On a hot humid day, I guess Coach Wannstedt liked the feeling that he was back down in South Florida.

Since Pitt had a late-afternoon start to practice, the temperature rose into the 90s with high humidity. And Wannstedt loved it.

Wannstedt had the team do a little bit of extra running after practice.

“I think the heat’s good for us. You can’t manufacture this kind of weather ever again, and I think we have to take advantage of it being warm while we have it,” Wannstedt said.

Naturally some players including Left Tackle Charles Spencer suffered cramps. Just keep the guys hydrated and let them take some breaks at times. This isn’t the “Junction Boys,” and no one really wants to see paramedics working on a kid who collapses.

Coach Wannstedt talked about practicing without pads as emphasizing the fundamentals. Given the lapses of those sort of things at times last year, I’m happy for them to have a couple more days without pads.

There are (mostly) no guaranteed spots has been a mantra from Coach Wannstedt prior to the start of camp. The players know there are opportunities for them if they take it.

Redshirt Freshman Corey Davis is trying to grab one of those spots on the defensive line. The light went off for him after spring practices about some of what he needed to do if he wanted it.

The Panthers have an opening at defensive tackle, and Davis was one of the prime candidates to fill it. But he hadn’t distinguished himself, mostly because he was carrying too much weight.

“I knew the options were either lose weight or sit the bench,” Davis said. “That’s it. I want to play, so I committed myself to the offseason conditioning program, left all that McDonald’s and Wendy’s stuff alone, stopped drinking pop and, once I got started, it became easy to lose weight.”

As a result of his change in eating habits, Davis has lost about 40 pounds. He reported for camp at a lean 285. And the first day of conditioning, he not only finished all of his wind sprints, but he also was among the leaders for the linemen.

Now he is ready to seize the starting job he believes is his to lose.

“It is all about working hard now,” Davis said. “It is about being the best player I can be, continuing the things I’ve started. You can tell a big difference now in what I am able to do — it almost feels like high school again.”

Davis said one of the things he had to learn was discipline because as a high school star he often got by on talent alone. He quickly realized that would not happen in college.

The part about learning that the talent in high school is not enough at college is a story I find surprising isn’t told more often. Maybe because it is so common.

Then there is the competition to be the primary clipboard holder at quarterback.
Bill Stull’s first day on the practice field in Pitt preseason camp went by in a blur.

“It started out a little crazy — my head was really spinning — then it started to slow down just a little bit,” Stull said with a sheepish grin.

Stull and Shane Murray, both true freshmen, are auditioning for the backup job behind starting quarterback Tyler Palko. Wednesday’s three-hour practice session at Pitttsburgh’s South Side facility was the rookies’ introduction to the speed of the college game.
…
“One of the two is going be back our backup quarterback and the other is going to be the third. That’s what we’ve got,” Wannstedt said with a shrug. “Does that concern me? Yeah, because they’re young. Now, is it anything totally unusual? Not really.

“Both of those kids have the ability and they’re smart enough to understand the responsibility that goes along with that.”

Pitt opens its season 23 days from today with a prime-time showdown against Notre Dame at Heinz Field. That night, either Stull or Murray could be one blown pass-blocking assignment away from taking the reins in front of a sellout crowd and national television audience.

“I’m so overwhelmed with everything that’s going on right now — our playbook, schedule times and everything — that I really don’t have a chance to think about it,” Stull said.

Then there is the running back position, and testing a few of them for defensive back potential.

Yesterday, Irvan Brown and LaRod Stephens were working out with the defense. Wannstedt put some of the freshmen through drills to gauge their potential as defensive backs.

“Two or three of those kids could play defense, and we could use some depth in the secondary,” Wannstedt said.

“I just hope I’m not one of ’em,” laughed freshman Shane Brooks, a Duquesne High School grad.

“I’m not worried about that,” Conredge Collins said confidently. “I’ll be all right.”

Collins, a top recruit from Miami, is safe. For him, the only question is whether he will be slated as a fullback or tailback.

“Right now, I’m looking at my job as playing running back — not fullback,” Collins said “And I expect to play. I don’t expect to redshirt.”

Collins chose Pitt over Miami and Florida in part because those other schools wanted him as a fullback.

