In terms of pixels and ink, there are two players among the Pitt receiving corps that have gotten the most attention. Freshman WR Jonathan Baldwin and junior TE Dorin Dickerson. That really didn’t change over the weekend.

Dickerson has been solid in practice, but receives extra attention in part because this is his third position in three years. That makes him an intriguing story as a player the reporters know, constantly taking a new challenge.

“It fits his physical stature very well,” Wannstedt added. “He’s a good enough blocker and he can run against the linebackers as opposed to the defensive backs. I expect him to have an excellent year. He has enough talent to be a difference maker.”

Thanks to spending his freshman year on offense, Dickerson already knows offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh’s playbook.

“That’s not a problem. I remember all the plays from my freshman year and it’s still the same concepts,” Dickerson said.

Dickerson has been showing enough, that despite the now healthy Nate Byham (and John Mackey watchlist candidate) and John Pelusi, Dickerson is right there for major playing time.

On the competition at tight end:

“I’ll tell you the tight ends, it’s between (Nate) Byham, (Dorin) Dickerson and (John) Pelusi. In my mind we have three starters, and I think any one of those guys can line up and start and we can win with any of the three.”

Expect at least 2-TE sets this season.

Q: Will the tight ends be more involved in the offense?

ZEISE: I’d say yes if for no other reason than I think the passing game will be a lot better than it was last year with Stull taking over at quarterback. Also, I think coaches see that Dorin Dickerson and Nate Byham are match-up nightmares for most linebackers and are looking for ways to get both into open space. I’m not saying these two will combine to catch 100 passes, but I could see both getting somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 to 35 which would be about five or six per game.

Honestly, I keep waiting for more passes to the TEs. I mean, the one thing you can say that Cavanaugh did well as OC for the Baltimore Ravens was utilizing TEs and making use of Todd Heap. Again, no excuses this year.

As for Baldwin, every practice report seems to include mention of Baldwin making some great catch or just showing that he has more talent than those trying to cover him.

Freshman receiver Jonathan Baldwin added to his growing list of circus catches, leaping high for a one-handed catch in double coverage on the left sideline.

Panthers players started howling when the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Baldwin showed off his 40-inch vertical jump by soaring above safety Elijah Fields and cornerback Jarred Holley.

“Jonathan Baldwin made a catch today that, I think, let everybody know that he plans on competing,” Wannstedt said.

Which, in turn makes him the subject of other stories, even as he sticks to the tried and true cliches.

“I’m just trying to work hard in training camp,” he said. “I’m not looking farther than this right now. Just continue to work hard. Whatever happens to please the coaches happens.”

Wannstedt hasn’t discussed Baldwin’s future, saying it’s still too early in camp to discuss the freshmen, but the coach seemed willing to leave open the possibility that Baldwin could begin the season without a redshirt.

“I think the big decision for us is who we are going to put on the field when we get the entire team together: an extra back, tight end or receiver?” Wannstedt said. “We have some choices at all positions. How much these young kids will have an opportunity, I think it’s just too early to tell yet.”

RRRIIIGGGHHHHTTTT.

Assuming no injuries, it would be a huge shock not to see Baldwin on the 2-deep by week 3. I’m hedging just because I think Coach Wannstedt would put the older players ahead of him on the official depth chart initially out of respect. Even if he didn’t actually stick to the chart when it came time for substitutions.

Sticking with the receivers, we are still waiting for Derek Kinder to show he’s healthy. He’s frustrated as well after having to sit for a few more days.

It felt good to go out and run around, coach limited me some but he wanted me to get back into the swing of things and it felt really good,” said Kinder, who said he is close to 100 percent. “I just needed some rest for my knee after that first practice, my knee just wasn’t used to those long practices. As soon as I get a few two-a-days under my belt and get used to all the running and pounding my knee is going to take, I hope by next week I’ll be all right.

“I feel good cutting, but I need to get back to where I was before. I’m still waiting on that first hit, I hope it comes soon, maybe tomorrow.”

Kinder said it was frustrating to have to sit out the past few days after working so hard to get back from the injury, but he understands the rehabilitation process on an injury such as his can be as long as two full years.

On Sunday, Kinder did actually participate in contact drills. No clear word on how much contact he actually took.

Oderick Turner hasn’t gotten attention in camp from the media, but it seems he is handling things rather well.

Oderick Turner capped one of his best practices in some time with a punctuation mark, catching a 23-yard pass from Bill Stull on third-and-25 pass and – after LeSean McCoy converted a fourth-and-2 – a corner fade in the end zone to end the day.

Turner is quickly developing into Stull’s favorite target, and took a step toward regaining the starting split-end job by showing off skills that points put on the scoreboard.

More importantly, the offense responded to adversity and took an important win over a defense that has been dominant at times. That was certainly the case in third-down drills.

After sacks by Tommie Duhart and Jabaal Sheard, Stull found Turner on a square-in pattern for a big gain. Then Stull lobbed a scoring pass to Turner, who jumped over Jovani Chappel and Eric Thatcher for the catch in the left corner of the end zone.

Gorman speculates that Wannstedt has been judicious in his praise of Turner, in part because Turner is compteing against Cedric McGee for the starting spot, and that McGee is a favorite of Wannstedt’s for his blocking and arguably being a harder worker.

I would also suggest that it is a little psychological. Turner seems to respond better when he isn’t  the focus. He struggled as the #1 receiver last year with Kinder out. Coach Wannstedt hasn’t really singled out Turner one-way or another up until today’s practice. Instead just letting Kinder play.

Geez, a couple days worth of stories have piled up as the practices have progressed. As that happens, things become a little clearer on the depth chart.

On the O-line, as late as Friday, the coaches were talking like Jason Pinkston wouldn’t make it to 1st team on the depth chart until much later in the training camp.

