Really, anytime a special event is announced for April 1, I have to wonder if this is some gag. The Pitt Athletic Department is probably not going to this much trouble for a joke, but you never know.

The University of Pittsburgh will host a special media and photo opportunity on Tuesday, April 1, featuring legendary Pitt running back Tony Dorsett and current Panther LeSean McCoy. The session will be held at noon at Pitt’s football practice facility within the UPMC Sports Performance Complex.

Dorsett, the 1976 Heisman Trophy winner, will make a special presentation to commemorate McCoy’s remarkable freshman season.

Pitt is letting the non-media (i.e., everyone else) watch  the event for free via Pitt’s website at noon.

Before the Xavier-UCLA game, the NY Times ran an article on Pitt Basketball Trainer John Tony Salesi’s close relationship with both Sean Miller and Ben Howland.

Salesi called being in Miller’s wedding party one of his greatest honors. He is also proud of the work that Miller put in on his recovery. He had a photograph in his office of Miller making a hard cut, something that he did not know he would be able to do after his surgery. The affection is mutual.

“He’s one of those people in college athletics that the outside world does not appreciate,” Miller said of Salesi. “If you’re a coach or player and been a part of Pitt basketball, you know how much he means.”

Among players, coaches and administrators, Salesi is considered a fixture. “Tony is always just kind of the constant,” Pittsburgh Coach Jamie Dixon said. “He’s been here for so long.”

22 years as the trainer for Pitt basketball. 4 coaches and I’m not even sure how many ADs. That’s something.

Remember that wishful thinking from TCU to hire Jamie Dixon? Well, Dixon did get a phone call from TCU’s AD.

I say this despite wanting Morrison to call TCU favorite son and Pitt coach Jamie Dixon and beg him to return. He qualifies as a sexy hire. And, to his credit, Morrison actually called and talked to Dixon.

“He has a great love and passion for this place, and we talked about the kind of coach who would be successful,” Danny said. “He’s been a valuable resource throughout the whole process.”

Danny would not say as much, but I have to imagine he was smart enough to begin the conversation with “this may sound crazy, but… ” and at least give Dixon a chance to say what everybody figured he might.

Give Danny credit, though, he appears to have nailed this hire.

Jim Christian, the former Kent St. head coach, was also an assistant at Pitt under Ralph Willard.

Some unconnected links.

A little late, but Rivals.com spring practice preview.

Pittsburgh missed playing in a bowl for the third consecutive season under Dave Wannstedt, but all signs point to 2008 being a turnaround year with recent recruiting classes coming to fruition. With other teams in the Big East in transition, Pitt could make a run at the league title. The Panthers need to settle on a new offensive line and find new starters at defensive line and in the secondary this spring.

A ranking of BE Coaches. Wannstedt comes in 6th. I understand Wanny being in the lower half based on what he’s done, but seeing Kragthorpe 4th and Leavitt 5th is ridiculous.  Kragthorpe may have a solid body of work prior to Louisville, but he can’t compare to what Leavitt has been doing. I can at least see the argument for nos. 1-3 (even if I don’t agree with the order — Edsall, Schiano, Kelly), but if body of work counts for Kragthorpe, Leavitt blows him out with how he’s built USF.

Joe Starkey writes that Pitt is embracing expectations on this team from national speculation.

“I’m kind of surprised,” says Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt, whose team began spring workouts Tuesday. “You know, coming off a five-win season.”

That said, Wannstedt welcomes the pressure. The Sporting News’ Matt Hayes and SI.com’s Stewart Mandel have Pitt pegged at No. 25; ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach and CBS Sportsline’s Dennis Dodd at No. 22.

“We don’t dodge the issue,” Wannstedt said. “You meet it head on – but, really, it doesn’t have any bearing on anything. One of the early lessons you learn playing this game is that you have to prove yourself every week.”

There’s also some talk of the possible LeSean McCoy and the Heisman talk. Let’s make sure there’s an O-line first.

Finally, I mentioned that Rod Rutherford is in af2. In his debut, he threw for 4 TDs and ran for 2 more. Of course, in what had to take him back to his Pitt days the O-line let him get sacked 7 times and there was little defense as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Pioneers lost 48-41. Ah, memories.

