[My high speed modem died on Wednesday, which felt like losing a limb. Just got a new one set-up.]

Some very direct candor from Coach Wannstedt regarding Jason Douglas, Dan Mason and the DUI.

Also, middle linebacker Dan Mason was demoted to second team after being in the same car as running back Jason Douglas during a hit-and-run early Sunday on the South Side.

Max Gruder will start at middle linebacker and Tristan Roberts and Greg Williams will start at outside linebacker against Miami on Sept. 23.

Douglas, 19, who was driving, was charged with causing an accident resulting in serious injury, aggravated assault, DUI and underage drinking. Mason was a passenger in the car, but wasn’t charged.

Wannstedt met with Mason and his family Wednesday morning.

“This is for his good,” Wannstedt said. “He needs to prove to me that he can do the right things and be accountable off the field, in the classroom and on the football field. When he does that, he will get his job back.”

I don’t think it will be too long before Mason is back in the middle. But this is the minimum that has to happen to him.

As for Jason Douglas…

“The likelihood of his returning to this team is seriously in jeopardy,” Wannstedt said.

His preliminary hearing is on Thursday. No word on the victim’s status.

Paul Zeise says that Douglas’ time at Pitt is all but officially over.

I feel bad for Douglas from the standpoint of he made a very bad choice and there isn’t going to be a second chance – particularly since he has had some other team-related issues so this wasn’t exactly strike one. But Douglas is done as a Panther, Dave Wannstedt said as much today.

The blog post from Zeise also says that Mason was sober but got into the car with a drunk Douglas. Wow. Yeah, Coach Wannstedt is right about Mason needing to make better decisions.