The wireless connection in my house was getting a little wiggy the last few days. I just figured it had something to do with the wireless router or the DSL line itself. By late Thursday morning, I couldn’t get e-mail or access the web. I figured, I’d just deal with it on Friday or Saturday when I got back from Pittsburgh. No time on Thursday. Even saved a couple posts to put them out later.

Got to Pittsburgh a little later than I wanted — no Penn Pilsner for me — so went straight to Fan Fest. Afterwards, went to my friend Pat’s and we hit a few bars on the South Side.
This morning, after shaving the hair off of my tongue, I went down the street to Beehive to glom onto their free wireless and average coffee. To my frustration, I discovered the problem with the connection was with my computer. Spent an hour trying to figure out what was wrong with my wireless network adapter. Not very easy when you can’t actually get on the internet to try and find information or new drivers.

Finally gave up, and figured I’d look for info when I was home on the wired computer.

I was doing that, and turned on the laptop to make sure of the particular adapter I had to see what there was. Lo and behold, the damn thing is now working fine. This is actually worse to me because it means it could go on me without warning again. Intermittent problems are much more frustrating to me.

I’ll post about Fan Fest and some pictures later.

Wanamaker (I’m seeing it spelled with one and two “N’s”) is from Philly and is defined as a combo guard. He’s 6-foot-3, 200 pounds. Scout gives him three stars.

Here’s a highlight video I found of Wanamaker. It’s worth checking out. From what I can tell he is comfortable coming off the dribble and finishing close to the rim. He can certainly create his own shots. Unfortunately, I saw very few highlights of him shooting jumpers and only one was from beyond the 3-point line. Maybe it was just the editing.

Or maybe it wasn’t — here is a coach’s analysis of Wanamaker.

We asked Coach Grisham to described the star guard, “He is almost 6-foot-4 inches tall. He is definitely a No. 2 guard. He might remind you of Mitch Richmond in style. He is a big strong guard.”

Coach Grisham went on to say, “He is athletic enough to guard a point guard if he has two but is strong enough to guard a wing player. He is almost unstoppable going to the basket. He is very aggressive on defense. He still needs to work on him jump shot but he has good form so it will come.”

A lot of sites have him listed at 6-foot-4. This short note confirms his strong build:

Wanamaker is simply ripped. He has the shoulders and biceps of an NBA player, and he is really quick getting up and down the floor.

Wannamaker’s verbal may hurt Pitt’s chances of landing another guard they were targeting (this from and earlier report).

Wannamaker would fit the Panthers quota for guards in this class, but 6’1″ CHRIS WRIGHT of St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. is one of the top five point guards in the 2007 class and would be too hard to pass up. Wright, who knows new Pitt director of basketball operations David Cox very well, is a Georgetown lean at this time but is scheduled to visit Pitt on September 16th.

To Pitt’s credit, you can’t wait on a guy like Wright who is being recruited by all the big schools.

With Pitt’s depth at guard all this guard recruiting may sound crazy (it did to me), but remember that these guys would be joining Pitt when Ramon is a senior and Fields is a junior. Shucks, they grow up so fast!

According to the same PSR article, Pitt is targeting six centers. Unfortunately, the Panthers will already be a year removed from the Aaron Gray era (did you hear he’s going pro after this year?).

Before Wanamaker, Pitt had already received one verbal from 6-foot-7 swingman Darnell Dodson.

Can’t wait until basketball!

Since Chas is still in Pittsburgh — he was at yesterday’s Fan Fest — I am jumping back in the Pitt (Blather) for a bit.

Our fearless leader may be back to offer his hung-over analysis of the event by tonight or tomorrow morning.

Back in the day I attended Fan Fest three times. After the first, it wasn’t by choice. It’s a good event for kids but for alumni and students it’s rather anticlimactic; that is to say – boring. Perhaps Chas will have a different opinion for us – stay tuned.

There was one newsworthy piece of information that came out of Heinz Field yesterday.

Wannstedt said junior-college transfer Jeff Otah had won the starting left offensive tackle job and sophomore John Bachman would back up both tackles.

“He’s obviously got a ways to go,” Wannstedt said of the 6-foot-7, 340-pound Otah. “But he’s had a good camp, and he deserves it.”

I was surprised by how long the position battle lasted. I like the move to start Otah and it will be nice to have a veteran like Bachman backing him up.

In the same story was this note about the kicking game.

