Nebraska’s stud center, Richie Incognito, withdrew from the school and is looking to transfer. This doesn’t change things much for Pitt. He was on indefinite suspension since the end of August, so he had no part in the first 2 games. So no huge hole has suddenly opened up in the middle of NU’s O-line. NU is a 4-point favorite over Pitt.

This game was arranged back in 1997. Pederson has also refused to get into the speculation as to what Harris’ fate would be if he was still at Pitt.

As I type, the P-G hasn’t put out it’s latest stories. I expect that to change as I get near the end of this post. I mention this, only to explain the probable choppiness to the post.

As previously mentioned, a selective transcript of the Walt Harris press conference is now available. From the same previously mentioned pile, walk-on WR, Joe DelSardo earning a scholarship is given a nice story.

Apparently the Trib got a lot of e-mails from Lincoln.

You think Steelers fans are passionate? They have nothing on the legion of Big Red worshipers in Lincoln, Neb.

Go ahead and write something negative about the Nebraska football program — even in a Pittsburgh newspaper — and the e-mails pile up faster than lunch trays at a Sumo convention.

The article is about the first couple of controversial years at Nebraska for AD Steve Pederson. I’m guessing the e-mails were spurred by this post. Check out the first 2 comments for some venom that apparently are still within the Journal Star’s standards for personal attacks (Rule 2 of the comments terms of use). Of course, in Pittsburgh, there is still plenty of love for Pederson. So much that he will be the guest of honor at a party.

A highbrow party with the movers and shakers in Pittsburgh is planned for this weekend, and the guest of honor is Steve Pederson.

That’s right, Steve Pederson.

“I think Steve could go back there and run for mayor,” Nebraska Executive Athletic Director Marc Boehm said Monday as he reflected on his time in Pittsburgh with Pederson.

“He was very well thought of, very respected. People really appreciated what he did for the community as well as the athletic programs.”

The man who spent much of the past year in a firestorm of controversy in Nebraska will likely be embraced in Pittsburgh Saturday when the Huskers play at Heinz Field.

Anyone know where the party is?

(Ah, the P-G stuff is out. I’m going to squeeze it in now, because it has no real info on the teams or the game.)

One asks what level of Husker Red will be at Heinz Field. Doesn’t look to be like when they went to South Bend in 2000. Estimates are closer to around 1/5th of the stadium. Similar to when ND played here last year.

Another piece on Pederson’s return to Pittsburgh. His good (facilities and upgrading the whole athletic department for the future.) , bad (logo, colors, trying to banish “Pitt”), and mixed feelings (razing Pitt Stadium). Honestly, I am feeling completely burned out already on the whole “Pederson’s return to Pitt” thing. He’s the freakin’ AD. He isn’t even a coach. He can’t impact the game.

Smizik was apparently defrosted a couple days ago and after catching up on the news, and a few days before the huge game with Nebraska decides to go after Harris for, I can’t believe this, the Getsy crap. Yes, over a week after Getsy announced his transfer destination. When, hopefully, the whole thing could be allowed to die, Smizik decides to use it to go after Harris. He claims to be making a larger point about the hypocrisy of coaches bailing for another job without recrimination but college kids getting shafted, but it doesn’t wash.

This move was as petty as it gets. What did Pitt accomplish by refusing to give Getsy his release other than to make life a little harder on him and his family? Attempts to portray Akron, a small-time program, as some kind of recruiting or competitive rival are preposterous. It was nothing more than an attempt to punish Getsy for wanting to better himself.

If this is a common practice all over the country, it doesn’t make Pitt’s move any less reprehensible.

Shame on Harris for sinking so low and shame on athletic director Jeff Long for not overruling the coach. In fact, where was chancellor Mark Nordenberg to nullify these misguided decisions?

Whatever. I don’t begrudge Getsy’s desire to transfer, but he’s blaming the wrong people. Go after the NCAA for setting the rules that way, then you can complain about how kids today have this inflated sense of entitlement for their virtual free agent attitude for transferring if they don’t get to start.

Getsy could have transferred to Temple and it would have cost him a lot less for in-state tuition for a year. Personally, I don’t think it’s a great rule. It is definitely a hammer for the team to hold over a kid that signed to play.

Smizik’s insane comparison of Brookhart and Getsy is a strawman set-up

It was suggested the Getsy owes something to Pitt. That, too, is preposterous. Scholarships are two-way streets. The college gives the scholarship and all that comes with it, and the athlete gives his body and all that comes with that.

But if Getsy did owe Pitt something, what does Brookhart owe Pitt? Harris gave Brookhart his first big-time job. His previous experience had been as a coaching assistant — which is decidedly different than an assistant coach — with the Denver Broncos. It would seem Brookhart owes Pitt at least as much, if not more, than Getsy.

It also has been suggested that Getsy has left Pitt in a precarious position without a backup to Palko. It’s not as if Getsy was steeped in experience. He had thrown 13 passes in his college career and completed three of them for 32 yards. It’s possible the new No. 2 quarterback, Joe Flacco — who had high school credentials at least the equal of Getsy and who has a stronger arm than Getsy and Palko — could become as good a backup.

And what about Brookhart? Where did he leave Pitt? In a bind at least as deep. Brookhart helped develop such outstanding receivers as Latef Grim, Antonio Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald. The last two are the greatest in Pitt history. Pitt is severely depleted at wide receiver this year. It could use a coach of Brookhart’s experience to upgrade the position.

The truth of the matter is that Brookhart had every right to leave Pitt in an attempt to better himself. In that respect, he’s no different than Getsy. Too bad Pitt didn’t treat them the same.

Where to begin?

His first argument of “owing” Pitt is immediately jumbled because he decides Walt Harris=Pitt. The fact that Harris gave Brookhart his opportunity might suggest that Brookhart owes Harris, does not mean Brookhart owes Pitt. And at what point would Smizik say Brookhart repaid that “debt” to Harris?

That leads to Smizik’s next bizarre point. He seems to think Brookhart leaving after the season, well before spring practices is the equivalent of Getsy leaving the school less than a week before the first game of the season. Both “in the lurch”

As he tries to point out why Brookhart’s leaving harms Pitt , and there is no question, but it also undermines his previous point. Clearly Brookhart had provided clear benefit to Harris (and Pitt), and effectively helped “pay his debt” to Harris in terms of player development and winning games.

My head hurt, just from trying to figure out what his point was, other than to use the situation as another chance to bash Harris. Oh. Forgot. Occam’s razor.

As for real Pitt news. Freshman RB Brandon Mason has been cleared to practice and return to the team. He was injured back in late August, while looking good in training camp. Any additions to depth is good.

Looks like the depth at Tight End is going down. Robbie Agnone is now practicing with the QBs full time. And in bigger news, Darrell Strong is now practicing with the wide receivers. Harris said he will move Strong back to TE after the season, but needs him there now. At the same time Harris claimed that the receivers weren’t that big a problem in the Ohio game — you know getting separation, getting open, going for the ball, not standing around. All the things we could see in the stands. I think this move qualifies as a “mixed message.”