Dead period for recruiting. No organized practices permitted. Spring semester long past. That means it’s time for coaches and ADs to hit the chapter functions.

There’s the Mon Valley Panther Club holding its 25th annual banquet tomorrow. The three major coaches — Wannstedt, Dixon and Berenanto — are expected to attend.

A couple weeks ago, AD Pederson went to the Johnstown chapter’s banquet which returned after a 9 year break.

“These last six months have been pretty amazing,” Pederson said. “My first day here was the day we beat West Virginia (in football). A few days later we were beating Duke at Madison Square Garden (in basketball).

“We went through the tough injuries in basketball but (coach) Jamie Dixon did an unbelievable job of pulling everything through some tough times and getting us through a Big East championship,” he added. “(Coach) Agnus Berenato takes the women’s team to the Sweet 16, the first time in our history. Then, we had the only wrestler in the United States that goes wire to wire. Keith Gavin was the only undefeated wrestler in all of Division I wrestling.”

Both Coach Wannstedt and Offensive Coordinator Matt Cavanaugh were at the Central PA Chapter event last week.

He is confident in his university, his program, his team.

And, apparently, he sells that as good as anyone sells. Certainly, his first three recruiting classes have been applauded by the national experts, including the one two years ago that landed quarterback Pat Bostick from Lancaster, running back LeSean McCoy from Harrisburg and even William Penn offensive lineman Greg Gaskins.

Cavanaugh just watched the coach work the room Wednesday at Heritage Hills.

“I know what’s in his heart,” Cavanaugh said. “He said, ‘The one goal in life I’ve got remaining is to bring my alma mater back to national prominence.’

“He’s got no aspirations of going back to the NFL. He doesn’t want to work at another university. He wants Pitt to get back on top and that shows in everything he does. How he motivates the team, how he recruits, how he handles the media, how he talks to alumni.

“I believe it’s going to happen.”

So, yes, Lindy’s came out yesterday. Pitt’s Athletic Department was ready. Not surprising. They receive advanced copies of these preview guides for a reason.

That helps in getting out the press release the same day as the newstand sales begin.

The Pitt football team will feature two of the nation’s finest players this season according to Lindy’s 2008 College Football Preview.

Senior linebacker Scott McKillop has been named a first team All-American by Lindy’s, while sophomore tailback LeSean McCoy was named a second team All-American. McCoy additionally was named the Big East’s Offensive Player of the Year, while incoming freshman receiver and Aliquippa High product Jonathan Baldwin was named the conference’s Newcomer of the Year by the magazine.

In its preseason Top 25, Lindy’s rated Pitt No. 23 and wrote, “Given how strong the defense should be, if the offense comes together quickly, the Panthers could challenge for the Big East title.”

What they don’t mention in the press release was the overall theme on Pitt.  It is pretty much summed up in their capsule take in listing the top 25. For Pitt:

OUR CALL: No excuses. No excuses for anything less than a 4-0 start. No excuses for not going to a bowl. No excuses for nothing less than a full-hearted effort at the Big East title. The pressure is on Wannstedt.

As much as there is a lot of national, positive press for Pitt. A lot of “darkhorse” tags being put on this team. There is still the question of whether there will be a payoff.

To me, that is not at all unfair. I think we can expect to see a lot of that theme in the previews as the counter-balance to the expectations being put on this team.
The recruiting has been almost everything that could be hoped to see. The adjustments to the college game from the pros is long past. The development of depth and a team has progressed. All the injuries from last year are over. There was even a significant shake-up to the coaching staff with the DC and 3 assistants taking new jobs. It is time to start actually winning the games.