For every McKenzie Matthews who leaves the team early in camp and it served as bad foreshadowing, there is a T.J. Porter who seemed ready to run but returned and will be looking to be trying to climb the depth chart this season.
To extrapolate whether Pat Bostick is one or the other right now isn’t going to work. Right now, there’s nothing clear. You have a 50-50 chance I suppose. This, though, from Lancaster is encouraging.
Bostick could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but a source close to the quarterback said that Bostick’s decision to leave Pitt and return to Lancaster was for purely personal reasons, and not due to any particular problem.
“He’s going through some of the things we all went through as college freshmen,” the source said.
If that’s all, it’s going to make the angst and columns bemoaning Joe Flacco transferring a couple years ago look silly.
Given the likelihood that Bostick will be away from the team for at least a week, he has little chance of being the starter. That, of course, might make it easier for him to return with at least some pressure off of him as he adjusts.
At this point, it’s Bill Stull #1 and Kevan Smith #2.
Stull worked with the first group in the morning; Smith worked with the second group in the afternoon, and Wannstedt said this is not likely to change.
“We are going to keep Kevan with the second group,” Wannstedt said. “It is not a big thing because both groups are running the same plays, but Billy at this point deserves the opportunity [to play with the first group]. He is a little further ahead, and we want to make sure [the veterans] are working with the more experienced quarterback. It is not just best for Billy Stull, it is the best thing for our football team right now.
“I’m not concerned [about the quarterback position] because we just have to coach Billy up, and he has the ability to play and be an excellent player. And Billy came out of the spring as our starter, so let’s not lose sight of that, either.”
I think Stull will be fine as the starter. He’s got the mentality and kind of approach that OC Matt Cavanaugh and Coach Wannstedt want from the QB. He’s not a risk-taker, he plays within the system and has had two years to learn the system.
