University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt Football Set to Begin Spring Drills
3/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 16, 2007
Just as Major League Baseball enthusiasts await the February call for "pitchers and catchers," so too do college football fans anticipate spring practice.
For Pitt, spring drills commence March 17. Coach Dave Wannstedt will hold the NCAA-prescribed 15 workouts, concluding with the annual Blue-Gold Game on April 14.
While the spring is typically a time for teams to brush up on fundamentals, this year's drills will take on an elevated importance for Pitt. Although 15 starters return from last season's 6-6 squad, the Panthers will be looking to replace some highly accomplished players.
Offensively, Pitt will be auditioning for a new quarterback for the first time in three years. Gone is Tyler Palko, who finished his career second all-time at Pitt in total offense and third in passing yards. Palko started every game under center since 2004, a span of 35 consecutive games.
On the other side of the ball Pitt will need to replace its entire linebacker unit, including first team All-American H.B. Blades, the nation's fourth-leading tackler a year ago with over 12.2 stops per game. Moreover, the dynamic Darrelle Revis elected to bypass his senior season and declare for the NFL Draft, leaving a void at cornerback and punt returner.
Most observers' eyes, though, figure to be on the quarterback position. Junior Bill Stull is Pitt's most experienced signal-caller, albeit not by much. Stull served as Palko's backup each of the past two years, but threw just eight passes (completing six). He will compete with redshirt freshman Kevan Smith, who impressed on the scout team last year. Another redshirt frosh, Dexter Davidson, is coming off knee surgery and will hope to get his feet wet with practice reps.
While there were some significant personnel losses, Pitt will also benefit from the return of some experienced talent.
The Panthers' new quarterback will have the luxury of throwing to two of the Big East's most productive wideouts in senior Derek Kinder, a 2006 Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, and sophomore Oderick Turner.
Kinder was a first-team All-Big East selection after compiling 57 receptions for 847 yards (14.9 avg.) and six touchdowns. Labeled a possession receiver at the beginning of his junior year, Kinder proved he could stretch the field with catches like his 80-yard touchdown at
Turner led the Big East with eight touchdown catches in his first active collegiate season and received Freshman All-America honors from Rivals.com. He totaled 44 receptions for 660 yards (15.0 avg.) overall.
Pitt's offensive front returns virtually intact. Four starters are back, including senior left tackle Jeff Otah, junior right guard C.J. Davis, sophomore right guard Joe Thomas and senior right tackle Mike McGlynn. McGlynn enters his fourth year as a starter, while
Other returning vets of note include senior All-Big East defensive end Joe Clermond and junior running backs LaRod Stephens-Howling and Conredge Collins,
Personnel issues aside, Wannstedt says there is one main initiative for spring ball.
"Improvement," Wannstedt said. "That's our primary goal. We want every single player to get better during these 15 practices, and that includes our returning starters.
"Secondly, we are going to put an emphasis on leadership. We lost some exceptional leaders from last year's team, players like Tyler Palko, H.B. Blades, Clint Session and Steve Buches. Our returning players are going to need to step up and fill that leadership void.
"Finally, we are going to have a focus on really coaching our young guys. The freshmen from last year will be experiencing their first set of spring drills -- guys like Jason Pinkston, Dorin Dickerson, Elijah Fields, Greg Romeus, and Kevin Collier. As a staff, we're really looking forward to coaching them up and helping them be better players by the time the spring game comes."
Wannstedt's staff will have a renewed look this spring. In January, he hired Chris Ball as secondary coach. Ball most recently served at
Additionally, longtime Pitt aide Bob Junko will move from the coaching ranks into an administrative role. Junko, who has spent a combined 14 years at Pitt in varied coaching capacities and was the Panthers' assistant head coach since 2000, actually took leave of his on-the-field coaching duties last year for health reasons. He will work with the daily operations of the program as well as Pitt's football alumni outreach efforts.
"Bob has been a tremendous asset for the Pitt football program for so many years," Wannstedt said. "I know how incredibly valuable he has been for me personally since I returned to the
Wannstedt also announced the promotion of Brian Angelichio, who served as a graduate assistant this past season, to full-time assistant coach. Angelichio will serve as tight ends coach, which is a continuation of his positional focus from last season.
Angelichio joined Pitt last year after a highly successful tenure at
"Brian came to