I didn’t see this in the Spring Practice Guide (PDF), nor anywhere else. I was tipped off by a contact — okay, it’s an old frat brother who works for NFL Films.  And it wasn’t exactly a tip so much as a “why haven’t you posted this” e-mail, you idiot. Details, and that’s not important.

The info I am trying to share is that the Blue-Gold Spring Football game will be aired live on the NFL Network. That’s 6pm on Saturday, April 19. There will be a re-airing again at Midnight.

That’s right, as long as you can watch the NFL Network you can actually see the game on TV. No settling for the grainy and glitchy internet video feed like last year.

Hopefully this will take care of anymore “Dixon will leave for Cal” rumors.

Multiple sources told ESPN.com that Cal made an attempt to hire Dixon within 24 hours of firing Ben Braun. Dixon told the Bears he wanted to stay at Pitt.

Arizona State also tried to hire Dixon before Herb Sendek took the job in the spring of 2006.

There is a perception that Dixon wants to move back to the West Coast because he is from Santa Barbara and his wife is from Hawaii. In truth, he is not looking to get back there as his family thoroughly enjoys living in Pittsburgh.

That’s not to say he won’t still get a new extension and raise from Pitt.

UPDATE (11:29): Oh, and not that it was really an issue but TCU (Dixon’s alma mater) has apparently hired Jim Christian from Kent State.

There’s a Pitt legacy on the Wildcat’s squad.

Jason Richards of Davidson has a chance to match his father’s achievement of point-guarding a team to the Elite Eight. Tom Richards was in charge when Pitt got to the East final in 1974. His son, leading the nation in assists, kept the Wildcats’ offense viable with 20 points and five assists while All-American Stephen Curry gradually found his touch on the way to 30 points and a dismissal of No. 2 seed Georgetown.

Jeff Otah will likely be drafted somewhere in the middle of the first round. A second straight year for Pitt to put a player in the 1st round of the NFL draft. It’s progress. Otah got a puff piece in USA Today as they were looking at O-linemen.

“It’s the best group I’ve seen in 24 years,” says Kevin Colbert, director of football operations for the Pittsburgh Steelers. “The majority of them can play the left side or play both sides. It’s unusual to have that many guys that big and that athletic and that productive.”

Colbert has had a bird’s-eye seat to watch Otah’s development. “Jeff’s an interesting kid that probably hasn’t played his best football yet because he’s not a real experienced guy as far as football is concerned and having playing experience. So there’s probably a lot of upside left in him,” Colbert says.

Meanwhile, Kris Wilson may finally get a chance to play now that he is out of Kansas City and the back-up to Tony Gonzalez. He joins the Philadelphia Eagles with a 3-year deal.

“I’m coming in here to play tight end,” Wilson said. “The coaches told me I’ll be working primarily at tight end. I think my skill set definitely allows for more success at tight end.

“My strengths are stretching the field, catching the ball, beating defenders one-on-one, mixing it up and blocking guys – a lot of the all-around things that tight ends do. I think at the tight-end position, you have to be a jack of all trades.”

Some of Wilson’s tight-end numbers at Pitt were impressive. He averaged 16.3 yards per catch and scored nine touchdowns his senior season.

Wilson was one of my favorites from that period. I complained at a lot of games that he didn’t get enough balls thrown to him.

Meanwhile, if you live in the Wilkes-Barre area, you can check out Rod Rutherford QBing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers of the af2.

“Rich called me all the time around this time to see if I wanted to play but I would always blow him off,” Rutherford said. “Everyone has a dream of playing in the NFL but I realize that my window of opportunity is smaller than it was when I first came out.

“If that opportunity comes I am not going to run away from it. I gave (Ingold) a call and he was happy to welcome me aboard. I am going to take advantage of this chance and do what I have been able to do my whole career.”

Rutherford signed a free- agent contract with the Carolina Panthers when he came out of the University of Pittsburgh. The Panthers released him in 2005 and he was picked up by the Steelers where he received a Super Bowl ring.

He spent a summer in Germany, serving as a backup before trying out with the Tennessee Titans. When nothing worked out with the Titans, he volunteered as an assistant with Pitt this past season.

…

“Honestly I would love just to continue to play at whatever level I can,” said Rutherford who has no experience with the indoor game. “Whether it is AFL or even coming back here, ultimately whatever I am doing it is going to be in football. You have guys who love to play with computers, I love the game of football.”