Pitt redshirt sophomore Conor Lee went 2 for 4, and freshman Dan Hutchins went 1 for 2 kicking field goals under the lights at FanFest on Thursday night at Heinz Field. Lee converted a 25- and 27-yarder, but he missed a 27-yarder and had a 37-yard attempt blocked by cornerback Darrelle Revis, which was returned for a touchdown by safety Sam Bryant. Hutchins missed a 32-yarder wide left, then made a 28-yarder.

“We’ve been somewhat inconsistent with both guys,” Coach Dave Wannstedt said. “They both can do it, and they both will do it. It was great to try to put them under a little pressure.”

Nebraska game anyone? Position battle aside, I think the kicking game is the most underrated question marks entering the season. Pitt felt its importance last season — it was really the only difference between winning and losing in more than one game — and that was with an experienced kicker.

Former Pitt lineman Penny Semaia gets a puff piece (yes, I know it’s Chas’ term) on his new job with the athletic department. I’m a big fan of the recent move to keep former players involved with the programs (a la Charles Small and Brandin Knight).

As noted last night, Shane Brooks really stood out in camp, that isn’t up for dispute judging by the articles about practice.

In other parts of practice and depth chart determination. Redshirt Freshman Doug Fulmer has the starting right DE spot won, and Sophomore Tommie Campbell will start at Weakside Linebacker. Both had another very good day on the field.

Surprisingly Left OT is still undecided between John Bachman and Jeff Otah.

Pitt’s radio broadcasts will be moving down the FM radio dial from 104.7 to 94.5 in November. The new station is a 50,000 Watt signal. There is no change to the Flagship AM side (970). During the transition the games will be simulcast on all 3 stations. Pitt basketball is included in this move. (These are all Clear Channel owned stations.)

An AP article that does a good summary of the question marks around this team.

• The offensive line returns four starters.

That would be good news for most schools, but the Panthers almost never mounted a reliable running game while being outrushed by an average of 69 yards per game last season. The lack of a solid running game put even more pressure on Palko to succeed, a problem that could return this season.

“Tyler’s not talking as much this year,” Wannstedt said. “By that, I mean he is more focused on his job. He has been very businesslike and that rubs off on all the players.”

• The defensive line badly needs upgrading.
This is where Wannstedt hopes some of the recruits can move in quickly. Pitt never did establish much of a pass rush last season, getting only 22 sacks. The rushing defense (185.2 yards per game allowed) was one of the worst in Division I-A, meaning opponents could stay on the ground and run the clock after getting ahead.

We just aren’t going to know a thing about these lines until the games start. It’s frustrating, because it really will decide what kind of season Pitt will have. And there is no way to know. Hope, believe, think — sure. Presume it has to be better than last year simply because it couldn’t be much worse — hard to disagree. How much better?

And on the issue of newcomers, the national perspective on the Big East presumes that of the new players in the conference to have the biggest impact, 3 of the 5 freshmen will be Pitt players (Insider subs.).  Call this the conventional wisdom list.

2. WR/RB Dorin Dickerson, Pittsburgh
Dickerson not only will be counted on at wide receiver, but he also might see time at running back as Pittsburgh is searching for some help in the backfield to complement gunslinger Tyler Palko.

Dickerson is big, physical and very smooth for a player of his size. A local Pittsburgh product, he is expected to add speed and a significant red zone threat to a receiving unit that only returns one starter in Derek Kinder.

…

4. RB Kevin Collier, Pittsburgh
While Collier isn’t very big yet, his speed and quickness will be a significant upgrade to a below-average running game at Pittsburgh.

He is a darter-type back with great explosiveness and vision, but he is also a surprisingly effective inside runner, and the Panthers need a physical presence up front. Also expect Collier to contribute in the passing game as he is a threat in space and can make multiple defenders miss in the open field.

5. WR Tamarcus Porter, Pittsburgh
Simply put, Tamarcus Porter is an excellent overall athlete who we actually projected to play safety, but it seems Porter is making a statement at wide receiver early. He and Dickerson could give Pittsburgh a dynamic young tandem out wide.

Porter is explosive and at his best in space. He can make people miss and has excellent instincts and playmaking skills. He lacks ideal vertical speed, and if he had it, he would have been a national recruit.

Louisville DE Deantwan “Peanut” Whitehead and Syracuse WR Andrey Baskin were 1 and 3.

