Jeez, late night to keep posting.

Pitt has a new verbal. Courtesy of Chris Dokish and the e-mail update from Pittsburgh Sports Report.

The University of Pittsburgh’s recruiting may not be going quite as well as last season, but that changed a little tonight as fullback HENRY HYNOSKI of Southern Columbia High School in Catawissa, PA chose the Panthers over Iowa. The 6’2″ 245 pound Hynoski was one of the most coveted players by the Panthers because of his brute strength, hard running, and high character.

Hynoski is a 3-star recruit according to both Scout.com and Rivals.com. PantherLair.com puts him as the #16 prospect in PA, while Rivals.com lists him as #21 for the state and the 6th best FB in the country.

Hynoski’s father, Henry,Sr. played at Temple and was with the Browns from ’75-76.

Yes, it’s true. T.J. Porter and McKenzie Mathews were practicing with the team today.

On having T.J. Porter and McKenzie Mathews back at practice:

They were great to have. In fact, they both made some plays today. It was encouraging. Like anything, I realize that things like that happen. They happen every year. It happened in the NFL. You just do the best you can, and there’s always that fine line where you want to make sure you keep as many players as you can, but you sure as heck can’t compromise anything from a team standpoint. And this has nothing to do with football. These are just personal things with young kids. That’s all part of it.

T.J. had a nice play today for a touchdown. Mack had a couple nice rushes. How much they would contribute, it’s early yet. Right now we’re just trying to get everybody as much work as we can.

These things happen, and while it needs to be covered and discussed. Perspective needs to be kept. Nice to see Coach Wannstedt agrees with me. They are still kids.

The press conference transcript also notes that the freshmen who came and took some summer classes to get a head start did very well. H.B. Blades gets some attention for his ongoing work ethic.

Tomorrow will be another scrimmage, though QBs will of course be off-limits.

I really don’t want to bother writing much about Joe Pa, and Penn St., but what the hell. I can’t let this Joe Paterno press conference quote from today go past without preserving it from disappearing down a memory hole.

…Akron is awfully clever. The guy who is the head coach at Akron was on Pitt’s staff when they embarrassed us out there. It wasn’t even close. As I said, the quarterback is awfully good. There are a lot of quarterbacks around the country and I think we are playing against all of the good ones.

And yet, he would rather keep the embarrassment from the last game then renew the series.

Shocking.

We’ll find out later today as to whether McKenzie Mathews went to practice today. There are a lot of indications that he will.
Thanks to Matt of Orange 44 for the additional info on McKenzie Mathews.Webb of the Syracuse Post-Standard has some more. Mathews got in touch with his HS coach, who was contacted by Webb.

Casamento said Mathews plans to be at practice today with the Panthers after having lunch with Pittsburgh assistant coach David Walker. Casamento said Mathews has not been home to Syracuse and has remained in Pittsburgh, though he added Mathews may “come home and talk to his mom and me. That’s all I’m going to say. That’s all I know.”

He said Mathews’s absence does not necessarily mean he has contemplated a transfer and that being homesick is part of the college experience for many college freshmen.

“I said are you OK? He said ‘yeah.’ I told him I loved him just know you can call me any time. He said ‘thank you’ and said he’d call me after practice,” Casamento said.

I was told by someone close to the situation that a representative of Mathews had approached another Big East school about transferring. I sent off a query to the Big East seeking further explanation of the league’s no-transfer rule and whether it contained loopholes (such as attending junior college before transferring). A league official said a response would be available on Tuesday.

The Big East transfer rule isn’t clearly known, even by the beat writers and league office. Who do they think they are with these unclear vague rules? The NCAA.

Nate Byham, the stud freshman TE for Pitt has already caught the coaches attention and is pushing for playing time.

Tight ends coach Brian Angelichio said, “Nate has certainly made a lot of strides and has had an impact even though we are only a short way into the preseason. His work ethic — he is relentless — and his willingness to learn are what sets him apart. It is still early, but he has had a great start.”

Byham still needs to get bigger — he has gained 15 pounds since he arrived at Pitt and would like to gain about 15 more — but his size doesn’t hinder his blocking. Angelichio said Byham’s quick first step is a big asset in his blocking.

His role, at least initially, will be mostly as a receiving tight end.

Byham said he feels good about his first week of camp, but he has so much more to learn that he isn’t worried about where he fits in on the depth chart. He said he is pleased with how the tight ends are used in the Panthers’ West Coast offense.

