I love when the classic cliches are broken out immediately. Coach Dave Wannstedt’s opening press conference from this afternoon broke out some greats in the opening statement.

“As we get started the enthusiasm and the energy amongst our players and our fans is very evident. I think that’s good and that’s exciting. From a coaching standpoint, it’s excellent to see your players have legitimate enthusiasm. At this time of year, every player and every coach on every level feels their team has a chance to finish near the top. However, when you step back, there is a select group that can truly accomplish that. That said, when we start practice tomorrow, the only way you make it an exciting season, and a very rewarding season is to take it one step at a time. As we install our offense, defense and special teams, we have to make sure that we have solid back-to-back-to-back practices, building as we get ready for the season. When I have a conversation with someone who’s excited for this upcoming season, my first reaction is ‘we gotta prove it.’”

Obviously the “one step at a time” is one one of the all time classics in the sports cliches. A slight variation to “one game at a time.” Still, by my count I see 3 classics. The “everyone feels they have a chance to win” and a very underrated practice/spring training cliche relating to building towards the opener.

For the most part, there isn’t a lot to the press conference and that’s a good thing. No surprises regarding players being suspended or having academic problems. No NCAA Clearinghouse issues at this point.

All of our freshmen are here, they’ve all been attending summer school, and they’ll all be practicing tomorrow. As I stand right here, I’m not counting on any one of the guys to be a necessary performer for us to go out there and win games. Do I think that some of these freshmen will contribute? Yes I do, but I can’t say exactly who that’s going to be. Obviously, you have a need for greater depth at certain positions, so that will definitely play a factor.”

Interesting on responding to the issue of the player he thinks will break out this year on defense.

“The one corner spot has the guy with more talent maybe than anyone, and that’s Buddy Jackson. He’s a redshirt freshman who needs to just mature. If we can get him to a point where we can just trust him, then he could be a guy we’re talking about as a starter. He ran the fastest time on the team in the spring, and with his height and weight, he’s the picture perfect image of how you want a corner to look. If we can just bring him along a little bit, he definitely has the potential to make an impact.”

Maybe he feels Greg Romeus has already broken out in his freshman year, but a lot of people nationally are expecting him to be the next big star for Pitt (he’s mentioned in most of the magazine previews and some other bloggers have contacted me specifically about him).

There’s more about the offensive line being better conditioned, Dorin Dickerson being a perfect fit at TE, Gus Mustakas ready to go and more.

So, Bill Stull is likely the starter. No one is shocked.

I think the conventional wisdom will hold with QB: that Greg Cross will be used to help mix things up as the #2 starter, with Kevan Smith the #3 starter and Pat Bostick taking a redshirt. You know they so wanted Bostick to take last year — especially after the training camp issues — but couldn’t. Give him a year just to keep building arm strength, work some more on his throwing style, keep learning the offensive system, and just make sure he is ready mentally.

Not sure what is about Cavanaugh’s offensive system. It a very traditional West Coast offense, but something about it really messes with QBs who haven’t had time to learn it for at least a year. That’s a big factor that helped Stull last fall win the job; and why he will be the starter this year. He knows it better than anyone on the team. He had two years behind Palko learning it, running it in practices, just getting it all. It doesn’t require Dan Marino level talent.

“We’re the type of offense where we’re not going to throw it 50 times. The guy doesn’t have to be Tom Brady. Our quarterback needs to be efficient, smart and make plays when there are plays to be made.

“We’re going to play defense, run the ball and play good special teams. That’s our trademark.”

The issue — and I’m standing in line to beat it into the ground along with most of the beat writers for training camp — the offensive line. It’s the most unsettled area on Pitt’s team. There are some positional battles at other groups, but not the widespread question marks all over the place that exist on the O-line.

“There’s a lot of loose things that need to be resolved,” Wannstedt said.

Even senior C.J. Davis, who has 30 consecutive starts at left guard, isn’t assured of his job after missing spring drills with a hamstring injury now that redshirt freshman Chris Jacobson, a high school All-American, has recovered from a knee injury.

“C.J.’s our starting left guard right now, but the great thing about hiring a new offensive line coach is Tony Wise doesn’t know C.J. Davis from Greg Gaskins,” Wannstedt said. “Everybody has to prove themselves. I like that. There’s something to that. It makes everybody better.

“Tony’s going to walk in and say, ‘These are our five best guys.’ And he’s not going to be concerned with who started last year, who’s a freshman and who’s a fifth-year senior.”

There’s more depth on the O-line than there was a year ago. Hopefully it won’t be tested like the last two years. Center still terrifies me. Even if Robb Houser is everything expected, there is still no true center backing him up right now. Honestly, if there is one position where I really hope Pitt gets the big recruit for this class, it is Center.

With the sheer volume of season ending injuries, there will be no shortage of stories on players coming back from injuries and ready to take the field for drills and get that first hit out of the way for the psychological portion of knowing they are truly healthy.

Derek Kinder is first up, because he was at the Big East Media Day and what else can you ask a player who missed all of last season.

Big East media day provided an interesting view as to just how much things have changed for Kinder.

When he attended the event last year, he was clearly Pitt’s big star and media darling, the one who attracted the most attention because of how well he played as a junior.

This year, however, he sat quietly, for the most part, between Panthers stars LeSean McCoy and Scott McKillop and watched as they received most of the attention. Kinder wasn’t bothered by that, though, because he’s too focused on the season he plans on having.

“Man, I think the key to me is this — I have been counting down the days to get back on that field once the initial shock of my injury wore off,” he said. “I just want to help my team win, nothing more or less. I am so hungry just to get back after it — I feel like I want to go outside in the parking lot and play right now. And these two guys sitting here with me [McCoy and McKillop] deserve all the attention they are going to get — they are both superstars and both great teammates who work hard.”

Kinder was already one of the best on Pitt’s team at knowing the right things to say. That hasn’t changed.

So inevitably the subject turned to the matter of getting back out there..

Kinder is bracing for the one-year anniversary of his injury — as well as the first day of practice in full pads. He participated in spring drills but only in non-contact work.

While Kinder claims to be 100 percent physically, he has to overcome the apprehension athletes face upon returning from a serious injury.

“I haven’t felt contact, getting hit with pads on, in over a year-and-a-half,” Kinder said. “So when I get hit for the first time and get up and I’m all right, that’s when I know I’ll be good to go.

“I’m definitely looking forward to getting hit on that first day in pads and feeling the ground for the first time in a while.”

The 2008 media guide (PDF) came over the weekend (thanks, E.J.). Fully heralding the beginning of complete immersion into Pitt football. Not just looking for recruiting scraps and the occasional puff pieces.

Now we are on the verge of practice reports, subjective views on how things looked at points in drills or a scrimmage. Puff pieces on the various new coaches. Talk of how the offseason conditioning program has done wonders for players. Optimism, fueled by a lack of context and comparison. Good times.