As for predictions for the BE, at least one person thinks Pitt will get off to a fast start.

4. Pittsburgh will go bowling. The Panthers were within one victory of playing in the postseason in Dave Wannstedt’s first season coaching his alma mater in 2005. With quarterback Tyler Palko bouncing back from an up-and-down junior season, and linebacker H.B. Blades and cornerback Darrelle Revis leading an improved defense, the Panthers will get off to a hot 5-1 start and finish 7-5. Rutgers and Connecticut will play in the postseason, too.

5. The Big East will flex its growing muscles against the ACC, the conference that raided three of its best teams. Connecticut will beat Wake Forest on Sept. 16. Pittsburgh will wallop Virginia in its Sept. 2 opener (ESPNU, 7 p.m. ET) with players from the Panthers’ 1976 national championship team watching. Rutgers will upset North Carolina on the road the same weekend, and West Virginia will beat Maryland on national television on Sept. 14 (ESPN, 7:30 p.m. ET).

I would be thrilled if Pitt got off to that kind of start. If Pitt starts out that way, then 8-4 or 9-3 would be more likely. I know conventional wisdom has Pitt losing the final 2 bames to L-ville and WVU. Fine, pretending to accept that, I have trouble accepting that Pitt would go 2-2 versus UCF, Rutgers, USF and UConn. With Pitt being as young as they are, it is more reasonable to expect the team to get better further into the season as things shake out more and the players become more comfortable with the system and their roles.

As I said initially hiring Brandin Knight as the Video Coordinator is just the latest in positive news for Pitt basketball after a miserable start to the offseason. Here are the stories.

Following his Pitt career, Knight played two seasons with Asheville (N.C.) of the NBDL, the NBA’s developmental league, helping the team to consecutive titles in 2003-04 and 2004-05. In 2005, he signed a contract with the Houston Rockets, but suffered extensive knee and leg injuries two weeks later.

He has spent the past 16 months in Pittsburgh rehabbing the injury, while coaching several Amateur Athletic Union teams, including one that captured the Under-16 Pittsburgh Jamfest title.

“This is my only focus right now,” Knight said of his new job. “I can’t say I’ll never play again, but for right now, this is what I want to do.”

Knight’s appointment completes a revamping of Dixon’s staff, which also consists of holdover assistants Pat Sandle and Orlando Antigua, who was promoted from director of basketball operations; Mike Rice, who joined the Panthers from St. Joseph’s, where he was serving as an assistant; and David Cox, a former Washington AAU coach who took over Antigua’s previous position.

In addition to Rohrssen and Alesi, another former Pitt assistant, Joe Lombardi, left the program after last season to take over as coach of Indiana (Pa.).

I’m not saying this to be cruel, but I’m not sure the demand is that high for Brandin Knight’s services as a player in the NBA that he needs to leave that door open.
What is interesting is that Knight essentially wanted to start at the bottom of the coaching ladder.

During his rehabilitation, Knight has been around the program in an unofficial capacity for the past year. He helped with player workouts this past spring when Dixon was short-handed because assistant coaching positions were unfilled. Knight also has dabbled in AAU coaching.

Knight said he spoke with Dixon about the director of operations position that was filled last month by David Cox, but was not interested in that post.

He also turned down an offer from Manhattan coach Barry Rohrssen, Dixon’s former top lieutenant, to be a full-time assistant with the Jaspers.

“Nothing against Manhattan, but I wouldn’t have been able to recruit the type of players I would want to recruit there,” Knight said.

“And I spoke with coach Dixon about [the director of operations job].

“That wasn’t a position I felt like I really wanted to do. It’s really a hands-off position. It’s administrative. We briefly talked about it. It never got to the point where it was serious, and it was never offered to me.

“This job gives me an opportunity to learn the system. I can really get to learn about coaching from the ground up. I’ll be an assistant with the new coaches. The new guys have been great.”

It’s like the guy wants to get the fundamentals down in everything he does with basketball (except for free throw shooting?) first.

For now, his mission is to make Pitt a national title contender. Pitt might be ranked in the top five in preseason polls.

“It’s always a great opportunity to come back and do it at your own school,” Knight said.

“It’s always good to come back and support the guys. My expectations are a lot higher than what we accomplished. These guys are great guys, and I’ll help them in any way I can.”

Isn’t good to know that classic cliches about “helping the team” can be adapted even for coaches.