“We told him we’d give him the opportunity at tailback when we recruited him here,” Wannstedt said. “We know he can play fullback. What is to be seen is where he ends up.”

Kirkley and Furman, despite being seniors, might have a hard time getting on the field this season. I do wonder where Brandon Mason is going to fit in all of this. He seems to have been totally forgotten at this point.

Rashad Jennings was actually a recruit from 2003 (choosing Pitt over VT — where they have been finding some good RBs in the last 5 years) who had to go to prep school. It only seems like he came out of no where in the spring.

If there was one theme to Coach Wannstedt’s remarks after practice today, it is that he wants the players to be in pads and hitting. From his first to last remark that kept coming through — it was very subtle, though.

I’d rather watch paint dry then practice without pads on to be very honest with you. I coached defensive line for about 10 years and it’s blocking and tackling. And when we don’t have pads on, particularly with those linemen, it’s very difficult because all your screaming is “back off, slow down, back off, slow down.” That’s so contrary to what were trying to get done out here. So you try to spend more time with assignments and that’s what we did today. We have one more day of no pads.

I hate having to try and read between the lines and look for the nuance.

He finally got to see Charles Sallet and Tim Murphy practice — they were both down with injuries in the spring. He seemed impressed with Murphy. Really, of all the upperclassmen in the backfield, Murphy’s running style should be the most appealing to Wannstedt. Power and strength. A straight ahead runner, with good speed. It is more a matter of Murphy staying healthy.

Another article on finding Pitt’s #2 QB. Both are seeing a different game, even in practices.

“We’ve been working hard to get the playbook down over the summer,” Stull said. “We’re learning something new all the time, but we’ll continue to work hard during training camp. And we’ll see what happens. It should be a good competition, and we both should get better.”

Murray marvels at the increased speed of the college game.

“When you go full with the linebackers and linemen, the speed is amazing,” Murray said. “You have to get rid of the ball, and you have to have hot reads and things like that. You get used to it, but you can’t just automatically pick it up. Gradually, we’re picking things up.”

Another story points out how the secondary remains loaded with guys from Aliquippa. Not just Lay and Revis, but add Freshman Tommie Campbell to the mix. Campbell is just looking for a way into the game any way he can.

Campbell said moving into Pitt’s secondary at either safety position – or even as a corner – would be great, but he’ll do whatever he has to do to get on the field. Expect him to return some kicks as well.

“I think I bring size and smartness to my position and being at the right place at the right time,” Campbell said. “I know all the coverages and everything, and Coach (Dan) Short got me ready to play at this level.”

Campbell has very good speed, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get in the mix for punt and/or kick returns. After last year the competition for that should be wide open.

So this should shock no one. The odds on winning the Big East this year (via BearcatsBlog).

Louisville 2/9
Pittsburgh 13/2
West Virginia 17/1
Rutgers 17/1
Syracuse 19/1
South Florida 30/1
Connecticut 40/1
Cincinnati 60/1

I can’t believe Rutgers even got those kind of odds.

This is the AP wire article on Pitt’s opening day of camp that is making the rounds. It leads with the throwback unis story and includes a quote from Freshman RB Rashad Jennings about wanting to go against ND.

Some nice puff pieces.

One on Cornerbacks Josh Lay and Darrelle Revis. Both are considered to be very good corners with NFL potential. It will be interesting to see how they do this year. Last year, they played in a defensive scheme that was much more passive and more about keeping receivers in front of them. This had the corners playing off and giving up moderate chunks of yardage out of fear of the big play. Coach Wannstedt is stressing a faster, more aggressive defense which includes the secondary.

Lay and Revis should have the speed to recover and react with tighter coverage. It is vitally important for Lay, a senior to show this. He has gotten a lot of respect (more than I expected) in the preseason mags. Regularly listed as part of the 1st or 2nd All-BE team.

The other piece is about Pitt commit Dorin Dickerson being the do everything player on his team this season. There’s just a touch of athleticism in his family.

Dickerson comes from a family of standout athletes. His father played basketball at Kansas State and Lock Haven. One cousin, Ron Dickerson, played football at Arkansas. An uncle, Ron Dickerson Sr., is a former head coach at Temple and assistant at Penn State. Another cousin, Jordan Mabin is one of the best junior running backs in Ohio.

