Getting closer to being ready to write about the game, the bourbon is helping (it’s a lubricant not a crutch, I swear). In the meantime, those watching the game on TV last night probably caught Tony Dorsett at the game.
Jeff e-mailed me a couple photos:
I’m assuming that is Jeff with his boys. Otherwise he just likes taking pictures of other people’s family moments. And that’s just creepy.
I don’t know if Dorsett was in for some function, event, speaking engagement. I just can’t help but wonder if he happened to stop by the Scout.com combine at Pitt this afternoon. You know, just for fun.
Paul Zeise has his Q&A for football. Since we aren’t even in spring drills, everything is still full of hope and optimism. Zeise does seem to think expectations should be tempered. Just being over .500 might be enough this year. Especially given how many freshmen could not only find themselves on the two-deep depth chart, but actually starting on the lines. That has to be a concern.
This is going to be one of the most important springs in recent Pitt history because the Panthers have a lot of questions that need answers. Pitt is also coming off a losing season and needs to get back on the winning track.
From my vantage point, there are some very critical positions that need filled and a few players who must step up in order to give the Panthers a fighting chance.
Center, left tackle and left guard are all questions, major questions. It will be a great sign for the Panthers if they can leave spring with CJ Davis at center because that means someone, likely Dom Williams, has stepped up at guard and thus both positions are in great shape.
The left tackle spot won’t be solved until the fall when junior college-transfer Jeff Otah arrives, but the margin for error here is slim. If he is a bust or he isn’t ready to play, there could be big, big problems for the Panthers.
On defense, the interior line is far too much of an unknown to even make an educated guess as to which four players are going to eventually earn the bulk of the playing time and that’s not a good thing. The defensive end spots are a little more settled, but the Panthers must improve dramatically at both end spots in order to take a step forward on defense.
Linebacker is supposed to be the strength of the defense, but there are plenty of questions at both outside positions. Clint Session has one final season to try and live up to his enormous potential, and Brian Bennett must return strong from yet another major injury.
Pitt has a lot of talent coming in. And at the skill positions, there’s no doubt they can have a significant impact. The lines. Oh, the lines.