Is the running game showing major signs of improvement or is it that the run defense is still highly suspect. Or is it somewhere in between? I’d love to know the answer, but despite an apparently spirited final scrimmage I have my questions.

On Shane Brooks’ performance in the scrimmage:

Shane Brooks – he earned his scholarship today. He did a nice job. We held LaRod Stephens [-Howling] today [out of the scrimmage]. We held him and [Darrelle] Revis and [H.B.] Blades and [Clint] Session for most of it. We wanted to get a good look between [Shane] Brooks, [Kevin] Collier and Dorin Dickerson. And we basically told them all, hey, it’s up in the air. Go after the job. Shane came out today. The thing that he did today that was impressive, he put the ball on the ground early and then he bounced back. I mean he didn’t go in the tank and lose his confidence, and he came back stronger than when he started. The thing that’s a little bit deceiving about him is he can run on the perimeter which he showed today. He’s little bit deceiving. Everybody thinks of him as a between the tackles type of runner, but he has a little bit more shake on the outside than what anybody really gives him credit for. They’re all [running backs] going to play. We’re going to need them all before the year’s out. That’s for sure. [Shane Brooks has] got good hands. That’s an area all of our running backs need to improve on because for the type of team we’re going to be, we’re going to need to get the ball out quick and Tyler [Palko] will do that. I thought Tyler had a good day. He was nine-for-eleven. He made good decisions, but we didn’t come up with any big plays. But he can’t control that. We’ve got to get the ball into the hands of our backs and receivers and tight ends and those guys will make plays.

On the depth at running back:

[Shane Brooks] is going to play a ton. If we were playing tomorrow, he’s second team behind LaRod. We’ll take a look at the tape. He might be as good as short yardage and goal-line runner as we have.

On who stood out on the defense:

Starting off, I thought Gus Mustakas up front really made some plays. Doug Fulmer – I think he’s kind of got comfortable with that right defensive end spot and made some big plays. Even one or two of the passes that Tyler [Palko] threw way at the end, he was right there in the quarterback’s face. I thought Fulmer made some plays. Gus made some plays early which is what we need – our defensive linemen to rise up. I forgot about Tommie [Campbell]. Him and Fulmer set the tempo for the scrimmage. On the offensive drive, not only does [Tommie] cause the fumble, but he recovered it. Then he comes up with a sack later. He’s more comfortable every day at that spot. Think about this. He hasn’t played in a game yet at linebacker. So he’s going to be better every week as time goes on.

Shane Brooks ran wild. Which is good for the offense, and helps with the depth chart. He definitely feels confident.

Brooks bulked up to 225 pounds after last season, and the Panthers believed he would be their power back. But he lost some weight after the spring workouts and checks in a 212 pounds.

“I just spent every day in the weight room with Coach (Mike) Kent, going hard with lifting on the bench, the squat and a lot of running,” Brooks said. “I think it was a little bit natural for me, too, because I have strong legs.

“I’m much more comfortable at this weight.”

And he feels confident and that he has earned his spot.

Several times against the watered-down defense that was minus starters Darrelle Revis (hamstring), Mike Phillips (ankle), H.B. Blades and Clint Session (resting), Brooks slammed into the line for a first down on third-and-short. He had a 25-yard run, but he did most of his damage inside.

“If we need a yard, then I can get the yard,” Brooks said. “And when we’re on the goal line, I can punch it in. So, I think I pretty much solidified myself in that position. And on Saturday night (against Virginia), when it’s third-and-one, I want to go in there.”

While Palko was effective and efficient. He also appeared to be harried and hurried.

Palko was 9-for-11 for 66 yards, while Bill Stuff was 5-for-9 for 67 yards. There were no touchdown passes. But the key to the offense Wednesday was the running game.

* Even though some top defensive players were absent, several others were able to shine. Sophomore defensive tackle Gus Mustakas made some plays early, including dropping Collier behind the line and sacking Palko for lost yardage, while sophomore Tommy Campbell continued to show improvement at weak-side linebacker with a forced fumble and a recovery, as well as several big solo tackles.

* And redshirt freshman defensive end Doug Fulmer consistently harassed the quarterbacks from the right side.

“(Fulmer) has gotten comfortable with that right defensive end spot,” Wannstedt said. “He made some big plays. Even one or two of the passes that Tyler threw away at the end, he was right there in his face.”>

Wannstedt’s comments after the scrimmage are pretty clear that the starters on the D-line are still very much up in the air. That is less than reassuring.

