Pitt Football

[Jim Johnson]

The Pittsburgh review is up at FoxSports...

Some excerpts:

QB's - Watch Out For... Pitt to be far less reliant on the quarterback than in recent years. That's partially due to the development of the running game and offensive line and largely due to the compete lack of experience among the team's three quarterbacks.

Strength: Young arms. Bostick and Smith are strong-armed pocket passers with bright futures. Even if they're not ready to win today, both freshmen are the type of quarterbacks a program can build around.

Weakness: Experience. Three quarterbacks. Ten career passes between them. It could be a rough September for the Panther offense, especially with trips to Michigan State and Virginia.

Outlook: Does the Bostick era begin in 2007? Probably not, but he's too good to wear a redshirt all year. Pitt will play it safe with Stull, putting the fate of the offense in the hands of a talented group of backs and receivers.

Rating: 6

RB's - Watch Out For... much more balance than a year ago. Stephens-Howling was the only back to carry more than 50 times in 2006, but that won't be the case in 2007. He won't have to be a workhorse this fall, getting lots of help from a suddenly deep supporting cast.

Strength: Pass-catching. All of the backs, right down to the fullbacks, have soft hands out of the backfield which will be a safe and reliable security blanket for the first-time starting quarterback.

Weakness: Durability. Because of his size, Stephens-Howling is prone to getting dinged up, something the staff will work hard to avoid this season. If he's a scratch, it'll be up to an untested underclassman to shoulder the load on the ground.

Outlook: Wannstedt, who desperately wants to establish the running game, finally has a diverse mix of backs that can soften defenses. For the sixth straight year, the Panthers won't have a 1,000-yard rusher, but they will improve markedly on last year's average of just 123 yards a game.

Rating: 6.5

WR's - Watch Out For... the backups. Porter and Pestano, in particular, have closed the gap on Turner and Kinder. They offer something the starters can't provide, the speed to stretch a defense and turn a short hitch into six points.

Strength: Depth. The Panthers have a sweet mix of size, speed and experience, returning the top three receivers from last year. If Byham and Strong fulfill their potential at tight end, this group will be a beast for any secondary to handle.

Weakness: The quarterback. The wideouts could be the deepest unit on the 2007 Panthers, however, will they reach their full potential if the new quarterback has trouble getting them the ball? The trio looking to replace Tyler Palko has never started a college game.

Outlook: Turner caught 44 balls as a freshman, yet is clinging to his job, testimony to the depth Pitt has at receiver. Just how good this group becomes hinges on the development of the young quarterbacks more than anything else.

Rating: 8

OL - Watch Out For... McGlynn moving to center, solidifying the position while getting Pinkston into the lineup. Wannstedt desperately wants to get his five best linemen on the field at the same time, and this is a move that would certainly address that desire. McGlynn has played center before and is the team's long snapper so he's no stranger to this role.

Strength: The tackles. Provided he stays there, McGlynn is a brick wall on the right side and Otah is rapidly developing into the type of blocker that's going to bring a lot of scouts to Heinz Field this fall.

Weakness: Consistency. No doubt there's talent in this group, but that hasn't always equaled shining results. The Panthers still need to pass protect all year like they did last November and regularly create more running lanes for the backs.

Outlook: Is this group finally ready to dominate like an old school Pitt line? The pieces are in place for the Panthers to control the line of scrimmage and open things up for the playmakers to make plays.

Rating: 7

DL - Watch Out For... JUCO transfer Tommie Duhart. One of the nation's most coveted junior-college prospects, Duhart is big enough to clog the middle and quick enough to move outside and rush the passer. His skill set will earn him immediate reps in the rotation this fall.

Strength: Inside-outside pass rush. With Clermond building on last year's big season and Mustakas poised to make a lot of noise, the Panthers should improve markedly at getting after the passer in 2007.

Weakness: Interior size. The Panthers lack a wide body in the middle of the line that can take on two blockers and jam up the line of scrimmage. That could explain why they were 107th nationally against the run in 2006.

Outlook: Once everyone gets healthy, the defensive line will be better than last year, but still not where Wannstedt needs it to be. While it'll improve on last year's 21 sacks, problems with the run defense won't go away overnight.

