As most of you already know, Pitt has it’s first verbal for the football recruiting class of 2009. Cory King is an offensive lineman who had offers in hand from Pitt, Bowling Green and Minnesota (potential interest, but no offers yet included Penn St., Ohio St., Illinois and ‘Bama). According to PantherLair.com (Rivals.com), he is the 18th best player in the state. Neither Rivals.com or Scout.com has him listed with any “stars” right now.

ESPN.com/Scouts, Inc. considers him a solid prospect that can develop (Insider subs.), most likely as a Guard.

Has above average mobility for a 300 plus offensive lineman. Pulls with authority and can get turned upfield. Stays square on most blocks but could be a little more consistent sustaining the block. More effective once he locks into the frame of the defenders body. King is good offensive lineman that could even be better if he trimmed down and played a little lower.

King comes in at 6-5, 310 pounds.

Yep. More than just rumors about Mo Williams academic issues. He has been declared academically ineligible.

Williams plans to remain on Pitt’s team and take a redshirt season. He would have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

“We believe Maurice can achieve a lot at Pitt, both academically and athletically, and our expectations are for him to use this as motivation for improvement,” Panthers coach Dave Wannstedt said in a statement.

How come Pitt never makes public those kinds of press releases on ther website?

While much of the attention is on the fact that this throws the door wide open for incoming freshman stud Jonathon Baldwin to take Williams spot as the #3 WR/deep threat. It is also more opportunities for T.J. Porter and Cedric McGee to get more chances. Even Dorin Dickerson at TE becomes a more important option.

This is the second M. Williams, that’s a WR in the Big East to have severe academic issues to end his season this week — at least Mo Williams simply struggled rather than being caught cheating (“multiple times”? Really? How many times are you allowed to attempt that at Syracuse?).

He doesn’t play, but he happily has his name and shows up in support of a golf tournament that raises money for a worthy cause.

As usual, Dorsett, the Hall of Fame running back from Hopewell, didn’t play in the golf outing that bears his name.

First of all, he doesn’t golf. Secondly, even if he did, he’s too busy making his rounds between the two courses used to accommodate 65 foursomes playing scramble golf with a celebrity.

Dorsett started his day at Diamond Run Golf Club in Ohio Township, thanking all the corporate sponsors who paid $3,200 a foursome, posing with pictures and most importantly, touting the good things done at McGuire. He then made his way to Treesdale Golf & Country Club and repeated his routine.

Proceeds from the tournament benefit the 100 or so children and adults with mental retardation cared for at the McGuire Home in Daugherty Township.

Along with a strong contingent of famous folk associated with Pitt — including coaches Dave Wannstedt and Jackie Sherrill — Miss Pennsylvania, LauRen Merola was there. Which is reallyjust just an excuse to put up a picture.

My condolences to the Beiswenger family and the brothers at Delta Phi on the passing of Jared Beiswenger. A recent Pitt grad, passionate Pitt fan and a regular reader of this site.

“He was a die-hard Philly fan,” Placone said. “He went to probably more than 20 Phillies games this season alone, and he wouldn’t miss the Eagles on Sunday for anything.”

Placone also remembered how hard Jared took each loss that his favorite teams faced.

“It was impossible to even talk to him after a game was over,” he said. “He’d be too angry to even acknowledge your question.”

Luke Fidler, another one of Jared’s fraternity brothers, remembered Jared’s competitive spirit and hatred for losing.

“I’ll always remember going to Pitt basketball games with him,” Fidler said.

“He was the craziest fan I’ve ever been with at a game, and the Zoo definitely lost one of its biggest fans,” he said.

Jared always got his choice of seats at Pitt basketball games by arriving at the gate several hours before tipoff, Placone added.

“He liked to wear an Adidas headband, harking back to the Julius Page days,” he said.

He was planningto teach English in Peru via TEFL, and was supposed to be going in August.