Here’s a multiple shocker story. Did you know:

• BCS schools pay big money to very bad teams to come to the BCS school’s home stadium for a beating.
• That the patsy schools make a ton of money that funds the football program and a lot of the rest of their athletic department.
• That the price/demand keeps going up.
• That the addition of the 12th game in college football is all about making more money for schools.

Expect some variation of this story to appear multiple times each year. The first time I read a variation of this story was in the Wall Street Journal in 1998. The only thing new is the 12th game stuff.

Chris Dokish said this was coming, and sure enough, it’s official.

University of Pittsburgh head men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon announced on Wednesday the appointment of former Pitt star Brandin Knight as Program Assistant/Video Coordinator.

Knight’s appointment completes Dixon’s staff which consists of assistant coaches Mike Rice, Pat Sandle and Orlando Antigua, along with director of operations David Cox. In addition to other duties, Knight will serve as the chief video contact for the men’s basketball program and assist in the monitoring of academic progress.

“Brandin will be a tremendous asset to our program and we are extremely fortunate to have his assistance,” Dixon said. “Brandin was an outstanding role model for our players at the University of Pittsburgh and he was instrumental in turning our program around. He knows what we are trying to accomplish.”

The story is also out on the AP Wire.

No question it will be a good place for Brandin Knight to start if he is interested in being a coach one day. No doubt, it’s another public relations coup for Pitt basketball and Jamie Dixon with the hiring of one of Pitt’s most popular players.

What the rest of the media horde saw at practice.

The offense showing up was the big thing.

After encountering Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt’s wrath Monday, the offense “showed a little bit of character” Tuesday by responding with an inspired practice.

“That’s what it’s going to take,” Wannstedt said. “It’s a team effort. We’re not good enough to go out and beat anybody with one phase.”

Dale Grndic agrees that the offense looked much better. Helps when the O-line shows up to give running room and time to throw.

TB LaRod Stephens-Howling had several runs for first downs on sweeps, as well as between the tackles to show his versatility. With Brooks having another good day, freshman Kevin Collier looking better all the time and Dorin Dickerson working his way into the lineup Pitt’s RB situation appears to be better than it was last season.

…

RB Shane Brooks had several big runs Tuesday, including some between the tackles, but he also bolted around right end for a 20-yard gain as right guard John Simonitis and right tackle Mike McGlynn caved in the defense on that side.

The line battles continue.

McGlynn straightened up DE Joe Clermond. Simonitis got the better of DT Corey Davis. NT Rashaad Duncan, who moved up to the first group Tuesday, beat C Joe Villani. DT Gus Mustakas slipped past OG C.J. Davis, but LT John Bachman held off DE Doug Fulmer for a while until his speed paid off.

Aaron Berry had a good day that everyone took note of.

Freshman cornerback Aaron Berry had an outstanding practice. He read a pass play and intercepted Bill Stull, then partially blocked a Dan Hutchins field goal attempt, causing it to bounce off the left upright.

Mick Williams has been a big question mark after his concussion. Which was initially missed, and thought only to be having some migraines. This article suggests his problems are not to be taken lightly.

Sometime during the opening two practice sessions, or maybe even during pre-camp workouts, he apparently suffered a concussion. He has been debilitated by migraines and vomiting ever since and has not been able to get back on the field or do conditioning work on the side.

Tuesday, Wannstedt said an MRI to determine if Williams has more severe head trauma was negative.

So far, it’s been a mystery to everyone.

Everyone is hoping for some big things from Williams this year. He  was redshirted and spent the past year working very hard at his conditioning and learning.

“I was kind of a slow learner when I got here, and a guy like Rashaad jumped on it a lot quicker than I did,” Williams said. “So, he got a chance to play a lot quicker. But I don’t have any regrets about that or any hard feelings. I’m happy that I took the redshirt, because I’m a better player now.

“I think I improved in a lot of areas. My overall technique, I’m stronger and faster, and I don’t second-guess myself now. I don’t have to think so much when I’m out there. I can just go out and make plays now, and that’s what we need to do on the defensive line.”

Williams improved his bench press to a maximum of 370 pounds, and he can squat 565 pounds. So, his strength has increased a great deal as well, but he also is much quicker. He gives the line an added dimension, along with Mustakas, of speed. Duncan and Davis are more stout. The same holds true for newcomers Jason Pinkston, John Malecki and Mackenzie Mathews.

