Briefly running through the stories.

The hostile road crowd angle for a new QB is explored, and dismissed by the players. Standard stuff.

The day before, Kevan Smith got a story on learning from his first college start.

Here’s what the Michigan State game, increasingly feels like it will come down to:

Q: Would all of Pitt’s problems — inexperienced quarterbacks, thin linebacking corps, inability to focus for four quarters, poor kick coverage — go away or at least be reduced in significance if we could just block someone?

ZEISE: Not all of them, but that would sure help. I think that’s the most interesting aspect of this week’s game — watching to see how this offensive and defensive line stack up against big, physical lines with speed. Pitt has to be able to block someone this week or it is going to be a long, long game.

To that end, not one but two stories on the Michigan State running backs getting off to a great start. Yes, Javon Ringer and Jehuu Caulcrick are good backs. The issue, though, is that they are running behind a veteran and very good O-line. Worth repeating: 4 of the 5 starters from last year’s Spartan O-line are back.

Unrelated but this bit annoyed me a bit.

The Pitt-Connecticut game, which will be played at 7 p.m. on Sept. 22 at Heinz Field, will be televised on ESPNU. Let’s call it a parting gift from former Pitt athletic director Jeff Long, who left Tuesday to become head of the athletic department at the University of Arkansas.

Long explained late last month that there were three reasons behind Pitt’s decision to make it a 7 p.m. kickoff:

“One, it is partly based on Jewish holiday and we scheduled it in the evening to try be sensitive to Yom Kippur. Secondly, night games are better attended, so we wanted our fans to enjoy it. Third, there’s a possibility for ESPNU to broadcast this game.”

[Emphasis added.]

Considering that for the last 8 years (at least) a Pitt home game has landed on one of the High Holy Days, they need to keep working on that sensitivity. Or at least try and be on the road for once.