Blogs

The Panthers have their final scrimmage today, so the last morning session on the last day of training camp was a relatively light practice. Although Pitt was in full pads, this wasn’t really a full-contact practice. That once again benefited the offense, which has been finding a rhythm in its passing game against a defense [...]

As Pitt’s training camp comes to a conclusion — and tomorrow’s two-a-day session is officially the end of camp — the depth chart is starting to shape up and it’s obvious that a few players are positioning for jobs. “I think they know who they are,” Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. “We’ve got some competitive [...]

Well, that didn’t take long. One day after Dave Wannstedt sent a message that the right tackle job was up for grabs by raving about freshman Lucas Nix, the Panthers inserted the 6-foot-6, 300-pounder from Thomas Jefferson into the starting lineup. Nix split first-team repetitions with junior Joe Thomas in today’s second session, and the [...]

The Panthers returned to two-a-days this morning, wearing full pads for the morning session in the final week of training camp. The depth chart is shaping up and, for the most part, the position battles are for backup jobs. That said, the morning session was relatively uneventful. So I’ll start with the two-deep. The first-team [...]

Of all Pitt’s training camp position battles, the one that remains the most intriguing is yet to come. Dave Wannstedt wasted no time Sunday serving notice that the starting right tackle job hasn’t been determined, and gave freshman Lucas Nix a ringing endorsement as a possibility to unset junior Joe Thomas. A U.S. Army All-American [...]

Dave Wannstedt was hoping Pitt’s second scrimmage of training camp would help answer some questions — particularly with the depth-chart — and a few things became abundantly clear Saturday on the South Side. For one, the Panthers have improved offensively. They were efficient in moving the ball downfield and they protected it. There were no [...]

Pitt received its 11th football commitment from the Class of 2008 when Elizabeth (N.J.) running back Raymond Graham picked the Panthers after visiting for their scrimmage today on the South Side. Graham chose the Panthers over scholarship offers from Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan State and North Carolina State. Penn State also was showing interest. The 5-foot-9, [...]

With the second scrimmage of training camp tomorrow and two physical practices Thursday, Dave Wannstedt decided to ease up on his Panthers and give them a session in shoulder pads and shorts. The practice, the Pitt coach said, wasn’t without its merits. The Panthers worked on the two-minute drill and red-zone plays – things, Wannstedt [...]

The Panthers mean business. After a physical morning practice that saw full-speed, short-yardage and goal-line drills, Pitt coaches tested their players’ will by going full-speed this afternoon with third-down drills designed to tire them out. Although some of the situational plays called for short passes – unfortunately, many were shorter than the down-and-distance required – [...]

More bad news came for the Panthers today, as freshman receiver/return specialist Cameron Saddler learned that he has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee that will require surgery. The 5-foot-7, 175-pound Saddler had impressed coaches with his play in the first week of training camp was expected to compete for playing time [...]