Coach Wannstedt seems quite happy with the prospect of opening the season against Notre Dame, because the team, fans and media have all zeroed in on that game.

In perfect world, Wannstedt said, the Panthers would have an exhibition game to get ready for the season. But because there is no preseason in college football, he’d much rather open against a tough opponent than a team that might be easily overlooked.

“My experience has been this, the media and fans have a tendency to talk about the biggest game you have on your schedule,” Wannstedt said. “One year when I was at Miami, we played Florida like the third game of the year, and nobody cared about our first two opponents. We did as coaches, but all any one could talk about was Miami playing Florida.

“By opening up with Notre Dame, this has been a target for our guys all through the offseason, the national television and the whole bit, so I think it has been good.

“Would I like to have a warm-up game? Yes, because it is what I am used to in the NFL. But, under the circumstances, I like having a big game right off the bat because it does keep you focused.”

The Fan Fest at Heinz Field was apparently well received. The team worked on the kicking game and special teams primarily. It was the 4th time in camp that they worked out under the lights.

The team has practice this afternoon and Saturday. The team is taking Sunday off, then the week of work for the Notre Dame game begins in earnest.

H.B. Blades gets a piece today. Kind of odd, because he was held out of practice to get some rest and kept away from the media. Given Blades’ willingness to talk and being one of the more quotable members of the squad, it makes the piece awkward.

He was named to the Butkus Award Watch List to go with being on the Charles Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski Watch List. Definitely getting to be ridiculous with the awards — I think there are now around 20 — but I digress.

As the Panthers prepare to enter their final week of preseason practice before the regular season begins, Wannstedt appears comfortable in talking about Blades now as a middle linebacker, a switch that was put into motion in spring camp.

“When we moved him to the middle linebacker spot in the spring, I knew he was our most experienced linebacker and I could see after two days that he was a very instinctive player,” Wannstedt said. “I was hoping he would be the type of leader in the huddle that everyone said he was in the past and he’s really done a great job.”
…
“In every scrimmage that he’s been in there — and they’ve had equal time — he’s led us in tackles,” Wannstedt said of Blades, referring to the Panthers’ current training camp. “Our middle linebacker should lead us in tackles. If he’s not leading us, then we’ve got a problem.”

You know, it just occurred to me that we have barely heard a peep from defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads this season. Usually by this time there is at least one piece puffing his defense and he is regularly commenting on how the defense is doing. Not this year.

As part of SI.com’s College Football Preview, they have a column on newcomers to watch.

Rashad Jennings, RB, Pittsburgh
6-2, 239 pounds
High school: Lynchburg Christian Academy, Forest, Va.

Pitt’s rushing attack was ranked 105th in the nation last year, but with this Eddie George-like bruiser, the Panthers won’t be averaging 97.75 yards a game on the ground this season.

Originally part of the Panthers’ 2004 recruiting class, Jennings was academically ineligible to enroll at Pitt after graduating high school. He regained his eligibility after taking summer classes, but by that time, preseason camp had already started. Jennings took ’04 off, trimming his fullback-sized, 265-pound frame to a lean, powerful 239.

Now he’s making up for lost time. After running for 118 yards on 19 carries in the Blue-Gold scrimmage, Jennings appears poised to start in the Panthers’ Sept. 3 opener against Notre Dame at Heinz Field.

“He’s definitely a power back,” Dave Wannstedt said of Jennings in the Pittsburgh Tribune. “He’s a tough guy who holds onto the ball.”

And in short burst from last year, Rob Petitti — the only Pitt player drafted last spring — is having a great camp. How great?

“My goal is to start,” Petitti said, some four months ago. “I’m not here just to make the team as a backup or something. I want to start.”

And while it was never out of the question, considering the Cowboys’ needs at right tackle, the declaration was rather unrealistic for a sixth-round pick to even dream of stepping right into the starting lineup.

However, here we are, just more than two weeks away from the season opener, and Rob Petitti, that sixth-round pick from Pittsburgh, is closing in on winning the starting right tackle job.

Kind of also indicates that Dallas may be a little thin on the line.