QB Bill Stull headlines this national list of players coming back from injury this fall.

“Last year, you’re standing and watching an offense that you were in, that should have you out there,” Pitt quarterback Bill Stull said by telephone. “I can’t wait. I’ve been looking forward to this season for a whole year.”

Stull started last year’s opener against Eastern Michigan before ripping up his thumb on a third-quarter handoff. He watched freshmen understudies Pat Bostick and Kevan Smith complete a 5-7 fall, disappointing even after a season-ending upset of then-No. 2 West Virginia.

But Stull, a redshirt junior, beat incumbent starter Bostick for the No. 1 job this spring, leading a platoon of Panthers back from sickbay. Receiver Derek Kinder, back from a torn ACL (the only college football initials worse than “BCS”), figures to rank as Stull’s top target. And defensive tackle Gus Mustakas has rebounded from a knee tear, too, and might start along Pitt’s front.

All that’s left for the threesome, and all the guys returning from injury, is proving their worth come September. And don’t sleep on what a guy can do after missing a chunk of last year.

It will be closely watched how well those three plus Chris Jacobson and Dan Matha. To say nothing of Pinkston and whether Mick Williams can stay healthy. Yeesh. Heck, we have to see if Coach Wannstedt’s knee can hold up this year.