“Being here has really exceeded all of my even most optimistic expectations,” Byham said. “We have a great coaching staff and our offense is a pro-style offense, so hopefully, if I learn what I am supposed to learn, some day I hopefully can make it to the next level. That’s one reason I came here because I trust this coaching staff and I know they’ll help me achieve all of my goals.”

With all the questions and criticisms for OC Matt Cavanaugh, one that can’t be made is his utilization of talented Tight Ends. Buches is the oldest and the best blocking TE. Strong has such potential with his size and strength that you wonder about how he will be used. (Idle rumination alert!) I can’t help but think John Pelusi, who is still a month or two away from coming back from his knee injury, may end up being redshirted. I think it could be more likely with Pitt not able to land Devlin from Mt. Lebanon.

The way everyone raves about Byham, and if he develops the way he’s expected, he could go pro after his junior year. Redshirting Pelusi might be good insurance.
There’s also a brief chat with WR prospect Toney Clemons. He gives no real clues as to where he will be heading. He seems to enjoy the attention and won’t decide until after his visits and the football seasons (HS and college) end.

With 4 Pitt players on the SF 49ers roster, and all starters to boot, they do get something of a rooting interest from me.

Right now there’s a lot of attention on Antonio Bryant, who despite not actually causing any problems in Cleveland for 2 years, is still considered something of a junior T.O. because of the jersey toss incident in the face of Bill Parcells. That seems to be the theme in discussing him.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Antonio Bryant and head coach Mike Nolan approach their relationship with honesty. Both recognize that Bryant’s intensity is likely to be displayed in unprofessional ways and disrupt team chemistry.

“It’s not an easy thing for us or for him,” Nolan said of Bryant’s competitiveness. “But it’s a good thing.”

Bryant once fired a sweaty jersey into the disapproving mug of Cowboys coach Bill Parcells. Bryant was traded to the Browns soon after that. After a year-and-a-half in Cleveland, the Browns had little interested in re-signing him, despite Bryant’s 1,009 yards receiving season last season.

Nolan has issued proclamations about accountability and zero tolerance for dissension, but he signed the admitted malcontent anyway. Bryant has a four-year, $15 million deal with $6 million in guaranteed money.

Bryant showed up at 49ers camp in Santa Clara wearing No. 81, the same jersey that once belonged to the crown prince of sporting infamy, Terrell Owens.

Of course by the end of the column it’s noted that Trent Dilfer of the “flawless reputation” completely encouraged the ‘Niners to sign him.

The reality of the situation is that the 49ers needed Bryant. They had no other receivers who can be a game breaker for their 2005 1st round QB, Alex Smith. So far things look very good between the two.
Then there is Kevan Barlow, going into a big year as far as expectations and whether he will be with the team next year.

“You’re in the ‘Burgh?'” Barlow asked via cell phone during my recent tour of Pittsburgh’s Garfield district. “Oh man, you’ve got to go up the hill now and see the real bad stuff. Turn right on Atlantic and go a block to where the projects are. Then go over to Fort Pitt Park and see where my uncle was shot and killed.

“I’ll call you back in an hour to make sure you made it out of there safe.”

Yes, he called back. He did so in between practices at 49ers training camp, checking not only if I survived, but if a new appreciation was born for his rags-to-riches story.

“Growing up in that environment, it was a tough neighborhood. A lot of guys in the NFL go through the same stuff,” Barlow said last week during a sit-down interview outside the 49ers locker room. “In my neighborhood we had Bloods and Crips. I’ve seen some of my best friends murdered.”

There was Darrell, shot dead in a confrontation with police. And Dorion, his best friend on the Peabody High School football team who fell victim to a drive-by shooting just for wearing a red polo shirt to Wendy’s. Worst of all was uncle Sidney, just 35 when, Barlow says, “a dude on dope” shot him to death at a 1999 Thanksgiving Day football game at Fort Pitt Field.

Barlow, like many athletes, has overcome challenges, that’s for sure. Can he do it yet again? Not the rough childhood part, but the beating-the-odds part. Can he stiff-arm his doubters, stay in the starting lineup and produce the truly big season that’s escaped him to this point?

He swears he still has the drive to succeed, that the 49ers’ recent failures haven’t dragged him into an abyss of despair.

That had better be the case, for this is probably his make-or-break year, to prove he’s a starting-caliber running back worthy of the five-year, $20 million contract that has three pricey seasons remaining on it.

