The Post-Gazette lists its “Fabulous 22” from the WPIAL and City League. There are 20 Seniors on the list. 6 have committed to Pitt (Dickerson, Nix, Malecki, Pinkston, Webster, and Aaron Smith). 2 more are undecided and have Pitt in their final list (Fields and Miller).

Coach Wannstedt is starting to talk a lot about next year and the incoming talent (despite saying he doesn’t want to talk about what happened this year until the season is actually over).

“We’ve got one or two players stockpiled at every position. Good players want to come here, but we don’t have scholarships to offer them …

“I spend a couple of hours on Sunday nights talking to them. At least half a dozen have told me, ‘Coach, we’re coming there and we’re going to make a difference in the program.’ Imagine that. I’m trying to pump them up, and they’re pumping me up. I love it.”

Wannstedt was rolling now.

“This will be my first recruiting class from start to finish. It’s going to be a special group, the foundation of something special to come here. The players know it. Their parents know it. Their coaches know it. Everybody knows it, including the people we’re recruiting against.

“And you can quote me on that.”

While Coach Wannstedt doesn’t want talk about this year in the past tense, others are starting to. Bruce Feldman at ESPN.com blogs his list of worst coaching jobs of the season (Insider Subs.).

5. Dave Wannstedt, Pitt: Tinkered with a dangerous passing game and unsettled his own QB Tyler Palko. The Panthers opened 1-4 with the lone win over Youngstown State. The Panthers, who last season averaged 358 yards per game, brought back the same QB and receivers and yet rank 7th in the Big East this season at 325 yards per game.

I don’t disagree with Wannstedt making the list for coaching, but I would have put him further down the list behind at least Callahan (Nebraska), Amato (NC State) and Koetter (Arizona St.). The top 4 were Fulmer (Tennessee), Franchione (Texas A&M), Groh (Virginia) and Smith (Mich. St.).