I just hope he has been wise with the money he has received in his time in the NFL.

A power forward prospect in NJ seems to be drawing interest.

The Linden High School (NJ) Tigers’ David Bruce is definitely a player to keep your eye on, and college coaches apparently agree. I spoke with the 6’9 junior forward on Monday, and we discussed the status of his recruitment. Bruce currently has offers from Rutgers, St. Joseph’s, St. John’s, Villanova, Pittsburgh, LaSalle, and Seton Hall. In addition, UConn, Houston, Rider, and Syracuse are all interested in Bruce, with UConn giving David the most attention of the four.

Bruce has Pitt and St. Joe’s as his co-favorites. He’s not highly ranked at all. There is a question as to whether that could change.

Emerged as a junior after not playing much as a sophomore. He’s got natural basketball instincts and once he gains confidence we could be talking about a high-level prospect.

Just another name to be aware.

Today the available players and hence the focus of stories out of spring football were the sophomore safeies. Sophomore Dom DeCicco and redshirt sophomore Elijah Fields.

The goal for Dom DeCicco and Elijah Fields is to play together someday in Pitt’s defensive backfield.

For now, they are waging a friendly battle for the starting strong safety spot. The competition promises to last through the spring and perhaps well into summer.

“We’re like best friends,” says Fields, a redshirt sophomore out of Duquesne High School who missed last season because of a suspension. “No hard feelings.”

“I’m going to come out and give everything I got every day,” says DeCicco, a sophomore out of Thomas Jefferson High School who backed up Eric Thatcher at free safety last season. “He knows that. And I know he will, too. He’s a great athlete. I like to think I’m a great athlete.”

For now DeCicco is the defacto starter since he played last year. Both are athletic, but Fields is more intriguing because he seems to have a higher ceiling. Add in the fact that because he was suspended last season for “violation of team rules,” he has been tantalizing Pitt fans and observers for a longer time.

Plus because he has screwed up, he is a more interesting storyline.

But he didn’t reject, he stood and fielded questions with impressive candor.

When last year’s transgressions were brought up, Fields looked reporters squarely in the eye and said, “It won’t happen again. Trust me.”

Fields didn’t want to get into the events that led to his suspension, and they likely will never be made public. But to the Pitt staff, players and, perhaps most important, Fields, the past isn’t the important part. Instead, the future of the 6-foot-2, 217-pound defensive back from Duquesne is what is paramount.

“I’ve been down most of my life,” Fields said. “I had to learn how to always work my way back up. … I know I am playing for a lot of people. I feel I let my community down, my family down, my teammates down, my coaches down, and it is time to do the right thing.”

The buzz around camp is that Fields is doing the right thing. There also is a feeling that if he wasn’t, he would not have been asked back to the program after the suspension.

“He needs to be accountable, and we [as a coaching staff] need to be able to trust him and his teammates need to be able to trust him, and he now knows that,” Pitt secondary coach Jeff Hafley said. “With not being able to play last year, that sure opened up his eyes. He knows the most important thing is to look at the future and do the right things every single day that will keep him going in a positive direction.”

I hope he truly gets it. Beyond the potential impact he can have on the team, there’s the fact that he has only so many chances to do something with his abilities. If he doesn’t take advantage of the opportunities — education and athletics — he becomes just another “could’ve been.”

The season just ended and I’m already looking forward to next year. Here’s some things that we might want to think and worry about during the next few months and into the 2008-09 season.

1. Will Gilbert Brown continue to show the improvement he demonstrated this year? When he started to see meaningful playing time after Cook and Fields went down, it’s safe to say we all agree that he struggled. He just couldn’t get it going on both ends of the floor. As the season went on though, he showed a great deal of maturation and improvement. Chances are he’ll be in the starting lineup next year – is he going to keep improving enough to show he belongs and deserves to be in the starting five?

2. Will Sam Young go pro? A topic that really didn’t gain legs until his great week during the Big East Tournament, but his decision could change the shape of this entire team for next year. As quickly as he rose to prominence in NYC, he blew it (like everyone else did) in the tourney loss to Michigan State. Had he led the team to an Elite Eight/Final Four and played amazingly on said mythical run, he might have been more inclined to leave early. For his own good and the good of the team, it’s best that he stay at Pitt.

