A few items to get out of the browser tabs.
Spring practices are looming, Pitt’s gets underway on March 25. Auburn is already well underway for spring practice. USF was the first team to start spring practice in the Big East.
A couple things from ESPN.com. There’s a “primer” on spring practices.
What to watch
• As a true freshman last season, quarterback Pat Bostick earned the starting job out of necessity after Bill Stull fractured his thumb in the season opener, but Stull will be back this spring to push him. Junior college transfer Greg Cross, who joined the team in January, will also compete for the job, along with Kevan Smith, who started two games last season after Stull got hurt, but lost the job to Bostick.• Both offensive tackle positions are wide open, and it will be tough to replace Jeff Otah and Mike McGlynn, both NFL prospects.
• Former defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads, who directed the Panthers to the top overall defense in the Big East and the No. 5 ranking nationally, left after eight seasons to join the staff at Auburn. Can former SMU coach Phil Bennett maintain that success?
Ranking wise, I’m not sure Pitt will be #5 on defense. Consistency and overall balance, I think Pitt will be better.
A power ranking of teams in the Big East “based on what we know, and what we don’t.”
6. Pittsburgh Panthers
What we know: Two of the best players at their respective positions return in linebacker Scott McKillop, who led the country in tackles, and tailback LeSean McCoy, the leading freshman rusher in the country with 110.7 yards per game.
What we don’t know: The Panthers haven’t been an effective passing team because of the inexperience. Can this year’s quarterback change that, and who will it be?
How the Panthers can win the Big East: Find the balanced offense that was missing last year and play the same stingy defense.
Meanwhile, Rivals.com/Yahoo! have their own Big East spring practice preview.
Greg Romeus is listed among players expected to emerge. The QB spot should be the biggest battle for Pitt. Center Robb Houser
A CFN/FoxSports list of 25 players who will emerge from the “scout team” to impact players.
23. DE Myles Caragein, Pittsburgh: Caragein was born to play for Pitt, the type of blue-collar lineman that really gets Dave Wannstedt thinking nostalgic. An intense competitor and former wrestling champ in Pennsylvania, he’s got a non-stop motor and the size and power to move inside if asked. Caragein is an old-school Panther with the personality and work-ethic to be a big hit in the Steel City.
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6. RB Shariff Harris, Pittsburgh: Obviously, LeSean McCoy is the franchise in Pittsburgh for the next few years, but it never hurts to have a complementary change-of-pace in the backfield. Harris flashes the potential to be that type of a back for the Panthers, a powerful, north-south runner that could have contributed last season if he was needed.
Finally, a profile piece on the sports psychologist who works with Pitt football.
I’ve heard that sports psychologist speak before … he’s excellent.
COULD COWHER COACH PENN STATE?
Former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher is expected to get back in the football coaching game in 2009. Most likely, that would involve working for whatever NFL owner is willing to give him the best combination of multimillion-dollar salary and control over personnel decisions.
But Cowher could also decide to coach in college. And we’ve heard from some Penn State fans who are extremely excited about the possibility that he could return to Pennsylvania.
The Penn State football web site Laschout.com reported Monday that Cowher was on the campus at Penn State on February 24 and 25, and that he stayed overnight at the home of Athletic Director Tim Curley. And then the site reported today that this real estate listing is for Cowher’s home in North Carolina. Might Cowher be putting that home on the market because he plans to be coaching elsewhere 10 months from now?
At this point, it’s too early to say. Joe Paterno is 81 years old, and some observers think he’s heading into his final season. Then again, “some observers” have thought that for the last decade. But taking over for Paterno would likely be seen as an attractive opportunity for Cowher, and Cowher would definitely be seen as an attractive candidate for Penn State.
I know that Pitt has a former NFL coach. But at least he couldn’t hack it in the pros so there was a reason to go back to his alma mater.
I’m sure though that the ghost of lombardi and cowher are both going to fight over the single most presigous job in all of football…then again, maybe he thinks he can get all the fighting they do on the street to translate to better than 4-4 on the field…
I hope they get their hopes up so that they are crushed with another year of mediocrity while we pass them by….
What else is new….
13-9.
Hopefully the team is hard at work on defense this week…there can be NO excuses after a week layoff…
And UCLA just scored 18 points in the first half…they must suck…
If Prov beats Nova, we play Nova.
If Nova beats Prov, we play Seton Hall.
After that first game, we play the loser of the LU/GU season finale, then winner of ND/WVU, then winner of LU/GU season finale. This assumes no crazy upsets in the tourney.
This also assumes we beat depaul.
Now, if syracuse upsets marquette, back to the drawing board. Pray for MU to win.
And ANOTHER State Penn football player arest, this one for DUI…Joe Pa not pleased the laws apply to players, unlike “the old days” where he swept everything under the rug…
can we?