Rating: 6.5

LB's - Watch Out For... McKillop to break the century mark in tackles. He has sharp football instincts, and flanked by a couple of novices, will be the first man to the ball plenty of times this fall.

Strength: Athleticism on the outside. All four linebackers on the two-deep move well laterally and possess the quickness to be real effective in pass defense.

Weakness: Proven players. Not a single linebacker on the roster has ever started a game for the Panthers, putting more pressure on the front four to impede the progress of backs before they get to the second level.

Outlook: McKillop is poised for a solid season, but after him, Pitt fans will be holding their breath that Dickerson and Nix blossom into defensive playmakers. If not, the unit will be a liability, especially against the more dynamic offenses.

Rating: 6

DB's - Watch Out For... the emergence of Fields. Although a violation of team policy temporarily slowed his progress in the spring, he played lights out after returning. A tenacious tackler, Fields is just what the feeble run defense needs.

Strength: The future. The secondary will be good this season, but even better in 2008 when Berry and Chappel are third-year corners and Fields and Thatcher are sizing up unsuspecting receivers.

Weakness: Size. Of the six primary defensive backs, only the two strong safeties are taller than 6-0, making the unit really vulnerable over the top. Against the Big East's more physical receivers, Berry and Chappel are liable to get pushed around.

Outlook: Although there will be some inevitable rough patches at times, it's going to be fun watching the young Panther defensive backs make plays and grow up. The potential is there for a breakout year across the board.

Rating: 7

ST - Watch Out For... Brytus. It's never easy losing a punter like Graessle, but Brytus has the leg speed and strength to turn it into a smoother-than-expected transition. He and Lee will make the kicking game an asset for the Panthers for the next two seasons.

Strength: Lee's consistency. With a new quarterback at the controls, the Panther offense could be slow out of the gate, making Lee's arrow-straight kicks a vital part of the scoring attack.

Weakness: Clutch kicking. Lee's next attempt with the game hanging in the balance will be his first. He was solid throughout his sophomore year, but we still have no idea how he'll perform in the waning moments of a tight game. Only one Panther game was decided by less than ten points last year.

Outlook: Lee will help prop up the offense when it struggles, while Brytus will develop into an all-Big East punter now that Graessle, Rutgers' Joe Radigan and Syracuse's Brendan Carney have graduated. Pitt's special teams will be rock solid throughout the year.

Rating: 7.5

[SeaBull]

Coache's - Watch Out For... Great recruiting, horrible coaching, amazing mustache. Recently asked to guest star in a 70's revival porn staring Ron Jeremy, Wannstedt's pornstache's growing reputation exceedes his authority and creates a target for critics bigger than O'Leary's tummy at UCF.

Strength: Hair. Due to mass amounts of Vitamin E, Wannstedt's pornstache hair has a breaking force of 300lbs.

Weakness: A Porn set, french maid, and 3 hours of 8mm film. Wannstedt can't coach his way out of a box unless that box has a hole.

Outlook: A certain level of optimism is surrounding the Pittsburgh team, until the word "Wannstedt" is mentioned. Given the strengths of his pornstache, a shaved upper lip could mean the demise of this middle-of-the-pack Pittsburgh team. 5 star recruits that were once mesmerized by the pornstache during national LOI signing day become so traumatised, games are often over for the Panthers before they begin. Except when playing UCF.

Rating: 2 boobs down.

[Rizman]

Well done Seabull it looks like you really thought that one out.

[BullyPulpit]

I wonder what losing wonder-kid Elijah Fields for the season does to Pitt's DB stature? My guess, this is a pretty devastating loss.

University of Pittsburgh head football coach Dave Wannstedt announced today that he has suspended sophomore defensive back Elijah Fields for the 2007 season due to violation of team policy.

" Although we have suspended Elijah for the season, he will remain part of our program and practice,'' Wannstedt said in a released statement. "We will continue to demand that he work hard on the field and in the classroom so that he can be an important part of our program’s future.''

Fields ( Duquesne , Pa. /Duquesne High School) played in eight games as a freshman to letter, and he was expected to be among the top safeties on the team this fall. He can take a redshirt and still have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Pitt will open the upcoming season on Sept. 1 by hosting Eastern Michigan at Heinz Field.