“Every year I come back motivated and I’m still optimistic, still hungry, still wanting to be successful. That’s something God gives you,” Barlow, 27, said. “I still feel I can be the best at what I do. When I lose that, then you’ve got something to worry about.

“But I still feel I can go out there and be one of the best backs in the league. Guys like Larry Johnson and Clinton Portis, I feel I can do everything they do. I just haven’t been in the position or had the opportunity to be successful like them.”

Barlow is being pushed by Frank Gore, drafted out of Miami in 2005.

Still waiting for profiles on Punter Andy Lee and Cornerback Shawntae Spencer.

The Offensive Line is working hard to be cohesive and not be the weak link on the team this year.

“We’re going to be more successful than last year,” said junior right tackle Mike McGlynn, who reported to camp in the best shape of his career. “That’s not a stretch. Who am I kidding? We didn’t have a good last year. This year, we’re going to work to be a unit and have a successful year.”

It isn’t just talk. Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt addressed the run offense and run defense as two main areas of concern before training camp, and the Panthers have shown that the offense is well ahead of the defense during 11-on-11 drills.

The experience of the group is a primary reason for the improvement. Senior right guard John Simonitis is entering his fourth year as a starter and McGlynn his third, while Villani and sophomore left guard C.J. Davis now have a full season behind them. The only question is at left tackle, where sophomore John Bachman is battling junior-college transfer Jeff Otah for the starting job.

There’s enough stability that freshman Joe Thomas, who has earned rave reviews from coaches in camp, will make the two deep but not be forced into starting duties.

The story almost makes me optimistic about the O-line. Cynicsm and the past few years, however, has me thinking about reserving judgment for a few games.

Part of the reason for the hesitancy is that the O-line is only going up against Pitt’s D-line. Not exactly a stiff test at this point. Still a major concern.

The Panthers worked that offensive play extensively, and the offensive line controlled the defense more times than not with redshirt sophomore Brandon Mason, sophomore LaRod Stephens-Howling, redshirt freshman Shane Brooks and freshman Kevin Collier running wild.

“The offensive line did a great job, and it all starts up front with them,” Mason said. “They came out and punched the defense in the mouth, and that’s how it all starts. They gave us some good blocks, but we have a lot of talent in the backfield that can go out and do our thing.”

Wannstedt wasn’t pleased with the overall intensity level, but he was happy that the running game showed some improvement.

“I thought we ran the ball better today for the first time and made some strides there, but we have a lot of work to do with our run defense,” Wannstedt said. “That’s an area where, if we’re going to be an improved team, we need to obviously run the ball better and we need to stop the run better. We’re working a lot of people in there to get the right mix.”

Mix, blend, puree. Whatever. The D-line is going to need to be better very soon. Less than 3 weeks to opening night.

The situation with T.J. Porter is somewhat filled out this morning.

Pitt’s freshman class may have taken another big hit yesterday as receiver T.J. Porter did not show up for the afternoon practice and is considering leaving school. This comes one day after freshman defensive end McKenzie Mathews left the team and returned to his home in Syracuse, N.Y.

What makes the decisions puzzling is that both players were having excellent camps and were on their way toward making it onto the two-deep.

In Porter’s case, there is a good chance he can earn a starting spot or be the third receiver.

There is some understandable confusion about why two players who were in Pittsburgh all summer for voluntary workouts and conditioning. Who are performing very well in the first week of training camp, fully looking like they will at a minimum make the two-deep depth chart. Why would they, now start pining for home to the point where they might leave and set back their hopes and dreams a couple years (be it making it to the NFL or just getting a college education).

The easiest, simplest and probably best answer is that they are kids. They may be very physically gifted and talented kids, but the key thing is they are kids. With Porter, at least, he has shown some sensitivity to being overwhelmed by things. It’s part of why he ducked out of a signing day ceremony at his high school before quietly signing the following day.

Coach Wannstedt is doing the right thing by staying in touch but giving the kids a chance to catch their breath, talk to family and think.

What isn’t completely explained is what happened to back-up QB Bill Stull. One day he’s having a fine camp, looking real good. Now he has his finger in a splint and not taking snaps for at least a week. No word on what digit or hand.

Freshman WR Aaron Smith could be heading for a redshirt with a seperated left shoulder. Especially if it needs surgery or extensive rehab.

The highlights from camp, seem to have a majority coming from the offense.