As much as he and the coaching staff want him out there, he needs to be held out until he is all the way back. Concussions are scary, and if they happen too close together, that can just be it for good with playing.

Okay, folks. Tomorrow I’m heading to Pittsburgh for the FanFest. Just look for the short, bald guy lugging a laptop and a camera. I’m sure I’ll stand out.

I’m hoping to get in early. Maybe get to the campus if I have time. I plan to stay overnight then leave some time in the late morning for a special trip down to Morgantown.

I need to find some places with free wi-fi, so I can squeeze in a little blogging when time permits. Specifically on the North Side, South Side and in Oakland. I know the Beehive offers it on the South Side. In Oakland there’s Panera and I think Kiva Han. I just like to have options. Anyone know of some other places?

Also, if I end up with a late start, I may just go straight to the North Side and avoid the later traffic issues. So if there’s anyplaces on the North Side with free wi-fi let me know. Right now, it seems the city is blanketed by a pay-to-use company. Admittedly I’m tempted to pay the $5 just so I can have a beer and post at Penn Brewery before fan fest.

It’s Pitt day in Akron. Well no but the local paper takes note that David Abdul will not play football again. It notes that Abdul might try to petition the NCAA for one more year of eligibilty. It is unfortunately unlikely. The NCAA rarely grants 2 years of medical redshirts. Of course it’s the NCAA, so predictability and logic are not necessarily tied to their decision making.

Jordan Mabin gets a profile in the paper as well. They don’t mention Northwestern’s interest in him, but trust PSR on this sort of thing. Mabin plays running back mostly, and has exceeded 1000 yards three straight years. He is, though, being recruited by most as a cornerback.

Pitt, Indiana and Cincinnati have moved to the front of his list — and those three see him as a defensive back.

“I love running back. I like to score and like to put points on the board,” said Mabin, a first-team all-district choice as a sophomore and second-team selection as a junior. “But I think because of my size, cornerback may fit me better. I like that, too. I like to hit people.”

Boedicker, whose team has eight starters back on offense and six on defense, said he believes Mabin is destined to play cornerback in college.

“He understands that. He just wants to play college football,” Boedicker said. “As a defensive back, he has great hips and has the ability to redirect. He is a good cover guy, with great instincts.”

Perhaps the only disappointment for Mabin on the recruiting trail has been the lack of an offer from Louisville, where his father, Howard Mabin, and his godfather, ex-Brown Frank Minnifield, played.

“I got letters from them (Louisville), but that was it,” Mabin said. “It doesn’t get to me. I have learned to live with it.”

Louisville isn’t even listed as being interested in him, and hopefully it will stay that way. (I was wrong in speculating he was hoping for more interest in Ohio St. it would appear.)

Another fluffy “Blue Chip Chat,” this time with Pitt commit DE Myles Caragein.

THE SKINNY: He wears more hats than just a stellar football player, as he is one of the best wrestlers in the WPIAL and also carries a 3.8 grade point average.

COLLEGE TALK: Committed to Pitt. Also considered Iowa, Purdue, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Stanford and Northwestern.

Caragein is a national winner in Greco-Roman Wrestling.

Joe Flacco who bailed on Pitt at an awkward point, has been named the starting QB of the Delaware Blue Hens.

I’m being unfair, I know. But the instinct kicked in with this bit from this afternoon’s post-practice comments.

On an overall evaluation of camp:

I think we’re going to go into the season with a lot of positions cleared up but also with the mentality that we’re going to play a lot of guys. Right now it’s going to be running back by committee. We’re going to play them all. LaRod (Stephens-Howling) is the starter but we’re going to play them all. At receiver, if we we’re playing tomorrow, it would probably be Oderick (Turner) and (Derek) Kinder, but Marcel (Pestano) is going to play a ton and we’ll rotate other guys in. I think the same thing with the defensive line, there are very few positions that are locked in that it’s going to be one guy, and that’s good, that can be helpful. When you’ve got a young football team like we are, I think the competition is good.

[Emphasis added.]

Get that?

The depth chart is being written in pencil. I don’t actually disagree with Coach Wannstedt. It’s a young team and there is no way training camp is going to clear up all the questions at so many spots, but it seems then, that it’s less like a depth chart and more like the general roster broken down by position.

A day after calling out the offense, for a lack of effort, they naturally made some today.

