Despite Coach Wannstedt’s efforts to minimize the QB battle versus all of the other position competitions and his back-and-forth attempts to declare the position wide-open, the lead story in multiple papers/media outlets is about who will be the quarterback. Specifically, it will be Bill Stull as the presumed starter. It just seems that there is a countdown until the questions really start coming on who will be the starter.

Some liken this to the most undecided Pitt has been at QB since 1999.

From Pete Gonzalez to Rod Rutherford to Tyler Palko, Pitt has produced a string of successful, efficient quarterbacks over the past decade. Even Matt Lytle, a starter in 1996 and 1998, enjoyed a brief stint in the NFL as a backup with the Carolina Panthers.

Each time a quarterback left, another proved ready to emerge. For instance, when Rutherford left as Pitt’s fourth all-time leading passer, Palko stepped in and put up bigger numbers. The last time uncertainty at quarterback arose, David Priestley and John Turman went back-and-forth as starters. That was during the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

Of course, that’s a bit of revisionism — or simply forgetting something. Palko didn’t just step in after Rutherford graduated. He spent the entire training camp in a virtual dead heat with Luke Getsy before getting the nod and Getsy transferred. That actually seems like a closer comparison at this point.

Of course, Stull being the early leader to start means he also faced the most attention in the  media day with the players. He apparently handled it well (…Stull really handled all the media scrutiny very well and he showed he is mature enough to handle the rigors of being in the spotlight), and leads to his first puff piece.

Judging by the way he led his team through spring drills and a tortuous offseason conditioning program – not to mention the way he handled yesterday’s media crush like a 10-year pro — that might not be a bad thing.

None of the off-field stuff equates to playing in a game, of course, but it’s the only criterion upon which to judge Stull thus far.

Point being, he has carried himself like a bona fide leader in his quest to replace his roommate from last season, Tyler Palko.

There’s also a quote from Offensive Coordinator Matt Cavanaugh saying he believes that starting job is Stull’s to lose.