Nice honor for Nate Byham to even be named to the Mackey watchlist for best Tight End in the country. Hate to say it, but he has little chance of being even a finalist this season. I think he simply won’t see the ball enough. Between the receivers, running game and that Dorin DIckerson and John Pelusi will also see time at the spot his opportunities will not be in the volume that Kris Wilson had 5 years ago.

That brings things to this piece on Dorin Dickerson.

“This,” Dickerson said, “is the most comfortable I’ve ever been here.”

The move started when he told coach Dave Wannstedt before spring practices that he’d feel more comfortable playing offense. Pitt was missing injured tight ends Nate Byham and John Pelusi, so Wannstedt made the offer.

Dickerson agreed.

He excelled during spring practices and was an offensive star during the spring game, catching three passes for 35 yards. Now he’s starting to feel like a tight end, even though his No. 2 jersey gives him away.

“Everything is working out as well as it can right now,” Dickerson said. “Me and Coach Wannstedt are both happy with the decision. Hopefully good things will happen this year.”

Byham and Pelusi have both returned but Dickerson has established himself as a serious player at the position. How much he’ll play isn’t known. Dickerson still runs like a receiver, making him the fastest at his new position.

“There should be an excellent battle for playing time,” Wannstedt said. “I expect him to have an excellent year. He has enough talent to be a difference maker.”

Not that a TE shouldn’t see lots of work in a West Coast style, especially with Cavanaugh. You have to imagine that Pitt will use 2 TEs at time with Byham and Dickerson really able to do something to defenses.

I did like this piece on Pat Bostick.

Bostick still declines to talk about the “personal issue” that prompted him to drive back to Lancaster, accompanied by a member of Pitt football’s support staff. But he said that “it might have been the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“It’s completely changed who I am,” he said. “It made me take a step back and realize how good I have it, and get the help I needed to get and do what I had to do.”

Bostick said the transition to major college and the pressure of battling for the starting job — combined with everything else — were overwhelming.

“It was more than I expected,” he said. “Looking back, I would have changed how I handled it. I know it’s something people talk about, but, at the time, it’s what I did and I’m better for it today. I’m a better man today.”

…

Bostick’s entire outlook has changed since last year, when he was a frazzled, homesick teenager, to become the team’s most experienced quarterback.

“You can tell he’s a different personality than last year,” All-American linebacker Scott McKillop said. “He’s way more open and friendly. He’s talking to everybody and not keeping to himself.”

I kind of wish that he would disclose exactly what happened to stop speculation, but it is his business and choice. Obviously he has dealt with whatever it was and has a better handle on everything.

Finally, there is a transfer practicing with the team to get ready for next year. Josh Novotny transferred from Navy to Pitt when he realized that his choices of majors at Annapolis were more limited.

But Novotny’s career interests had the 6-3, 275-pound guard looking to transfer.

“I came to Pitt because they had what I was looking for,” Novotny said. “I wouldn’t change anything I did. I wouldn’t redo a thing.”

Even if it means Novotny, a health and physical activity major, can’t play a down for Pitt this fall and loses a year of athletic eligibility in the process.

Novotny, who turns 24 the day before Pitt’s Nov. 8 home game against Louisville, arrived at Pitt in January and, because of NCAA guidelines, must complete two consecutive semesters before becoming eligible.

Novotny actually participated in the spring game. Any offensive lineman who started for Navy sounds like a good pick-up for Pitt.