Seeing this got me very excited for some reason. Even as we’re starting to embark upon the greatest time of the year with all of the conference hoops tourneys, any thoughts of football starting up again are great in my book. I guess it’s nice to get away from our basketball woes for a few seconds.
Spring practice starting date: March 17
Spring game: April 14
Top returner: WR Derek Kinder. Kinder emerged as a junior for a team-leading 847 yards. Like the rest of the team, he faded down the stretch – partially because of the emergence of redshirt freshman Oderick Turner. The veteran wideout will need to be more of a threat in the passing game with a new quarterback under center.
Player on the verge: CB Aaron Berry: Tyler Palko was the starting quarterback and H.B. Blades piled on the tackles, but cornerback Darelle Revis will be tougher to replace than either of them. The sophomore Berry, who was a four-star recruit in 2005, will get a crack at the position opposite rising senior Kennard Cox.
Impact newcomer: RB LeSean McCoy: Like Ford, McCoy is another prep school player who had a change of heart in the last year. McCoy committed to Miami out of high school but signed with Pitt after a year at New Berlin (N.Y.) Milford Academy. McCoy should provide a power option to counter LaRod Stephens-Howling‘s speed game.
The big question: What’s next now that Palko, Blades and Revis are gone? If Pitt went 11-12 with those three players over the last two seasons, what happens now that they’re gone? Entering year three, Dave Wannstedt will be put to the test in finding a new quarterback among the inexperienced Bill Stull, Kevan Smith and incoming freshman Pat Bostick. A former NFL head coach and defensive coordinator, Wannstedt has his work cut out for him with the 107th-ranked rush defense in the country.
Well, after reading those last few lines, I’ve been shot back down to Earth.
who is our qb next yr? is it the guy who came in for palko at the end of a few of the blowouts?? i cant remember his name….or do we have a transfer or a freshman who may start?
QB is supposed to be an open competition between Bill Stull (junior- he was the one who came in during blowouts), Kevan Smith (redshirt freshman) and Pat Bostick (true freshman).
Smith is supposed to be the a little bit more athletic and Stull is the most experienced (relatively speaking). My guess would be they start Stull with Smith as the backup and redshirt Bostick, but thats just a guess.
At this point I would take that of course, unless we see some serious explosions in practices. Dang it, what is Wannstedt up to?
…since when is Cox on the rise? He was brutal last season.
