Jock Sanders not withstanding,  Pitt was the overwhelming choice to win the Big East. That means, of course, that Coach Wannstedt needs to tamp things down.

“We’re younger this year and less experienced, so that’s my feeling.”

And then this:

“We’ve been together long enough now that the players understand we’re not going to overreact to anything good or bad. It really doesn’t mean anything at this point.”

From that the players took their cue.

“We’re still the underdogs,” senior tackle Jason Pinkston said, “because we haven’t won it yet.”

…

“Preseason,” Lewis said, “doesn’t mean anything.”

…

“It’s just preseason,” Baldwin said. “It’s not based on any playing. The last two years, Cincinnati won the Big East. We are chasing them.”

Expect the “youth” issue to be a constant mantra by Coach Wannstedt if there are struggles.

Wannstedt cautioned that the Panthers are young enough for genuine concern. “This is what is a little crazy about these rankings. This is the youngest team since I’ve been here. We only have nine scholarship seniors on our whole football team, and we have four seniors starting.”

Conveniently enough, there is no mention of the 11 juniors that are projected starters on offense and defense. Not to mention experienced sophomores like Dion Lewis, Dan Mason and Jarred Holley.

I know Coach Wannstedt is just using what he can to try and downplay the preseason expectations. I get that. I understand. That said, it’s a load of crap. Everyone is already disputing that. If this Pitt team does struggle, youth will not be an acceptable excuse.

Injuries, the interior of the lines. A new QB. Those are possible reasons for disappointment. Brain fart games will not be met with a shrug.

Yet it isn’t just the Big East. The ESPN/USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll starts Pitt at #15. This despite a non-con schedule that starts at Utah and includes Miami and Notre Dame. Not to mention conference road games at Cinci, USF and UConn.

Even Bob Smizik is on board with this team and Coach Wannstedt.

It doesn’t mean much in August. Wannstedt and his team will have to prove it on the field. But the near-unanimous voting is deserved recognition for the work Wannstedt and his staff have done in building up the Pitt program to the point it will be a Big East contender virtually every year and on occasion a national contender.

Even at the Big East Media Days, it was noticeable that Pitt players look bigger and stronger than the others.

The “whoah, those guys are just bigger than the other guys” award goes to the Pitt players.

Echoed also by Zeise.

As far as groups of players go — here we go again with what I call the “look test” – there is no question that Pitt’s five guys were by far and away the best looking group of athletes at the event. Greg Romeus and Jonathan Baldwin just look like first round draft picks and Dom DeCicco looks like he spent the entire offseason in the weight room.

Pitt can’t hide from the expectations. Not be cocky or arrogant. They just have to accept them and be prepared to face them — and the fact that everyone is going to look to take them down.