Part one of  is here. Just a list of some of the issues — and where they rank to me.

4. Offensive Line. You can’t talk concerns about Pitt for the last 10+ years without putting the O-line on the list. The fact that I have it all the way down here should be encouraging or terrifying. It either means there’s a lot of reasons for optimism or that there are so many other issues this one actually gets dropped this low.

Freshman Dorian Johnson will get the opportunity to seize the right tackle starting job from T.J. Clemmings and/or (fresh from his own one-year suspension) Juantez Hollins, but Coach Chryst is doing his best to hedge on that.

“None of us feel comfortable (with starting a freshman),” he said.

Chryst pointed out that Joe Thomas didn’t start as a freshman at Wisconsin, but he became an NFL first-round draft choice.

“On all true freshmen, you have to make sure that they’re ready, that it won’t hurt them and hurt their development.”

On the rest of the line, it looks surprisingly stable. Technically there is a battle at the center spot between Gabe Roberts and Artie Rowell, but Roberts was clearly the guy from the spring at center. Despite converting from a tackle spot.

I’m going with optimism. I like the job O-line Coach Jim Hueber is doing, and I feel confident that Coach Chryst and OC Joe Rudolph does more than simply say that they need the O-line to do well.

5. Free Safety. Jarred Holley was a rock at this spot. Now the job is Ray Vinopal’s to lose.

Vinopal looked lost at the start of last year when he was started at strong safety while Jason Hendricks tried to get healthy. Something of a surprise considering how good he seemed in the practices last spring and fall. Now he’s penciled in as the starting free safety.

There isn’t a lot of depth at the safety position. Redshirt freshman Ryan Lewis is second on the depth chart at both free and strong safety. After that, um, I guess maybe Jevonte Pitts.

6. Linebackers. I think I’m more intrigued than concerned with the linebackers.

I love the athleticism and potential with this group. Especially at the strong- and weak-side spots It was a huge glaring weakness last year, simply because there weren’t enough bodies. This year there is depth and some real speed at this position. Anthony Gonzalez, Bam Bradley rotating at the Strong-Side Linebacker.  Todd Thomas is finally back from his numerous injuries, and wants to make his final year matter.

“[Spring practice is] going to help a lot,” Thomas said. “Last year, I wasn’t really comfortable. I was just worrying about what’s going to happen to me. I was playing through pain.

“Now, I feel good. I don’t have my big brace on. I’m not worried about who’s going to cut me, who’s going to hit me from behind. I’m just out there playing, I’m not worried about anything.”

Thomas’ biggest concern this spring is taking on an enhanced leadership role on the defense. The unit will return 10 of 11 starters, and Thomas figures to be one of its top playmakers.

Even in a truncated season, Thomas had 59 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 1 interception.

Pitt coach Paul Chryst said it’s a bit early for leaders to develop, but that there are some signs of it. Thomas said he wants to be one of those vocal leaders on the defense.

“I think there’s guys doing the right things and leadership is easy to talk about but it comes in a lot of different forms,” Chryst said. “Those special leaders are guys that cover a lot of the different ways you lead. You lead by example, you lead by knowing your teammates well enough that you know when to push those right buttons.

Shane Gordon has been consistent at the middle spot. And with Andrew Taglienetti graduated, the gritty sparkplug on defense who just gets the job done has been passed to redshirt freshman Mike Caprara.

At 6-foot, 221 pounds, Caprara may not look the part, but don’t try telling him that.

He could have played a bigger role sooner at any of the Mid-American or Patriot League schools that tried to recruit him, but he chose Pitt.

“I felt in my heart I had what it takes to be at this level,” he said. “It’s my toughness and my knowledge of the game. I take each play and each coverage more and more personally.”

Caprara said he reviews his playbook every night.

“If not, I can’t sleep,” he said.

Caprara is known for his toughness, a trait that he said comes with “the Caprara blood.” His five great-uncles played at Penn State, Michigan State, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame.

It is telling that Ejuan Price is going to have to fight to get playing time after missing last year with an injury.

7. Running Back after Isaac Bennett. I’m fairly upbeat about Bennett and the running back spot. I know we would have all felt a little more comfortable if the whole Rushel Shell saga from the spring never happened and he was the #1 back. That said, that’s done. The upshot is that the offense by necessity will have to be more balanced. The one question with Bennett is staying healthy. I essentially agree with Justin on the depth chart and overall optimism.