Joe Flacco officially transferring seems to have stirred things up a bit.

I was and am of the opinion that if Flacco had decided to transfer after the bowl, while Coach Wannstedt was transitioning into the job, a release of his scholarship probably would have been given. It’s something of a common courtesy to do so when a new coach comes into the program.

Flacco, however, waited until after the spring game and semester ended before seeking a release. And judging by the lack of communication throughout the summer, did not appear forthcoming about where he wanted to go play. At that point, Pitt and Coach Wannstedt couldn’t just let him go. Like Luke Getsy, he will probably get released after the fall semester, so he can go on scholarship at Delaware in the winter.

Now he’s at Delaware, practicing with the team but sitting out the year, saying all the stock things:

“I would rather go somewhere I know they want me,” Flacco said. “I felt wanted here.”

He’ll have two years of eligibility at Delaware beginning in the 2006 season. Next spring and summer, Flacco, 20, should compete for the starting job against junior Ryan Carty and red-shirt freshman Jarryd Moyer. They are presently backing up returning senior starter Sonny Riccio as Delaware prepares for its Sept. 10 opener against Lehigh.

This past winter, Delaware had hoped to sign high school quarterback Marquel Neasman of Bradenton, Fla. But he chose to attend Division I-A Central Florida.

Ever since, Delaware coach K.C. Keeler has said he needed more depth at the position and would welcome a transfer. Riccio, a former backup at Missouri, and his predecessor as UD starter, Andy Hall, who left Georgia Tech, also were transfers.

Flacco was No. 2 on Pitt’s depth chart last fall and after spring practice behind Tyler Palko, who became the starter last year as a sophomore and was named second-team All-Big East. Wannstedt, a former Miami Dolphins coach who succeeded Walt Harris, installed a more run-oriented offense in which Flacco said he felt less comfortable.

“The bottom line is, I wasn’t going to play there,” Flacco said. “I felt that moving on would put me in the position to feel more like I was on the team.”

Flacco apparently really likes pass oriented offenses, and Delaware runs a variation of the no-huddle spread.

Delaware, meanwhile, hopes to someday actually get a freshman QB recruit rather than a transfer.