On the improvement displayed today:

That’s why you practice. I think our guys showed a little bit of character today, especially on offense. Yesterday’s practice was so one-sided defensively, it was good to see the offensive players come out and respond today and that’s what it’s going to take, it’s a team effort. We’re not good enough to go out and beat anybody with any one face. It’s going to take offense, defense and special teams every week. They came out today, I’ll tell you. Our receivers (and) Shane Brooks had a good day today. Marcel Pestano had his best day since I’ve been here. Not just catching the ball but showing some toughness. Getting knocked around a little bit and holding onto the ball. I thought our offensive line as a whole really showed up today and competed.

I think you could have cancelled the season and found Coach Wannstedt going fetal in a corner if they hadn’t responded today.

Kennard Cox’s consistency seems to have him winning the open CB position over Reggie Carter. Aaron Berry had a very good day. Not sure where he’ll be on the CB depth chart but expect to see him very active on special teams.

Punter Adam Graessle, Defensive Lineman Raashad Duncan and QB Tyler Palko got praised today. Dorin Dickerson is still not fully healthy. Conredge Collins, T.J. Porter and Conor Lee all were held out of practice as precautions or minor dings.

Mick Williams is still not right, but the MRI’s are clean.

Just a few little things.

According to PSR’s e-mail update, Jordan Mabin out of Macedonia, Ohio is going to delay his decision. It was expected that he would decide this Friday. Pitt was the big favorite, but now Mabin is going to wait. Apparently Northwestern has really come on strong and he has decided to take official visits to each. It will likely be in September before he makes his choice. Mabin is a 3-star or 4-star DB recruit. (It could also be he is still waiting to see if an offer will come from Ohio State, but that is just speculation on my part.)

Pitt verbal commit Dom DeCicco does one of the “blue chip Q&A” for the P-G.

COLLEGE TALK: DeCicco made a verbal commitment to Pitt June 16, choosing the Panthers over scholarship offers from such schools as Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Indiana and Cincinnati. DeCicco could play a number of positions at Pitt but said he was recruited to most likely play receiver, with the possibility of moving to defensive back.

Then, just about 10 miles up Route 2 from where I live, is Painesville, Ohio. For the SF geeks, that is notable as the birthplace of Harlan Ellison. There’s also a potential sleeper offensive lineman by the name of Jeff Spikes.

Spikes hasn’t played football since the seventh game of his freshman year when he sustained a broken leg. One leg surgery and two years of pesky stress fractures in his feet later, Spikes’ lower body is back in working condition.

And college coaches are noticing.

“For sure,” said first-year Harvey coach Devlin Culliver. “If he produces those first three games, there’s a list of schools that will offer (a full-ride scholarship). Right now, we have 10-12 schools that are really interested but are going to wait for the first tapes to come through. Most want one game film. Ohio State will probably want three.

“The only thing holding up the whole show is the tape.”

The window of opportunity for a Division I football scholarship is a small one for Spikes, Culliver said, but he is confident the huge two-way starter can sneak through it.

He might just break through it, despite not playing football for more than two years.

Culliver said he didn’t really know what to expect from Spikes when he convinced the basketball and track standout to give football another try. When Spikes had his cast removed April 5 from surgeries on each foot, it left only two weeks to get ready for a scouting combine hosted by the Browns.

“He wasn’t able to do anything up until then,” Culliver said. “I was like, ‘Don’t fall down and don’t look clumsy.’ By the time he went over the first bag, I looked up and there were 40 coaches wanting to talk to him.”

Which floored Spikes. It wasn’t something he expected.

After all, the only game film available is from his freshman year, and what college coach bases a player’s ability solely on film from nearly three years ago?

Ohio University and Miami (Ohio) were the first two schools to come knocking. Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt made the trip to Painesville not long after, and schools such as Bowling Green, Akron and North Carolina also took notice.

Culliver said the list is going to grow exponentially when game film becomes available.

“If Jeff would have played four years, he’d probably end up being a high school All-American,” Culliver said. “He has the natural ability to play the position. He’s a prototypical college tackle that big schools look for – the big, athletic, tight-end type of body. He understands the window is not real big to get this Division I scholarship, but barring an injury, I think he’ll play Division I somewhere.”

[Emphasis added.]

Spikes is quite literal in a way. He’s got a metal screw in each foot and 2 in one knee. Though, Pitt hasn’t offered (as noted, no school has), it is the highest profile school to show the earliest interest in him and he attended camp at Pitt.