Family reunion football games must be something.

Pitt has lost its back-up punter. Nick Krut is transferring to East Stroudsburg.

Kicker Josh Cummings will not be suspended for any games for his summer DUI. He is getting the nebulous “internal discipline.”

Something almost forgotten, but apparently still unresolved, the fight from April 2004 between some Pitt football players and frat boys at PiKA. The case has been postponed yet again.

I just don’t get kids today.

Joe DelSardo came to camp with a new hairstyle. The junior wideout’s shoulder-length locks are gone, replaced by a buzz cut. “It was getting too hot,” DelSardo said. “On July Fourth, I told my cousin, ‘I’m taking it down,’ After the fireworks, we went home and shaved it all off.”

Josh Cummings had a shaved head at spring practice. Kids, just grow the hair now. Take it from someone who should just shave the head and be done with it (wife won’t let me). Enjoy it while you have it.

For Pitt fans out of the Pittsburgh media market, Pitt is close to having its radio broadcasts on satellite radio. AD Jeff Long won’t say which provider — XM or Sirius — yet.

Keith Jackson will be calling the ND-Pitt game. He apparently asked to call this game.

On the subject of the “River City Rivalry,” here is the Bearcats press release.

“I think this is a natural rivalry,” stated UC director of athletics Bob Goin. “When you think about the NFL rivalry between the Steelers and the Bengals, you’ve got to think about the Panthers and the Bearcats. I think this will develop into a tremendous rivalry.”

Uh-huh. Now as mentioned before, the wife is a Bearcat alum. I explained the new “rivalry” to her and the Ohio River connection. She just rolled the eyes. Then I added her AD’s statement about the Bengals and Steelers — a look of pure contempt. Of course, to be fair, she is a Browns fan.

I’m just picturing the trophy presentation following the game.

I’m guessing there are visions somewhere of the Pitt fans standing as one, cheering as the trophy is presented to the team, the gleaming, uh, something they haven’t actually crafted at this point, held high in the air and displayed to the fans. A loud collective cheer in response.

My vision is one where the fans are just kind of trying to get back to their cars, have something to drink and eat and a few curious fans looking at the field asking their friend, “what is that thing?”

Well, the big question is who’s #2? With Joe Flacco hiding somewhere in New Jersey, two freshmen Shane Murray and Bill Stull will battle to back-up Tyler Palko.

There will be extra precautions attempted to shield Palko during training camp.

Of course, the same policy was supposed to be in place during spring drills, too.

“One of the best qualities Tyler has is his competitiveness,” Wannstedt said. “Half the time in the spring when I was screaming at the defensive guys not to hit Tyler, he was the guy doing the hitting. That’s gonna happen when we start playing.

“For us to beat Notre Dame, he’s gonna have to make plays on his feet. But we can control that in training camp, and we will.”

The 2 freshmen have contrasting styles.

Stull, 6 feet 3, 200 pounds, is a pocket passer who thrives on accuracy and ability to make quick decisions. Last season, he set a WPIAL record by throwing for 3,310 yards and 40 touchdowns. He threw 15 interceptions.

Murray, 6-1, 185, and is more of a runner than a top-flight passer. Coaches love his toughness — they were contemplating moving him to safety — and he led the Vikings to a 29-2 record the past two seasons, including a 16-0 record and the WPIAL and PIAA Class AAAA titles last year.

“I think if you look at them both there is a lot to like about them,” Cavanaugh said. “Bill played in a much more pass-oriented offense and threw the ball more, whereas Shane likes to get outside the pocket and make things happen with his legs. The good thing is Tyler does a little of each, so both of the freshmen will be able to execute most of what we already have designed for Tyler.”

I have nightmarish visions of when Rod Rutherford was coming off the bench his first couple years. If he came in for a series or even a down, everyone and their dog knew he was going to end up running with the ball. Hopefully, Coach Cavanaugh will be a little more creative when using the two back-ups.

The loss of Flacco also ends any speculation that Shane Murray might get moved to defense and play some safety.

As long as they don’t try and move Darrell Strong back to QB, it should be okay. I don’t want to see Strong lose another year of development because the coaching staff couldn’t decide where he will best help the team. Last year they bounced him from QB to TE to WR and now back to TE. He’s too good an athlete to waste.