3. Which freshmen will see a lot of playing time next year? The newcomers next year are Ashton Gibbs, Nasir Robinson, Travon Woodall, and Dwight Miller. The guy most likely to see the most action is Robinson, rated as one of the Rivals 150, who could challenge Brad Wanamaker for a bulk of the minutes. An excerpt from what Chas said a few months ago:

Nasir Robinson fits Pitt. A lot of reports have been saying that for a while, that the Pitt commit plays tough gritty defense. That he scraps for balls and will be a perfect fit in the way Pitt plays the game, and the Big East play. What also has become clear is that Pitt found a player who was under the radar a bit and got him before he was fully appreciated by other coaches.

4. Will Jamie Dixon get an extension? Dixon is not going to Indiana, TCU, Cal, or anywhere in the next year or two. That said, young coaches that have success get plenty of offers with plenty of cash. It might be time for Steve Pedersen to look into extending Dixon and keeping him here for hopefully the rest of his career. Pitt doesn’t need to be a stepping stone for coaches (Howland), but instead could be a place where a coach wants to spend his entire career.

5. Will there be anyone to shoot the three? No one could shoot the three pointers this year. During Ronald Ramon’s time here he was generally considered our “sharpshooter” who could make the three pointer consistently. That’s largely debatable, especially with declining numbers in his senior season. He was the guy though, because who else was there? And now that he’s graduated, who’s going to shoot all those treys? Fields’ biggest flaw has been that he isn’t a consistent jump shooter. Sam Young, if he’s around, took more threes in ‘07-‘08 but isn’t a pure shooter. After those two it’s hard to see anyone else taking a bulk of the threes.

6. Will Mike Cook get a 6^th year of eligibility? Wishful thinking…

‘Tis the season. The coaching carousel is in motion and it is time for speculation, wishlists and rumors. In a sign of both the job Jamie Dixon has done at Pitt and the increased reputation of the program, there are only a couple places where Dixon’s name is being bandied about.

West Coast roots issue seem to be the driving thing for any Cal rumors.

Pitt coach Jamie Dixon, who’s from Southern California and might feel like he has taken the Panthers as far as they can go (which is the Sweet 16 — that’s be OK with Old Blues).

Telling is that there is not even a hint that the whole West Coast thing would be enough to even pretend that would be enough to get him to look at Oregon State. Really, the Cal thing seems very unlikely since it wouldn’t even be a lateral move. I don’t take that one very seriously. And really, Randy Bennett at St. Mary’s seems like the best choice there.
The one that has to be watched, though, is Indiana.

But the best job available is still Indiana, where the names most regularly mentioned as potential replacements are Washington State’s Tony Bennett, Xavier’s Sean Miller and Tennessee’s Bruce Pearl.

Two other names making the rounds here at the East Regional: Pitt’s Jamie Dixon and Texas’ Rick Barnes.

Tony Bennett seems like the best fit, but I could also see Miller being their guy. Rick Barnes has no incentive to leave Texas. Fertile recruiting, lots of money and not as much pressure. I don’t see Dixon as their pick, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they sought him out to talk.
Understand, though, that while Indiana fans are more polite and not nearly as outwardly insane, they have similar delusions like Kentucky. IU fans are setting their fantasies on getting Billy Donovan from Florida.

This will be going on for a while — unfortunately.

UPDATE (3:15): For what it’s worth, Andy Katz at ESPN.com (Insider subs) doubts Dixon would leave.

Pitt’s Jamie Dixon will be mentioned for jobs at Cal and Indiana, but all indications are that Dixon enjoys living in Pittsburgh and has a strong fondness for the school and all that it has done for him. I don’t expect him to leave.

So, there’s that.

I seem to be having some trouble with embedding it on the site, but here is a link to the video of the player introductions for Pitt from the 2008 Big East Tournament Championship. Good times.

Now the biggest issue for Pitt basketball for the 3d time in 4 years, is whether a vital junior player will go into the NBA Draft. I’ve already said I think he should at least go through the draft process. Several sites have him going late in the 1st round. Plenty don’t include him. If you want to go crazy, here’s a link to a collection of mocks (quality of evaluations vary). One of the great variables that is always unclear until late April into May is the Euro players. Until the overseas scouting reports start coming in, the 1st round remains quite fluid.

