As I noted before, there really aren’t that many stories to tell during Spring Practice this year, so there are a fair amount of repeating by different writers.
Have you heard? There’s competition for the kicking duties this season. As usual, not a lot. They expect it to go down to the wire. Not much on Connor Lee, and plenty of recap of David Abdul’s last few years.
The depth chart that comes out of Spring Practice will be written in pencil, to give plenty of opportunities to the incoming freshmen and 2 JUCOs.
Pittsburgh head coach Dave Wannstedt wants to give incoming freshmen a chance to compete for starting jobs in training camp before finalizing his depth chart.
“I probably won’t do that until two weeks before the season begins,” Wannstedt said. “The best guys will play.”
He said he expects to have a workable depth chart ready for the annual Blue-Gold game on Saturday at Heinz Field
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“I think that we’re still doing a little bit of experimenting with some players and moving them around,” Wannstedt said. “But that’s probably going to be a work in progress until a week or two weeks before that opener.“We’ve got to continue to evaluate and create a real sense of competition to have every player go out and play as good as they’re capable of playing. But we are ahead of last year, at least from a coaching standpoint, in knowing what our players can do.”
Most of the kids will be here for the summer.
Wannstedt said at least 23 of the 25 incoming freshmen have enrolled for classes during the summer semester.
“We (won’t be) practicing, but at least it gives them an opportunity to get on campus, and be running, lifting and training with our players,” Wannstedt said. “That’s a big advantage.”
It is expected that many of the rookies will battle for starting jobs right out of the chute. The coaching staff already has decided which freshmen will be slotted for which positions.
Tamarcus Porter, for example, will be a wideout instead of a defensive back. Dorin Dickerson, the multi-dimensional crown jewel of the class, will begin his career as a receiver.
“Or tailback … or quarterback,” Wannstedt said with a laugh.
Duquesne High grad Elijah Fields told the coaches he wants to start at receiver. But, Wannstedt noted, the depth chart is getting awfully crowded at that spot.
So, it’s a good bet that Fields will start his career as a defensive back?
“It, uh … we’ll see,” Wannstedt said, grinning.
This notebook article also repeats the now common refrain that last year had too many players with their own agendas that hurt the team. Got to admit, I’m getting real sick of hearing that excuse. Wonder if the beat reporters who keep writing about it realize it makes them look like they helped cover that up from being reported or they were incompetently unaware of it?