The concern for the #2 QB hasn’t really been an issue for the last few years and Smizik notes that Pitt has been very lucky over the years when the starter has gone down with injury. I don’t know why, but that hardly makes me feel better.

Final thing, to file under “be careful what you wish for.” Luke Getsy looks like he will start for the Akron Zips. His offensive line will return only one starter. Good luck with that.

Last year, Levon Kendall played very well for the Canadian Under-21 team and had confidence in his game that carried him about halfway through the season. This year, any confidence he has will not be coming from his play or the play of the Canadians. They dropped yet another game, this time to Greece 62-53.

Kendall has been playing worse each game. This time, he managed to avoid any foul trouble but still only played 24 minutes. Mainly because he was ineffective. He shot 1-6 and finished with 4 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocked shots, 1 steal and 3 turnovers.

They have a final attempt to save some face when they face Israel. Regardless of the outcome, their tournament will be over after that game.

Sports Illustrated has Pitt tabbed as #21. The Pitt Athletic Department press release on this. The SI College Football Preview issue comes out this week. In their Pitt scouting report, the focus is on H.B. Blades. It’s mostly about his trash-talking.

“Against Boston College last year I was in their players’ ears the whole time,” he says. “They got so mad, they went to the refs.”

Heh.

The #21 ranking is actually where Pitt is averaging out in pre-season pubs.

Transcript of Coach Wannstedt’s press conference from this morning. Looks like Freshman DB Bryan Williams is already having academic issues so he won’t be in camp at this point, and the way it was phrased, I’m not sure if he will at all this year. LB Mick Williams apparently is getting close to being eligible from the NCAA Clearinghouse. Back-up QB Joe Flacco didn’t show up to camp.

There’s lots that I want to excerpt, so I’ll only do a small bit and expect everyone will want to read it all anyways.

You moved H.B. Blades to the middle during spring. What did you think about that and is he staying?

I would expect H.B. to stay there. You know, he’s one of those guys I believe lost almost 10 pounds. He’s definitely one of our most experienced players. He’s definitely one of our more instinctive players at that middle linebacker position. And with our scheme it is imperative that that guy is a quarterback of the defense. That player has to be a player who has a real good understanding of what we’re trying to do. And with trying to learn a lot of new things, we thought H.B. could be a better player for us there. That’s the whole purpose of moving everyone around. All we’re trying to do is to generate as much speed as we possibly can on defense. We’ll see. We’ve got some great battles going on. There’s not one of our front seven who are lining up in the same position they lined up in last year. Everybody’s new. We’ve got some great competition. Clint Session is not going to sit on the bench for anybody. I mean he’s in there competing. The defensive line, I really don’t know. I don’t know how good individually these players can be yet at this point. Each guy has a lot of room to grow. We’re putting guys in spots to create as much competition as possible. And that’s what training camp’s about. Everybody’s got to show up. Everyone’s got something to prove. When you line up in training camp, you’re either trying to make the team, become a starter or make it into the rotation. That’s the attitude you have to set. There’s no ‘gimmes.’ There’s no comfort zone. Everyone’s got to come in here and start over again and prove ourselves. On offense we’re kind of facing the same thing on the offensive line. We have possibly a new center, for sure Dom Williams will be at guard. We’ll move Charles Spencer out to tackle. So we’re juggling things around there too. We’ll try to put the players in a position which gives us the best chance to win and put them in a position to give them the best chance at success. One or two of these young receivers has to step up.

[Emphasis added.]

Plenty more including dealing with the numbers at running back, protecting Palko and the team and individuals dealing with the hype.

From the Pittsburgh Sports Report Keystone Recruiting Reports, e-mailed today. Something regarding Nate Byham:

“I told you awhile back that Pitt was No. 1,” says Byham, “and they are still my favorite. In fact, I am going there (today) to talk to the Chancellor and the academic advisors, and everything.”

Does this mean that a commitment could come today?

“No, I won’t be committing (now),” says Byham. “The coaches just asked me to come in to do those things.”

After the Panthers, Byham considers Iowa, West Virginia, Southern Cal and Miami next in line. He has already visited West Virginia and Iowa and for the time being is planning visits to Miami and Southern Cal.

“I owe it to them, I feel,” says Byham.

