Looks like Tyler Smith chose Iowa (hat tip, Ryan). It would have been nice, but not terribly shocking. Iowa can almost guarantee him plenty of playing time. They had a senior-laden team and two additional players transferred after this season. I expect he will start for the Hawkeyes come November. No such assurances could come from Coach Dixon and Pitt.

If I’m an Iowa fan, though, this is a very bad day. They are losing their AD.

Bob Bowlsby found an opportunity to head one of the most successful programs in college athletics too good to pass up.

After a three-week courtship, the 15th-year University of Iowa director of athletics was named Tuesday as the new athletics director at Stanford University, where he takes over July 1 as the head of a program that has won 50 NCAA team championships in the past 14 years.

“I look forward to the challenges and the rewards which come with the duties,” Bowlsby said. “Stanford is an exceptional academic institution which also supports a broad-based and very highly competitive intercollegiate athletics program.”

Bowlsby said he wasn’t necessarily looking to make a move but considered the chance to head the Pac-10 program “an extraordinary opportunity.”

“I’ve been to the campus a couple of times, and I’m impressed with the people I’ve met,” Bowlsby said. “It’s easy to get a feel for the pride of the university, and I was smitten by what I saw and felt even at that point.”

Bowlsby has done a tremendous job at Iowa in finding and keeping coaches. Iowa fans can only expect that rumors of Kirk Ferentz’s departure for greener pastures to only intensify this fall.

As for Pitt, I expect Coach Dixon will strongly consider a project Center with that last available scholarship. Or he just might not use it. Pitt is in a good position, really with the players. No absolute need for a position right now.