Is the running game showing major signs of improvement or is it that the run defense is still highly suspect. Or is it somewhere in between? I’d love to know the answer, but despite an apparently spirited final scrimmage I have my questions.

On Shane Brooks’ performance in the scrimmage:

Shane Brooks – he earned his scholarship today. He did a nice job. We held LaRod Stephens [-Howling] today [out of the scrimmage]. We held him and [Darrelle] Revis and [H.B.] Blades and [Clint] Session for most of it. We wanted to get a good look between [Shane] Brooks, [Kevin] Collier and Dorin Dickerson. And we basically told them all, hey, it’s up in the air. Go after the job. Shane came out today. The thing that he did today that was impressive, he put the ball on the ground early and then he bounced back. I mean he didn’t go in the tank and lose his confidence, and he came back stronger than when he started. The thing that’s a little bit deceiving about him is he can run on the perimeter which he showed today. He’s little bit deceiving. Everybody thinks of him as a between the tackles type of runner, but he has a little bit more shake on the outside than what anybody really gives him credit for. They’re all [running backs] going to play. We’re going to need them all before the year’s out. That’s for sure. [Shane Brooks has] got good hands. That’s an area all of our running backs need to improve on because for the type of team we’re going to be, we’re going to need to get the ball out quick and Tyler [Palko] will do that. I thought Tyler had a good day. He was nine-for-eleven. He made good decisions, but we didn’t come up with any big plays. But he can’t control that. We’ve got to get the ball into the hands of our backs and receivers and tight ends and those guys will make plays.

On the depth at running back:

[Shane Brooks] is going to play a ton. If we were playing tomorrow, he’s second team behind LaRod. We’ll take a look at the tape. He might be as good as short yardage and goal-line runner as we have.

On who stood out on the defense:

Starting off, I thought Gus Mustakas up front really made some plays. Doug Fulmer – I think he’s kind of got comfortable with that right defensive end spot and made some big plays. Even one or two of the passes that Tyler [Palko] threw way at the end, he was right there in the quarterback’s face. I thought Fulmer made some plays. Gus made some plays early which is what we need – our defensive linemen to rise up. I forgot about Tommie [Campbell]. Him and Fulmer set the tempo for the scrimmage. On the offensive drive, not only does [Tommie] cause the fumble, but he recovered it. Then he comes up with a sack later. He’s more comfortable every day at that spot. Think about this. He hasn’t played in a game yet at linebacker. So he’s going to be better every week as time goes on.

Shane Brooks ran wild. Which is good for the offense, and helps with the depth chart. He definitely feels confident.

Brooks bulked up to 225 pounds after last season, and the Panthers believed he would be their power back. But he lost some weight after the spring workouts and checks in a 212 pounds.

“I just spent every day in the weight room with Coach (Mike) Kent, going hard with lifting on the bench, the squat and a lot of running,” Brooks said. “I think it was a little bit natural for me, too, because I have strong legs.

“I’m much more comfortable at this weight.”

And he feels confident and that he has earned his spot.

Several times against the watered-down defense that was minus starters Darrelle Revis (hamstring), Mike Phillips (ankle), H.B. Blades and Clint Session (resting), Brooks slammed into the line for a first down on third-and-short. He had a 25-yard run, but he did most of his damage inside.

“If we need a yard, then I can get the yard,” Brooks said. “And when we’re on the goal line, I can punch it in. So, I think I pretty much solidified myself in that position. And on Saturday night (against Virginia), when it’s third-and-one, I want to go in there.”

While Palko was effective and efficient. He also appeared to be harried and hurried.

Palko was 9-for-11 for 66 yards, while Bill Stuff was 5-for-9 for 67 yards. There were no touchdown passes. But the key to the offense Wednesday was the running game.

* Even though some top defensive players were absent, several others were able to shine. Sophomore defensive tackle Gus Mustakas made some plays early, including dropping Collier behind the line and sacking Palko for lost yardage, while sophomore Tommy Campbell continued to show improvement at weak-side linebacker with a forced fumble and a recovery, as well as several big solo tackles.

* And redshirt freshman defensive end Doug Fulmer consistently harassed the quarterbacks from the right side.

“(Fulmer) has gotten comfortable with that right defensive end spot,” Wannstedt said. “He made some big plays. Even one or two of the passes that Tyler threw away at the end, he was right there in his face.”>

Wannstedt’s comments after the scrimmage are pretty clear that the starters on the D-line are still very much up in the air. That is less than reassuring.