While Byham may be Pitt’s to lose, any visit to powerhouse programs USC and Miami could certainly change his mind.

Not to mention, why would anyone turn down trips to LA and Miami? Pitt could end up with the deepest TE corp in the country if Byham commits.

There’s even a little something to further tantalize and give hope regarding top CB recruit Darrin Walls from his father.

“I would like for him to stay here and go to Pittsburgh,” the elder Walls said, “but it’s his decision and as long as he gets out of college with a degree we will be very happy.”

When asked about the rumors that his son may commit early, which could cost Pitt the local star, the Walls Sr. said, “He won’t commit soon. He will wait for awhile yet and maybe a big season by Pitt will make him choose to stay home.”

Drool. Drool. At the same time, who knows? If I had listened to my parents I would have ended up doing time at Penn State.

Working backwards, the beautiful first.

Since the early days of this blog, we have advocated for at least one game a year in the old colors, unis and script Pitt. Well, they finally are doing it (hat tip to Rex).

Throwback Day
Everything old is new again. The Pitt football team will don the uniforms of the 1970s/early ’80s as part of Panther “Throwback Day” at Heinz Field. The stadium will be filled with the retro musical sounds of that time period. Fans are encouraged to make their own nostalgic fashion statements at the game.

They shrewdly scheduled it for the Youngstown State game on September 24. It means I can bust out my Billy West jersey for that game.

You had to figure a day like this was coming once they switched uniform suppliers from Nike to Adidas. Adidas has had good success selling the throwback hats, shirts and sweatshirts.

Now the bad.

River City Rivalry
Pitt and Cincinnati meet for the first time since 1981 and will battle for the “River City Rivalry” trophy. The Bearcats, who won last year’s Fort Worth Bowl, enter their first season as members of the Big East Conference.

This is not the Big 11 where they need to create a trophy for every conference game. This is up there with the “Land Grant Trophy” in terms of dumb, jury-rigged “rivalry” awards. Pitt has played Cinci a grand total of 4 times, going 4-0 and outscoring them 132-21. Enough said.

On to the good, the 1955 Sugar Bowl team will be honored that game and Bobby Grier will be there. Also lots of past greats will get honored:

Sept. 3, Notre Dame Dan Marino and Pro Football Hall of Famers Tribute

The University of Pittsburgh will honor legendary quarterback Dan Marino for his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with a special halftime salute. In addition to Marino, Pitt will also pay homage to its other Pro Football Hall of Famers — Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka and Joe Schmidt. Each of these celebrated Panthers will be on hand to see Pitt take on the Irish.
…
Oct. 22, Syracuse (Homecoming) Mark May Tribute

Pitt will honor newly elected College Football Hall of Fame member Mark May as part of its Homecoming festivities. Before he became one of college football’s top broadcast voices with ESPN, May won the 1980 Outland Trophy at Pitt and was a member of the Washington Redskins’ famed “Hogs” offensive line during their run to three Super Bowls.

25-Year Anniversary of Pitt’s 1980 Team

Pitt will also honor Mark May’s 1980 team, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest teams in college football history. The 11-1 Panthers were judged the 12th best team of all time by The Sporting News and featured such greats as Dan Marino, Hugh Green, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson and Randy McMillan.

I have to admit I’ve been a little worried about Marino and Wannstedt’s issues back in Miami and of course the Shula-Johnson stuff. Glad it doesn’t seem to be affecting Marino’s relationship with Pitt.

Final thing, press release with info on this year’s Fan Fest. Heinz Field on Thursday, August 25 from 6 – 9 pm. This includes a 90 minute open workout by the players. Only issue is that the Pirates will be playing that night as well.

Yes, time for another look at a preseason publication.

Today, it is The Gold Sheet 2005 College & Pro Football Annual.

Now, as I’ve said before, I don’t gamble. Mainly due to a lack of disposable income (the idea of explaining to the wife what happened to our daughter’s college savings is not a pleasant concept). Otherwise, I find it a happy little diversion, and I like to watch the lines. Additionally, if there is one thing to understand about book-making is that they are usually the most reliable source for expectations and match-ups.

If you like to lay some action, then this is probably the best pre-season publication to get. Their Web site is also a great data mine of past performance with point spreads of each team going back to 1993.