Just some little things. Derek Kinder continues strong steady play as the #1 receiver.

Conredge Collins joined those who are a bit banged up.

While the offense was bad yesterday, the defense seemed to have plenty of good showings. Freshmen Defensive Tackles Jason Pinkston and John Malecki and Defensive End McKenzie Mathews all got rotated up to play with the first team during the practices.

Also Defensive Ends Doug Fulmer and John Clermond were seeing plenty of 1st team action.

While the wide receivers comes in for more scrutiny, the tight ends are looking even better.

Youth is the general excuse for the WRs slow progress. Unfortunately, that doesn’t explain the lack of any advancement with a number of players from last year to this year.

The Panthers are set to finish camp tomorrow and likely will do so with a depth chart at wide receiver that is unsettled. And unlike other positions, such as the defensive line, where the depth chart is cloudy because so many players have performed well, the receiver position is unsettled because of inconsistency.

Junior Derek Kinder is the only receiver who has consistently played at a high level throughout training camp. He is the veteran of the group and the leading returning receiver from last year. The coaches also believe redshirt freshman Oderick Turner has played well enough to separate himself from the rest of the pack and become a second viable option at receiver.

But after Kinder and Turner, there is no third option.

…

Hill pointed out that the receivers’ failure to progress as fast as he would like hasn’t been completely about a lack of ability. There have been injuries — McGee (calf) and Turner (ankle) have missed some time — and off-field issues — Porter left the team for a day and senior Joe DelSardo has been suspended for two weeks — that have hindered their progress as well.

The group also is extremely inexperienced — Kinder and DelSardo are the only two with more than five receptions in a game.

But the explanations for the state of the receiving corps don’t erase the fact that there is a game to be played in 11 days and the Panthers have only two receivers ready to play.

Kinder said he has seen a lot of improvement on the unit. The receivers have talked about holding on to the tradition of “Wide Receiver U.” and, as the veteran of the group, it is his job to help mentor the younger players.

He said most of the younger players have had trouble making the transition from high school to college, where receivers are asked to block and need to be a lot more physical to get open.

Seems like plenty of excuse making at the moment. Turner, by the way, tweaked his ankle in practice yesterday.
The better excuse might be that the receivers have been raided of the potentially best and/or fastest players for other positions. Elijah Fields is now a safety and Dorin Dickerson is practicing with the running backs. That I would actually buy.
The flip side is that the other part of Pitt’s receiving corp, the tight ends looks like it’s the strongest it has ever been. There is no question the depth there is best I’ve seen at Pitt, but Pitt has had an all-conference quality TE there the last 4 years. Kris Wilson was tremendous there for 2 years. Erik Gill really came into his own taking over for Wilson — though Gill had a bad senior year.

Pitt is turning its sights toward its tight ends, not only its biggest targets but also its most reliable. The Panthers are showing signs that three-tight end sets featuring fifth-year senior Steve Buches, junior Darrell Strong and freshman Nate Byham could become commonplace this season.

“As of right now, I think we should be the best targets on the team,” Strong said. “We’re still trying to find the second receiver, so that’s putting pressure on the tight ends. That’s going to be a big part of our offense this season.”

In such packages, Pitt will likely use a one-back set or an empty backfield and substitute a tight end for a fullback. Buches and Strong have lined up tight, next to the tackles, while Byham is split wide as an additional receiver.

“If you see three tight ends in a game, most defenses are thinking run,” Buches said, “so it can only help.”

Although the formation gives defenses a run-first look, any of the three tight ends – and, sometimes, all three – can release and go out for a pass.

“It gives us a luxury to try to get mismatches with corners or linebackers on our tight ends,” Pitt tight ends coach Brian Angelichio said. “When they see three tight ends on the field, they’re going to defend the run. With the athleticism of some of the guys we’ve got, they can catch the ball and stretch the field.”

The three tight end set will definitely see a fair number of appearances. What has me drooling with hope and anticipation is that the single back would be Dorin Dickerson. That could create some tremendous opportunities with misdirection and four very big targets. All of whom could catch the ball, plus the versatility of just giving it to Dickerson. It could even create the space to allow Palko to scramble for yardage.

Not to mention that both Dickerson and Strong played QB and could pass the ball on a trick play. We just have to depend on creativity from OC Cavanaugh and the rest of the offensive staff. Gulp.