“He is a guy who last year was slated as a starter and started a few games before his shoulder injury took him out of the lineup and he had to sit out,” Cavanaugh said of Pinkston.

“He is a little behind the eight ball because he missed so much time and wasn’t able to practice all spring, but I think he gets the message right now that he is working with the second unit and he has to work his way up to that first unit.

“Ideally, he’ll come on and start dominating people like he can and get back into the starting lineup.”

Well, it didn’t take long at all for Jordan Gibbs to give way to Jason Pinkston at Left Tackle . Gibbs will be the primary back-up, very likely playing at both tackle spots, but it is telling that Lucas Nix is already playing behind Thomas at RT.

Nix, of course, was one of the top offensive linemen recruits in the country. As much as Coach Wannstedt loves to redshirt freshmen — especially for the lines — and there were rumors all spring and summer that Nix will be academically shaky (which would be another reason to redshirt him so he can get better acclimated to the student side without as much athletic pressure); that Nix is already looking to be on the 2-deep after only a week.

Starting Friday — after Wannstedt criticized them publicly — the QBs responded.

…but the offense looked drastically different today.

For one, the quarterbacks actually had time to finish their drops and spot receivers. For another, they actually completed the majority of their passes. And, for the most part, the receivers caught those passes. Some even found their way into the end zone.

…

We mentioned Sunseri’s TD passes in the morning post, so let’s start with Bostick. I’ve noted that his physique has been radically altered, and it’s certainly had a positive affect on his footwork. His arm is still suspect, but Bostick makes up for it with his smarts and soft touch.

He’s moving better in the pocket, and ran one nice play-action fake to find freshman receiver Mike Shanahan for a 20-plus-yard gain. Bostick also threw a scoring pass. More on that later.

At the end of practice, during the two-minute drill, a Bostick pass bounced off the hands of Shanahan and into those of middle linebacker Max Gruder for an interception to end the day.

And Coach Wannstedt appropriately praised them afterwards.

Opening Statement:

“The best thing between this morning and afternoon was quarterback play overall, and they all played, with Billy Stull and Pat [Bostick], both up in the 80 percentile as far as completions, and that’s where they both should be in my opinion when we’re out here practicing and not scrimmaging. I think both guys responded the way you’d like them to. Kevan Smith was better today, Greg Cross, and I’ll tell you, Tino Sunseri made two throws this morning that were as good as any throws we’ve had from starters. I was real encouraged how the quarterbacks as a group responded after the first few days. That gives us a chance to have an upbeat practice. There were no interceptions, except at the end and that was a tipped pass. No mistakes. We got rid of the ball quick and that helps the practice go smooth. Tomorrow we go with the entire team. No practice in the morning, full practice in the afternoon and I would expect another surge of energy now that we are all back together. I look forward to that. We’ll have some live stuff tomorrow, a live inside drill for sure. This will be my 34th first day of pads, live inside drill.”

…

On the factors that led to the improved quarterback play today:

“I think it’s a combination of them responding, blocking a little better. The plays that we put together probably gave them a little better chance to be successful. [Jonathan] Baldwin made some plays today, [Mike] Shanahan made some plays today, [Cameron] Saddler made some plays. It was good to see. That’s three outstanding freshman receivers. That’s a unique group right there.”

I think Coach Wannstedt knows that the O-line (at least right now) looks average at best. For LeSean McCoy, that should be more than enough for him to have a bigger year. While even average would be a step-up from the past couple of years, I don’t think Wannstedt wants to let the QBs be able to use that as an excuse.

As for the defensive side, it just keeps reading that there is such depth all over the place (well, maybe not as much as safety, but even there it looks strong).

— Although the starting safety jobs are being held down by Eric Thatcher at free and Dom DeCicco at strong, Wannstedt didn’t rule out the possibility that we’ll see DeCicco and Fields together at times.

“Elijah is such a good coverage guy, we’re talking about using him in some nickel and dime situations to get both of those guys on the field,” Wannstedt said. “Most definitely.”

— The inside-run drill saw Belle Glades products Tommie Duhart and Rashaad Duncan lined up next to each other inside, and they wasted no time blowing up a play to drop McCoy for a loss.

Pitt has such depth at defensive tackle that you might see the Panthers go big (Duhart and Duncan), small (Mustakas and Mick Williams) or a combination (Duncan and Williams or Duhart and Mustakas). And that’s not even counting Caragein and Bokor.

— Nate Nix made a big hit to break up a pass intended for fullback Henry Hynoski, and Nix is an intriguing position. He could stay at weak-side linebacker, where he is contending with redshirt freshmen Tristan Roberts to back up Shane Murray, but it wouldn’t come as a shock to see him move to defensive end to add depth now that Fulmer is hobbled.

…

— Defensive end Ty Tkach came around the left side to drop Stephens-Howling from behind for a loss. After spending the spring at tight end for depth reasons (Byham and Pelusi were injured and Dickerson was new to the position), Tkach is another end taking advantage of his increased reps with Fulmer out.

…

— One twist to the second-team defense was that the linebacker corps consisted entirely of redshirt freshmen, with Max Gruder in the middle flanked by Lindsey at strong-side and Roberts at weak-side. That might have just been for Pitt coaches to get a look at them behind a veteran line.

The other combinations we’ve seen include Steve Dell at middle, with Nix at weak-side and Greg Williams at strong-side. It will be interesting to see how the competition plays out, especially with Gateway All-American Shayne Hale in the mix in the middle.

You get the feeling Coach Wannstedt, DC Phil Bennett and the rest of the defensive staff just start to get a little silly in the late-night meetings when it comes time to discuss who plays where and when and all possible permutations. They’ll just throw some things out there and see what happens.