As noted, there hasn’t really been a clear indication by Young as to what he is thinking.

Young won’t have to make a decision to even enter the NBA draft until April 27. The date to withdraw is June 16.

So take a deep breath. Relax and until Young actually says something, don’t drive yourself insane.

Of course, if he comes back…

Young would join Fields and DeJuan Blair, the Panthers’ top three scorers, as returning starters. Gilbert Brown, who was forced into a bigger role with the injury to Cook and was a major part of coach Jamie Dixon’s rotation, also returns and could move into the starting lineup at the three spot to replace Keith Benjamin.

A Young return could equal a top 15 or better preseason ranking for the Panthers, who garnered top-10 predictions the year Aaron Gray returned after testing the NBA.

The top incoming freshmen are expected to be Nasir Robinson, a four-star recruit who also could compete for the starting wing position, and shooting guard Ashton Gibbs, who may fill Ronald Ramon’s role. Other newcomers will likely be guard Travon Woodall and forward Dwight Miller. Point guard Jermaine Dixon has committed to Pitt and is expected to sign in the next month, but it’s unclear if there will be a scholarship available.

In Ray Fittipaldo’s final Q&A he speculates at the possibility of moving McGhee into a more prominent role. One that would have Blair at PF and Young at SF. That does, however, squeeze Gilbert Brown unless his shooting gets a lot better over the summer. Still, it is reasonable to assume that’s a goal at some point. McGhee’s development will be vital. Obviously it would allow Pitt to go bigger with him at center. The other advantage is that the rest of the players would be able to shift back when the team needs to go smaller.

Worth noting that Nasir Robinson was named to the all-PA AAAA 1st team for the second straight year. Also making the AAAA 1st team was Deandre Kane from Schenley.

On the sidebar, there is a new grouping called “Pitt Consortium.” I am thrilled that the number of Pitt blogs has reached the point where it needs it’s own separate group. Make sure you check these guys out as well.

If you are primarily a Pitt blogger, and have been able to stay active for more than one month, just let me know so I can add you to the list.

Well, it looks like Pat Bostick really has taken his off-season conditioning very seriously.

Bostick was equally elated, not just because of a new streamlined body that has dropped his weight from 231 pounds (his playing weight last season) to 214 pounds and increased his mobility. But also because of a strength and flexibility program that has improved his arm strength and velocity.

Bostick said he couldn’t throw the football beyond 50 yards last season, even, he joked, if the “wind was at my back.” This year, with the help of strength coach Buddy Morris, he has increased the range of motion in his right arm and can throw the ball 61 yards in the air.

“Even today, there was one play where I was rolling out and I was thinking while I was running: ‘Man, this doesn’t seem normal,’ ” Bostick said. “When you’re lighter, you can move better.”

…

“The best player will play, and that’s what I want for the team,” Bostick said. “You want the best guys out there. It’s a competition within myself right now. If it’s good enough, it’s good enough.”

Bostick saying the right things about the team and doing the right things in the offseason. That’s reassuring. Now, it becomes a question about how things are coming with his delivery. That wind-up of his has to remain a concern.

Bill Stull, was back taking snaps at long last. Predictably, he was happy to be back.

“I think it’s only going to make me mentally and physically stronger,” Stull said. “I understand what it takes to get the job done, but I also know what it takes to have it taken away, kind of.”

Stull is back to full strength after suffering a thumb injury on his right (throwing) hand, and split the majority of the snaps with Bostick yesterday. Both quarterbacks practiced with the first team while Smith and Cross’s snaps were limited. Smith saw more time than Cross, a mobile quarterback who is still learning the playbook.

The conventional wisdom is that Bostick will take the redshirt he should have had last year, this season. Then Greg Cross and Stull ultimately splitting time at QB. Hard to go against that view right now.
Stull, obviously, has the advantage of being in the system for 3 years and familiarity and comfort with the coaches. Cross has the advantage of being a more athletic QB and offering more options to run the ball. Both have maturity and are about the same size.

Still, I think Bostick will force his way into the conversation. He has the advantage, at least early, of being more familiar with the 1st team and knowing the playbook better than Cross.

We need to lighten up a little — let’s have some fun.

Solid.

[The Mosh Pitt]