The Manning Award Watchlist expanded by ten more QBs. Bill Stull is one of them. He has no real shot, but it’s an honor to be among the 48 QBs on the list. There isn’t a cut-down until November 20 or so.

There are 12 players on Pitt’s roster from Florida. USF Coach Leavitt is especially familiar with the Florida guys on the D-line.

He’s familiar with at least three: Jabaal Sheard, Gus Mustakas and Greg Romeus — all Florida natives he targeted on the recruiting trail. “I know those Pitt defensive linemen very well,” Leavitt said. “They’re very active and very strong.”

In trying to describe Mustakas, Leavitt paused, then said: “He is very strong. There is no finesse there.”

His name is Gus Mustakas. Finesse just is not possible with a name like that.

The storyline for Pitt’s O-line is stopping George Selvie. That kind of ignores that the other DE, Jason Pierre-Paul, who has been outstanding this season. Especially since Selvie has been more reputation than output in key games this season.

One could make the same claim about Pitt’s Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard who were expected to be the dominant force on the D-line. They haven’t been as impressive, but the interior has stepped up nicely.

In terms of sheer production the Panthers rotation of tackles — Mick Williams, Gus Mustakas and Myles Caragein have been more productive than the trio of ends — Sheard, Romeus and Brandon Lindsey.

As an example, last Friday, the Panthers beat Rutgers, 24-17, and the three defensive tackles combined for five tackles for loss (the team had seven) and the team’s three sacks. The three ends had no tackles for loss and no sacks but did knock down three passes at the line of scrimmage.

The defensive tackles have combined for 75 tackles, 20 1/2 tackles for loss and 8 1/2 sacks; the ends have 56 tackles, 15 1/2 tackles and 11 1/2 sacks.

Pitt defensive coordinator Phil Bennett said that while the numbers aren’t overwhelming for the ends, Sheard and Romeus are playing well. He said they are just drawing a lot of double teams and help from running backs, which has hurt their productivity.

Yes and no. Romeus and Sheard have been facing a lot of attention, but they haven’t seemed to do a great job at beating it. At times, it seems like Romeus is more interested in the tape ball.

Some love for Hynoski, who is all about the team.

“I just want to do whatever it takes — running, blocking or catching,” said Hynoski, who had career highs of 29 yards rushing and 36 receiving in a 24-17 win at Rutgers last Friday. “I want the coaches to feel confident in me in all three areas. I’m not a guy who cares about the stats. I just want to win, and that’s all that matters.

“The way I look at it, if Bill throws a touchdown or Dion scores, it’s just as good as me scoring one. Once the team does well, all the individual things will fall into place.”

Jarred Holley has taken advantage of the injury to Elijah Fields to show he belongs out there. Hopefully someone on Pitt’s defensive staff does this.

Q: Despite Dave Wannstedt’s unwillingness to change from his preferred 4-3 defensive alignment, do you think that he would entertain the idea of taking out a linebacker and replacing him in the starting line-up with Elijah Fields (assuming he is healthy) in that bandit/hybrid position that he can play against the more athletic teams left on Pitt’s schedule (i.e. – South Florida, Notre Dame, West Virginia, and Cincinnati)? I think that both Fields and Holley need to be on the field against the teams mentioned above to help match the speed of those offenses.

ZEISE: If I had a gift certificate or something to give away for the question of the week — you would certainly get it because that is a great question. And the answer is — I think against South Florida, West Virginia and Cincinnati (three spread teams left on the schedule) — I guess Syracuse plays a bit of a spread now too, don’t they — you will see more of that bandit/buck stuff and Fields will be the guy to fit that role. One thing these last two games have done is convinced coaches that Jarred Holley is indeed ready to fill that role as starting safety and he is capable of making plays and holding his own.

Coach Wannstedt doesn’t want a redux of the Russell Wilson/NC State defensive debacle with B.J. Daniels. No body does.

The fans, commentors and this blogger have not been shy about heaping praise on OC Frank Cignetti. He gets a puff piece today focusing on his modesty.

In no particular order, Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti credits coach Dave Wannstedt, quarterback Bill Stull, running back Dion Lewis, tight end Dorin Dickerson, the other playmakers, the offensive linemen, the offensive coaching staff, the ball boys and even former coordinator Matt Cavanaugh for their roles in the team’s surprisingly effective offense and its 6-1 record, No. 20 ranking and first-place standing in the Big East Conference.

It just keeps making former OC Matt Cavanaugh look worse.

Q: I believe Frank Cignetti Jr. is a much better fit as a college offensive coordinator than Matt Cavanaugh. I think he has shown more creativity in his schemes and is younger and better with college athletes. Do you agree?

ZEISE: Yes and mostly because he really likes being a college coach. Matt is a very good offensive mind and he knew what he was doing but in four years here you never got the sense that he really wanted to be a college coach, in fact he had said as much. His heart was in the NFL as a coordinator. Frank Cignetti wants to be a head coach and he loves the college game so he has embraced it and ran with it…

At one time, early in his job at Pitt, Cavanaugh talked about being a head coach in college. Yet, no one took it particularly seriously. He was very much like the Paul Hackett style coach/coordinator. More about seyt schemes and systems and less about using the players in ways that played up their strengths.