The Annual goes back to the past 4 years on each team for point spread and over-under.

In their rankings, they put Pitt at #24 (pg. 4), noting that the Wannstedt hire is Pitt’s hope that he is the next Pete Carroll.

For the Big East (pg. 92), Pitt is second behind Louisville (of course). The mild surprise is picking Rutgers to finish 3rd ahead of WVU.

Their comments about Pitt and Wannstedt are mostly positive. They like what he wants to do with the offense and defense. They do, however, question the offensive line. Not on the issue of depth (which should be a concern) but the players themselves. Their point is that they were recruited much more for pass protection schemes, not power run blockers.

From a gambling perspective, the bookmakers had to be sad to see Coach Harris leave. From 2001 to 2004, Pitt had a 24-24 Point Spread Record. That made Pitt something of a gambler’s nightmare, but the middle kept getting cuts. The over-under wasn’t as perfect, Pitt was 20-26.

The dearth of stories as Pitt training camp is about to start is surprising.

Coach Dave Wannstedt will be holding a press conference at 9:15 am. It will kick-off Pitt’s Media Day. You can listen to it live, but it will cost you. The Yahoo! Sports thing is still in effect. Costs you $4.95/month or around $30 for the full year. Added annoyance is that they want you to use Microsoft Internet Explorer rather than Firefox or Mozilla. Still can’t bring myself to do it.

In the mean time there are lists and rankings to distract.

Rivals.com has a list of top QBs who they believe will have big seasons.

6. Tyler Palko (Pittsburgh)

Two games into last season, nobody would have thought Palko’s name would have landed anywhere near this list. But the fiery signal caller who grew up just outside Pittsburgh survived a shaky start to lead the Panthers to six wins in their last seven regular-season games — a stretch that landed them in the Fiesta Bowl.

The 6-2, 220-pound junior looked like one of the nation’s top players during that stretch, and while he must adjust to a new coach and new offensive coordinator who are committed to running the ball more this fall, another strong season is likely. Both of the Panthers’ top receivers return, including the dynamic Greg Lee, who averaged 108 receiving yards per game.

2004 stats: 3,067 passing yards (56% completion percentage), 24 touchdowns, seven interceptions.

Then CollegeFootballNews.com has plenty of lists. Top Offense, Defense and the sub-units. Here’s where Pitt ranked in each place

Defense — 30
Defensive Line — 43
Linebackers — 19
Secondary — 32

Special Teams — 43

Offense — 16
Quarterbacks — 13
Running Backs — 41
Wide Receivers — 6
Offensive Line — 48

This is what they said about the WRs.

The only question is how fast the depth can be counted on. Greg Lee and Joe DelSardo form an outstanding 1-2 punch with Lee set to be one of the favorites for the Biletnikoff Award. DelSardo is one of college football’s most reliable possession receivers. The backups have talent, but they need grooming with Derek Kinder, Marcel Pestano, and Allen Richardson good enough to eventually become factors. Tight end is a major strength with 270-pound Erik Gill and Steve Buches two of the best in the Big East. More help is on the way with former quarterback Darrell Strong adding even more athleticism and skill.

For whatever it’s worth, at least one of CFN’s writers really likes the situation at Pitt. In the question of “The three biggest surprises will be … ?” Richard Cirminiello says

1. Dave Wannstedt lays the groundwork for Pitt’s return to glory. In a post-season dominated by high-profile hirings, Pitt’s might wind up being the shrewdest of all. And the signs will be evident as early as this fall. Wannstedt is a perfect fit at his alma mater, and he won’t wait long to win big games or land even bigger recruits. He’s a native son, who brings star power and a palpable buzz to a program that’s done well recently, but has never approached the heights of the 1970s and early 1980s. Wannstedt is about to build a bridge to the days of Tony Dorsett and Hugh Green by creating a recruiting fortress around Western Pennsylvania and by leveraging his teaching skills, which may have been somewhat lost on NFL players. Pitt won’t keep Louisville from winning the Big East in 2005, but they’ll win nine games and lay the groundwork to becoming the league heavyweight that the Big East so desperately needs.

He also picks BC to win the ACC Atlantic and Purdue to win the Big 11. Still, I’ll take the optimism — even if I don’t believe the other two.