The big theme Coach Wannstedt is trying to stress this spring is that no starting position is guaranteed. Sure that’s not really true (and that was the similar message last spring), but it is the message.

And, because of the way the Panthers performed last season, Wannstedt’s approach to this spring is every starting position, including quarterback, is up for grabs.

“We want our guys to be hungry,” Wannstedt said. “We want them to understand they have to work hard to earn what they get. Nothing is going to be handed to anybody. There are obviously some positions where we have returning players who are pretty secure in their spots, but they are our leaders and they are the ones we are asking to set the tone.

“We have a lot of work to do, obviously, but I’m excited because I think we’re going to have a great spring.”

Even though all of the starting spots are open for competition, the Panthers are in a strange position in that most of the competition won’t really begin until August when the incoming freshmen and first-year players arrive. Wannstedt expects as many as 10 true freshmen to be starters or backups this season.

For the WRs, especially, this is their window.

Greg Lee, the leading receiver from last season, opted to forgo his senior year and enter the NFL draft. Recruit Dorin Dickerson, the Associated Press Class AAA player of the year for Pennsylvania, doesn’t join Pitt from West Allegheny High School until training camp in August.

That leaves a little window this spring for the returning receivers to jockey for position.

Kinder and senior Joe DelSardo have the most experience. Redshirt sophomore Marcel Pestano played a little. There are high hopes for others, primarily redshirt freshmen Oderick Turner and Cedric McGee.

Coach Dave Wannstedt called the receiver spot probably the most competitive on the team this spring. He said some will get ample opportunity to shine because the Panthers will work a lot from a three-receiver set because of a depleted group at tight end.

I somehow missed the news that Tight End John Pelusi had a knee injury. Anyone care to fill me in?

The receivers will get more looks this spring because tight end is depleted by John Pelusi’s knee injury, which leaves only Steve Buches and Darrell Strong at the position. Wannstedt said the Panthers now have an opportunity to use more three-receiver sets to see who can perform.

“We got spoiled here because we’ve always had a bunch of tight ends,” Palko said of the Panthers, who lost starter Erik Gill to graduation. “I was sick when Pelusi did that. He was looking like he could do big things.”

Not that the incoming freshman are far from the present players’ thoughts — or even line of sight.

The signature signees from Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt’s first and highly heralded recruiting class attended Sunday morning’s helmet-and-shoulder pads session, and their presence sent a powerful message to the holdovers.
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Scattered throughout the UPMC Sports Performance Complex on the South Side were 10 high school stars who signed with the Panthers in February. West Allegheny’s Dorin Dickerson, Duquesne’s Elijah Fields and Gateway’s Aaron Smith followed the receivers. Thomas Jefferson’s Nate Nix and Gateway’s Dan Loheyde watched the linebackers. Baldwin’s Justin Hargrove and Jason Pinkston and Franklin Regional’s John Malecki studied the defensive linemen. Seneca Valley’s Kevan Smith watched quarterback drills. Cornerback Aaron Berry of Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt came by bus Saturday for the practice.

According to this graphic, the top 5 areas Pitt Coaches are looking for answers are:

• Defensive Line
• Left side of O-Line & Center
• Fullback
• Receiver
• Defensive Backfield

The lines are the issue. What a shock.

Pitt rotated sophomores Rashad Duncan and Corey Davis and redshirt freshmen Craig Bokor and Darrell Jones at defensive tackle, but Wannstedt hinted that the depth could allow some moves to be made.

“If a couple of those offensive linemen don’t pick it up, we’ll have some defensive linemen going to the O-line,” Wannstedt said. “We’ll wait until they put the pads on.”

Same as last year, Coach Wannstedt is itching to get the kids in pads.

“It’s really difficult when you don’t have pads on to get the type of work that you’d like to get,” he said yesterday.

The NCAA mandates teams can’t wear full pads the first two practices, so Pitt will be in shorts again tomorrow and in full gear Thursday.

Teams must have a third practice without pads, and Wannstedt said the Panthers probably would do that the final week of spring drills.

And of course the players spoke positively about the first practice.

“We had a good practice,” junior cornerback Darrelle Revis said Sunday. “There was a lot of effort, the intensity was up, and we were moving really fast. Everyone was into it. … We had a tough offseason, but it was done on purpose to get us ready for next season.

“They wanted to let us know that we don’t want to go 5-6 any more. We don’t want to have a losing season. We want to try to change the program by working hard, and this is the place to start. So, I think we’re ready to have a real good spring.”

I’d rather have a good January, but the point is taken.