Silly me, I thought the bigger story was Tommie Campbell being moved to starter on the Linebacker depth chart and the challenges issued to Bennett and Thomas about playing.

Dorin Dickerson being moved to tailback didn’t seem too stunning since as Coach Wannstedt put it, “He was either going to be a receiver that we put in the backfield some, or a running back that we threw the ball to some.” By moving him to tailback is similar to the way Michael Bush at Louisville is used and Reggie Bush of USC was used. Naturally, then the move of Dickerson to practicing with the tailbacks was the lead story.

While the thought of moving freshman Dorin Dickerson to tailback was tempting Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt, Dickerson was daydreaming about returning to his natural position.

“I’d sit there whenever I was getting a break and look at the running backs and say, ‘I miss running back,’ ” Dickerson said. “I missed getting handoffs and taking those licks. Hopefully, good things will come out of it.”

…

“We’ll know if that’s going to be his career move in a couple days,” Walker said. “Right now, he’s learning that position, and we’ll see if we can’t get him to do some work there tomorrow based on how his ankle is.”

Dickerson adds a new dimension to a backfield that features sophomore LaRod Stephens-Howling and freshmen Shane Brooks and Kevin Collier at tailback. For Walker, the question is not whether Dickerson can play the position, but whether his impact can be immediate.

“He’s good enough,” Walker said. “That’s a non-issue. He’s plenty good enough. If I can go out and recruit another Dorin Dickerson, sign another Dorin Dickerson to play running back, I’m going to do that gladly.”

Yes, Running Backs Coach David Walker is quite thrilled to have Dickerson in his area of expertise.

Pitt running backs coach David Walker is responsible for recruiting in New York, but he may have pulled off his greatest recruiting victory yesterday without leaving Pitt’s South Side practice facility.

That’s because heralded freshman Dorin Dickerson officially was moved from wide receiver to running back.

Walker hardly could contain his excitement when talking about it. Dickerson had worked with the receivers during the first week of camp, when he was slowed by an ankle injury.

…

“We will know in a few days if this is his career position,” Walker said. “But I watched his film, too, and [receivers coach Aubrey Hill and I] were fighting for him. We were fighting for him during recruiting. We’d obviously love to have him as part of our group, and coach Hill would love to have him as a receiver.

“In high school, he showed he can run with power and niftiness and catch the ball out of the backfield, so, for him, it will be like riding a bike. It will take him a couple of weeks, and he’ll be back up on it.”

Dickerson was slowed in camp by lingering injuries sustained while practicing for the Big 33 HS all-star game. The extent to which seemed to be somewhat glossed over. He had sustained a partial tear in the ACL of his right knee and a fractured  right ankle. Neither of which were serious (apparently) to need surgery. Just rehab and time. So while Dickerson is a little out of shape at this point, he is sharp on his cliches.

“I’ll play anywhere as long as we win, that’s all I care about,” Dickerson said. “As of right now, I’m a running back. I’m cool with any way I can get on the field and help the team produce and win games. I’ll play defense, I’ll play offense.”

Cliches are an athlete’s friend. Know them. Use them.

The articles do suggest that Pitt coaches are happy with the development of depth at the WR position.  I’m a little nervous since Aaron Smith has been injured, Elijah Fields is playing safety and now Dickerson will be in the backfield a lot. T.J. Porter has garnered a lot of praise — sandwiched around his moment of homesickness — but essentially it is the same group of receivers that had me nervous after spring practice.
Apparently the move of Dickerson to tailback is part of the reason Brandon Mason left camp for his home and family in New Jersey. Mason was the “big back” similar in size to Dickerson, but has never been able to climb the depth chart be it because of youth, injuries and/or the talent in front of him. From the accounts I’ve been reading, he’s had a good training camp. It’s just that he still can’t climb the depth chart and is at risk of slipping further behind with Kevin Collier and now Dickerson in the mix.