Shocking, I know. With nearly a quarter of Pitt’s scholarship players hailing from Florida, there’s a lot of excitement among the players about the trip to Orlando.

“You know how it is, something about going home always makes it extra special,” said Rashaad Duncan, who is from Belle Glade, Fla. “And you know Central Florida probably has all Florida boys, and they look at us like, we went up North so we aren’t Florida boys any more. We want to show them we are and we still play like it.”

Middle linebacker H.B. Blades is from Plantation, Fla., and said the fact that most players from the state know each other or of each other makes the trip more exciting. He added that most of the students who graduate from his school go to Central Florida, and there are other players, such as defensive tackle Gus Mustakas (Cooper City), who have siblings at the school.

Not that Pitt can directly use this trip as a recruiting tool.

Pitt won’t be able to use this Florida trip for recruiting purposes because it’s a Friday night game and conflicts with high school football games. Under NCAA rules, the Panthers also aren’t permitted to invite prospects to away games. Coaches will, however, make sure to use the lure of returning home as a recruiting tool.

“I think the biggest benefit is when you’re sitting in a young man’s home that you’re recruiting and saying, ‘We’re going to have a chance to come back and play in your home state,'” said Pitt defensive ends/special teams coach Charlie Partridge, a Plantation, Fla., native who recruits the state for the Panthers. “That’s important for that young man and that family. It’s not always easy for them to get up here for every game. This year, they know there’s two games they can drive to.”

Coach Wannstedt indicated he won’t be hanging around a day or two extra in Florida after this game to recruit. I’m not sure if Aubrey Hill or Charlie Partridge will. It wouldn’t be surprising if they did try to squeeze in a couple visits.