Sorry, back to school day for the kid. Re-adjusting the schedule, and all the fun stuff. Hence, the lack of any posting.

Last week Scott McKillop did a chat on ESPN.com.

Mike (Pittsburgh): Scott, could this defense end up the best in the country? Can it be good enough to win the Big East?

Scott McKillop: That is my goal and our coaches’ and the players’ goals. In order for us to go from being a good defense to a great defense we need to be up there in every single category. Last year we did well in yards per game, but we have to create more turnovers and three and outs. We have to put our offense in great positions on the field so they can score more easily; that is what makes a great defense.

…

Wes (Pittsburgh, PA): We’ve heard so many great things on the defensive end of the ball, but how is the offense looking so far in practice? Are they pushing you guys to improve as much as you’re pushing them?

Scott McKillop: Yes, the first few practices we had the upper hand up front, but as camp went on the offense made some very big strides. And when we face great RBs like McCoy and Stephens-Howling who are great athletes it forces you to bring your A game.

McKillop was also named to the Sports Illustrated All-American team.

The game notes should come out later today. The depth chart will be eagerly anticipated and scrutinize I’m sure. Specifically at weakside linebacker and right guard.

Lucas Nix is increasingly getting the attention as it is clear he will be playing, not redshirting, in his freshman year. In a way, it’s a little disappointing he can’t redshirt. Just because he actually seems to be willing because he does understand what he still needs to do.

“I’m ready from the standpoint of getting out there and getting after it,” Nix said. “I’d like to spend an extra year in the weightroom before I get out there. It would probably help me a lot. But if they’re relying on me, and they have expectations …”

…

When Thomas struggled against sophomore defensive end Jabaal Sheard in Monday’s practice, Wannstedt sent a message by inserting Nix into the lineup with the first-team offense. What was supposed to be a wake-up call for Thomas turned into an eye-opener for Nix, as well, when Sheard beat him with a swim move for a sack on the first snap.

“It was always a goal for me — to compete in here for a starting spot and, hopefully, get it one day,” Nix said. “To get reps with the first team was not what I expected. But it’s what I’m working for, and I’m getting closer to it.

“There’s a lot more speed on the defense. … You realize where you need to be and how much better you need to get.”

Wise believes Nix is showing signs of progress and likes what he sees from a competitive standpoint. It’s clear the Panthers are counting on Nix to contribute.

It will be a shock if Joe Thomas isn’t the starting guard right tackle for the opening game. He came into training camp with a leaner look, and by all accounts took the off-season conditioning seriously. So, that isn’t an issue. It’s now about his technique and desire.

Desire mainly at this point. He never seems to have gotten past the point where he was just bigger and better than others in high school. It’s not an uncommon thing, but then not tapping that potential is all mental.

The other big question everyone is waiting to see is the Will Linebacker. Will Shane Murray be healthy or a game-day decision? Is it going to be Austin Ransom moving into the starting spot. Will Tristan Roberts or Nate Nix finally nail it down?

The question, though (in this case, asked of P-G beat writer Paul Zeise), has been why Austin Ransom at all?

Q: How can Austin Ransom be thrown into being a starting LB when guys such as Nate Nix or Tristan Roberts are around and have been playing the position longer? Nix is a guy who is in his third year and I am wondering why he has not gotten an opportunity?

ZEISE: Nate Nix has had plenty of opportunity, he’s just yet to seize any of them. And Tristan Roberts had a fantastic spring but has actually probably regressed some. Coaches believe that Ransom, who is a fifth-year senior, is a quicker study and a better and smarter football player than any alternative they have right now so they are going to give him a shot. Those young guys at that spot have talent and are going to be good, but Wannstedt and company are just not sure they are ready to play yet. Ransom has been around for a long time and he is better in pass coverage than the other alternatives at that spot.

Again, it seems to be coming back to the mental aspect.

“We’re trying to force-feed him a little bit and see where he’s at mentally,” Wannstedt said. “With Shane being out today, it will be (Ransom) and Tristan working (at weak-side linebacker).”
…
I get the impression that the Pitt coaches were aware of what they had in Nix and Dell and gave the four redshirt freshmen – Max Gruder, Brandon Lindsey, Roberts and Greg Williams – as many reps as possible to prove themselves.

“It wasn’t the clear separation with those guys that you thought there would be,” Wannstedt said, which explains why the upperclassmen might get the nod as the backups.

My take is that Lindsey had the best camp of the four redshirt freshmen, but it’s possible that the backup linebackers will be Dell in the middle, Ransom at weak-side and Nix at strong-side.

That was from Kevin Gorman the Trib beat writer. Taking the two together, it suggests that Nix might fit better to the Pitt coaches at the Sam rather than Will. Roberts took a step back in camp which may be a mental thing about making the leap to really being counted on to play. And on top of that possibly starting if Murray’s out.

Of I could just be guilty of trying to jam an overarching theme into a post to tie everything into a nice neat package. Overlaying my own views and interest in creating a post/article without a clear grasp of the facts. Hmm. Troubling thoughts.