A couple more way too early prognostications on Pitt.

Dick Vitale ranks Pitt at #6 in his pre-season top-40. His top-5 are North Carolina, Florida, Kansas, Ohio St. and UCLA. Other Big East teams are Georgetown (8), Marquette (12), UConn (15), Villanova (16), and Louisville (20). Noticeably absent is Syracuse.

A syndicated writer from the Sports Network puts out his pre-season top-5:

5. Pittsburgh — Aaron Gray returns in the middle with Sam Young complementing the big man and forming a solid frontline. The loss of point guard Carl Krauser hurts, so expect head coach Jamie Dixon to use a trio of off-guards (Levance Fields, Ronald Ramon, Antonio Graves) in a rotation at the point.

The 4 above are Florids, North Carolina, Kansas and Ohio St.

Finally Pitt has the 2006-07 pre-season prospectus (PDF) posted. No schedule info in there. Not even the games that are confirmed. Usual stuff. Coaches and player bios. Stats and the collected box scores from the past season.

I just learned, but haven’t had time to start looking through it. The 2006 Pitt Football Media Guide is on the web. The cover features H.B. Blades, Tyler Palko and Darrelle Revis.

As usual the Media Guide is broken up into sections and are all in PDF format for downloading and saving or printing. Or of course, you can order a regular copy for $15 (full disclosure, the Pitt Athletic Department is sending me a free copy).

Banging on Duquesne isn’t really fair. It’s not difficult, and it isn’t that much fun to keep kicking someone when they are down. Still, this new logo forces my hand.

What are they? The Duquesne Stage Magicians?

The new design, created by Rickabaugh Graphics of Columbus, Ohio, replaces the script “D” and “Duquesne” used since 1998.

I wanted to make a note of the company that was responsible, so that other schools know who to cross off the list when they want to update their logo.

So what does the new b-ball coach think?

“I really like the new look,” said first-year men’s basketball coach Ron Everhart. “That Duke really looks like he means business. I think the image is something fans of Duquesne will rally around.”

If by business you mean sawing a lady in half or pulling a rabbit out of that hat, then yes he does. As for rallying around? Um, perhaps if they need to burn it.

Can’t wait to see what their live mascot looks like.

CollegeFootballNews.com has its Big East Preview. They did their Pitt Preview a couple weeks ago. The strange and surprisingly optimistic tone they had for the Pitt preview is now tempered as they pick Pitt for 4th in the Big East.

4. Pitt
Predicted record: 8-4 Conf. record: 4-3
Best Player: LB H.B. Blades, Sr.
Offense – Running game, running game, running game. Head coach Dave Wannstedt wants to move the ball on the ground more, but he might not have the horses to do it effectively at a high level. The line has the experience with four returning starters, and now it has to push someone around. LaRod Stephens-Howling is a small, quick back who’ll need help to stay fresh and healthy. The receiving corps loses top target Greg Lee and now needs Derek Kinder to grow into a number one star and several true freshmen to play like seasoned veterans. QB Tyler Palko has to be a consistent leader who takes the next step up in his production and becomes the type of player who makes everyone around him better.

Defense – The secondary should be among the Big East’s most productive thanks to the return of All-America caliber corner Darrelle Revis and Mike Phillips is coming back from an ankle injury. A second corner is needed along with far more production from the front seven against the run. The linebacking corps should do its part with H.B. Blades sure to be one of the nation’s top tacklers in the middle and Clint Session and Brian Bennett returning healthy to the outside spots. The line isn’t all that big and could be a big problem early on until several sophomores start to play like veterans. More of a pass rush is needed from ends Chris McKillop and Charles Sallet.

This season will be a success if … Pitt wins the Big East title. Crank the expectations up a notch. The team should be an experienced, hardened squad by mid-November. It’s not often you get ten games to prepare for your two biggest home games.

That much is true. With such a young team, it should be a better team later in the season. I just don’t buy their big love for USF — picking them in a tie for 2nd with WVU. I have a lot of questions about their offense. The loss of Hall at RB, the questions at QB. And I’m not sure what they mean by the potential to be the second best receiving corp? I’m reasonably certain that Johnny Peyton, their top receiver last year, left the team. “Potentially” you could say the same about Pitt and a couple other teams. Again, it seems they are failing to take into account the loss of half of USF’s recruiting class to academic issues.

In their All-Big East squads, no Pitt players made 1st team on offense. On the 1st team defense as you would expect its H.B. Blades at LB and Darrelle Revis at CB. Revis was also 1st team for Punt Returner. On the second team offense, Derek Kinder, WR; C.J. Davis, OL; and John Simonitis, OL. Adam Graessle was 2nd team Punter. They also listed the Top 30 players in the conference:

5. H.B. Blades
9. Darrelle Revis
19. Tyler Palko
22. Clint Session

In their Unit rankings, Pitt was middle of the pack, and honestly I don’t put much stock in these. It strikes me as guesswork from last year with some expectations.

Offense — 4th
QBs — 3d
RBs — 5th
Receivers — 3d
OLs — 5th
Defenses — 4th
LBs — 3d
DBs — 3d
Special Teams — 6th

Finally is their lists of 5. They have the top 5 games that will shape the Big East race: WVU at Pitt and Louisville at Pitt are of course there.

5 non-con games that teams need to take seriously include UCF and Toledo for Pitt. Honestly, for the Big East, the teams need to take every non-con very seriously. Especially the way the conference stunk it up last year in the non-con showings and in the bowls.

Blades is listed as one of the top-5 pro prospects in the BE and Kinder has one of the biggest sets of shoes to fill in place of Greg Lee.