Some stories regarding Pitt players.

Dion Lewis gets a little attention from New Jersey as the local flavor since the Albany kid played in New Jersey.

“I hate to say it, but you know who he reminds me of,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said, alluding to former Scarlet Knights running back Ray Rice. “He’s got good patience and balance and Ray did as well. … He’s very elusive.”

And Bruce Feldman at ESPN.com lists Lewis as #1 on his list of impact freshmen (Insider subs.).

LeSean McCoy, now of the Philadelphia Eagles, was a huge part of the Pitt offense the past two years. When he jumped to Sunday football, it seemed like a lot of the air could come out of this program. Enter Lewis, a fairly unheralded 5-foot-8, 195-pound recruit from Albany, NY. All he’s done is dart his way to almost six yards per carry, while sparking the Panthers to a 5-1 record. He’s fifth in the nation in rushing (123 ypg) and has run for seven TDs.

Late in mentioning it, but Punter/Kicker Dan Hutchins took home Big East Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

The game is personal for Bill Stull after last year.

Everyone remembers last year how Bill Stull was literally knocked out of the Rutgers game, but that game was also the one where Center Robb Houser suffered a brutal broken leg.

“Everybody has a little revenge for them,” Houser said. “I’ve got my own revenge.”

Houser suffered a broken right fibula and two torn ligaments in his ankle when he was hit with a blind-side block after a Pat Bostick interception in the second half of the blowout loss to Rutgers.

A transfer from Butte (Cal.) Community College prior to the 2008 season, Houser missed the final seven games in his first year at Pitt. He underwent two surgeries and spent 3.5 months on crutches. He followed that with a demanding recovery process.

“It was a lot of rehab,” he said. “Once I was (cleared to) work out, it was every day. I wasn’t taking days off.”

The loss of Houser was mitigated by C.J. Davis sliding in and doing a great job. It did, however, diminish the depth on the O-line which played a significant role in that which should not be mentioned in the Sun Bowl.

Unlike the rest of the Big East, Pitt has really good tight ends (that probably should be rephrased).

“Nate is such a great blocker, and he helps my game out so much,” Dickerson said. “People don’t even see how much he helps me out. I’m really happy for him that he got those balls, and look what he did — he made big plays. He’s a playmaker, too, not just a blocker.”

As far as the two tight ends go, though, Dickerson has been more of a playmaker this season. He was once a superstar recruit who opted for Pitt over Florida, Michigan, Penn State and others. But he and the Panthers coaching staff had trouble figuring out how best to use his skills during his first three years. He spent time at receiver, at linebacker and even in the backfield before finally switching to tight end last season.

This year, he has become a true weapon. He has 21 catches for 232 yards and is tied with Cincinnati’s Mardy Gilyard for the Big East lead in touchdown receptions with seven.

Of course, the guy that has the Rutgers secondary a bit worried is Baldwin.

Not since the opener against Cincinnati — a game that nearly ruined the Knights’ season before it truly got started — has Rutgers (4-1) faced the type of aerial test it will when 5-1 Pittsburgh visits on Friday night.

Panthers quarterback Bill Stull leads the Big East in passing efficiency and Baldwin has 27 catches for 532 yards. He also has complementary help at wideout from senior Oderick Turner and from tight ends Dorin Dickerson (21 catches for 232 yards and seven TDs) and Nate Byham.

But Baldwin — who had five catches for 81 yards against the Knights as a true freshman last season — is the one who strikes fear into secondaries.

“It starts with his physical skills,” said Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. “He reminds you of Kenny. He runs that dig pattern, the guy throws it 12 feet in the air and there’s no one on the field except him who can go and get it. And on deep balls he’s very good at adjusting. He’s fast and he’s big. He’s very much a Kenny Britt-type — and maybe bigger. I think he is better.

“He’s one of those special guys in the country.”

Given Rutgers propensity to blitz. Blitz often and unpredictably with the players, making the defense pay with the passing game is vital.