As we all know, the season ticket plans were announced last week. I felt compelled to mention it to my wife, who was less than thrilled to find out that I’d have 8 games to attend this year. You would think she would be happier to get rid of me more frequently. The price is really good for the package, and only someone determined to make excuses would complain about the overall home schedule that includes ND and Utah in the non-con.

Only thing missing from the plan? Well, aside from the actual schedule. Any explanation as to what the hell will be the system/policy/plan this year with parking. That’s still a mess that needs to be a lot clearer, simplified and understandable. I don’t know if the administration realizes quite how much that nasty surprise a few weeks before the start of the season cost them a lot of good will.

In a nod to the talent on Pitt’s team last year, six Pitt players have been invited to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine: Jason Pinkston, Jon Baldwin, Greg Romeus, Jabaal Sheard, Dion Lewis and Henry Hynoski.

Romeus was considered a late first- or early second-round pick before the season but is likely to be a middle-round pick at best.

Tailback Dion Lewis is projected as a third or fourth rounder but could improve that with a good 40-yard dash time.

Offensive tackle Jason Pinkston, like Baldwin, has a lot of natural ability scouts like, but some question his focus.

The one Panther whose stock has improved is defensive end Jabaal Sheard.

He has shown enough to convince scouts he could make the jump to the outside linebacker spot in a 3-4 defense — similar to the transition made by Steelers star LaMarr Woodley.

The other former Panther headed for Indianapolis is fullback Henry Hynoski, who is rated the top fullback in the draft by several scouting services. But his prospects depend on which teams, if any, want a traditional fullback.

Most of the guys are going to be going somewhere in rounds 3-6. Good players. Possible pieces who can contribute in time. But not immediate stars or sleepers.

Then there is Jon Baldwin, who is in damage control mode after a rough season and then popping off about going pro around the same time Wannstedt was fired.

“That struck me because Jonathan has a great attitude as far as playing the game,” Zmijanac said. “He’s one of those guys who works really hard, does all the right things. He’s the first one on the field, last one off. He wants to be a great player. Great players aren’t happy if they’re not contributing.

“Those are the kind of guys I want on my team, guys with ‘attitude.’ I want guys who are (upset) that they aren’t getting the ball. Trust me, Darrelle was not very happy at times with me. Once you get a reputation that Jonathan now has, it’s going to stick with him until he changes it.”

Baldwin is hoping to repair his reputation next week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, where he not only can showcase his skills but also confront character questions a team might have.

“I know I’m not that way,” Baldwin said by phone from Phoenix on Thursday night. “The only thing I can control right now is getting better, working harder and proving it to people who think that way. I’m definitely looking forward to the interview process and answering those questions.”

I’m not that worried about the words he said. They may have been blunt, but they were mostly accurate. His bigger issue will have to be ownership for his route running and effort. He can say what he wants, and the stuff about being a decoy isn’t incorrect, but he still was the one who let it bother him and affect his effort at running routes and going after balls. There’s plenty of evidence on film that he is going to have to explain.

Coach Todd Graham was back in Tulsa to attend the funeral of one of his former players. Wilson Holloway lost his battle with Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Holloway was laid to rest wearing his No. 71 game jersey from TU and a Tulsa cap.

Blake Griffin was one of Holloway’s pallbearers. The Los Angeles Clippers star was playing in the NBA All-Star game just 15 hours earlier.

A former teammate of Holloway’s at Oklahoma Christian School, Griffin dedicated his All-Star weekend debut to his friend and planned to give his slam dunk contest winner’s trophy to the family.

Also in attendance were former TU co-offensive coordinator Herb Hand (who was singled out in the Holloway family’s recognition), ex-Tulsa coach Todd Graham and about 75-100 members of the Golden Hurricane football program.

“Coach Hand and Coach Graham, thank you for letting him live his dream (of playing college football),” said family spokesman Trey Holloway.

There’s also an article in the Sporting News on Graham. Feel like hearing something reassuring?

Sunseri’s offense will shift from pro-style to a shotgun-heavy, no-huddle system that produced big numbers for Graham at Tulsa and North Texas. The defense will change, too, with the Panthers now leaning toward a 4-2-5 scheme. The transition will be steady, Graham said, and based on the talent he’ll discover during spring practice.

“Every day, I talk to my staff and say, ‘Men, let’s be adaptive to the skills and talents of the players we have,’” Graham said. “’Let’s not go A-to-Z. If we do that, we’re going to have difficulty.’”

Beyond the scheme switches, Graham pointed to attitude changes that could help the Panthers. Reducing the team’s 6.7 penalties-per-game average might turn an eight-win team into a 10-win team, he said.

Moreover, the new staff can win the trust of their players this offseason and into the spring. After the crazy winter in Pittsburgh, that might be the most crucial improvement.

“When I came in, were these guys hurting? Absolutely,” Graham said. “We came in and tried to be genuine and honest. That’s what we want to be about. We want everything to be straightforward.”

Ooooohhh. Adapting to the strengths of the players. Be still my heart.

One of those players who stands to benefit, Ray Graham.

Dion Lewis’ surprising decision to turn pro early figures to be a boon to the career of Graham. At times the more prolific of the two runners in 2010, he darn near rushed for 1,000 yards as a second-year sophomore. At his peak in September, he gashed Florida International for 277 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, flashing his upside potential when the carries were there. He runs hard and with good pad level, getting out of the chute quickly and fighting for additional yards. Just because new head Todd Graham’s offensive system calls for a little more passing doesn’t mean the role of the backs is about shrink. In fact, Tulsa ranked No. 15 nationally on the ground a year ago, and Ray Graham’s soft hands will be an important component of the passing game.

Graham had better hands at catching balls than Lewis. The issue has been that Graham fumbles more. Graham really does stand to break out in this system.