but normally you don’t want to be more than three to five spots off for any team, even in the gray area toward the bottom. Also, you don’t want to see your teams wasted among “others receiving votes.”

That’s because being an AP voter isn’t simply a chore. It’s an honor, a challenging responsibility, and it always was a nice feeling when the invitation would come to take part again.

He almost makes it seem like they are picking the Pope.

The lead story for the beat reporters was Greg Lee’s return to practice.

“It’s not 100 percent now, so I’m going to slowly get back in the groove of practice,” Lee said. “I’m a little bit rusty. (Being out) threw off the timing between me and the quarterbacks, my reaction time to blocks and stuff like that.”

Lee had not practiced since Aug. 11, when he was injured while making a tumbling catch during a receiving drill.

And of course, the chance given to the other receivers.

Coaches were hoping that one positive to come out of Lee’s absence was extra reps — and thus a chance to improve — for the young receivers who are trying to break into the lineup.

There was plenty of extra reps to go around, but none of the young receivers have stepped up and played consistently enough to warrant more playing time.

That puts more pressure on Lee to perform — and stay healthy — because the Panthers’ passing game has suffered without him.

Lee, though, seems to think they just need some experience, and they will do better. As long as Lee’s injury isn’t lingering, the 10 days off won’t really hurt him or the team. There’s still 11 days to September 3.

The other story, of course, was moving Marcus Furman to receiver. Furman, without fail, said all the right things.

“Now that I’ve switched positions again, I think it might make camp a little more fun, more challenging,” Furman said. “It’s something I’m looking forward to doing. Hopefully, it won’t take me too long to learn it.”
…
“If I can get my routes down and figure out where I’m supposed to line up, I think I’ll be OK,” Furman said. “There are a lot more formations now than there were (last year) under coach (Walt) Harris — tons more. With my experience at the H-back, it shouldn’t be too hard to learn them all.”

Wideout Greg Lee doesn’t think the transition will be too difficult for Furman.

“Just getting the plays down and stuff should be his only problem,” Lee said.

Furman also saw another benefit to his new role.

“I do less pass-blocking, which might not be a bad thing for me because, you know, I’m kind of brittle,” he said, grinning.

Furman will still be returning kicks. Between him, Tommie Campbell and Darrelle Revis Pitt has some good speed for returns. Call it a hunch, but I think after the coaching staff reviewed Allen Richardson’s work last year he will not be returning anything. They just need to have enough good blockers.

Receiver Terrell Allen participated in some non-contact receiving drills but was not wearing pads. He has a leg injury.

Here’s a decent story on Pitt great Tony Dorsett, his respect for the game of football and what a classy guy he is.

I don’t watch exhibition NFL games. Sportswriters for the Dolphins have no choice. Apparently that Dolphins-Steelers game was painful. One view, Wannstedt was lucky to get out.

Saban did say he feels the Dolphins are “more capable” than what they showed in Pittsburgh.

That’s probably true, but perhaps only because it’s almost unfathomable Miami could be any more clumsy and inept than it was on offense. The Dolphins’ average possession lasted four plays. Somewhere in Pittsburgh, no doubt, Dave Wannstedt breathed an escapee’s prayer of thanksgiving.

It is, after all, Saban’s headache now.

Another suggests that it’s deja vu all over again:

Man, it was ugly, and it made you wonder if the Dolphins have made any significant improvements to their offense, specifically their line, over the offseason and three exhibition games.

Could we possibly be right back where we started last year with a porous line and a coach undecided on the lesser of two evils at quarterback?

How much longer before Saban is running his fingers through his hair and wearing the same deer-in-the-headlights look as Dave Wannstedt?

You can’t tell me Coach Wannstedt isn’t smirking just a little.