Pitt football: A 2009 season outlook

With spring drills now over and the Blue-Gold game a distant memory, it’s time to look at how… With spring drills now over and the Blue-Gold game a distant memory, it’s time to look at how far the Pitt football team has come and where it still needs to go.

The Panthers still have their fair share of unresolved issues on both sides of the ball.

But with an extremely talented defensive line and playmakers like Jonathan Baldwin on offense, this team hopes to find itself ultimately on top of the Big East.

Here’s a breakdown of a probable Pitt starting lineup and a recap of some burning issues the team still faces as the summer approaches.

Things to consider:

The quarterbacks: One of the paramount concerns for Pitt fans, after last season’s Sun Bowl, has been the necessity for improvement at the quarterback position.

After the conclusion of spring practice, there have been no dramatic changes under center. Bill Stull would be the starter if the Panthers were playing a game this week, but that doesn’t mean his two fellow quarterbacks haven’t made strides.

Pat Bostick received the Ed Conway Award as the most improved offensive player throughout spring practice. Physically and mechanically, Bostick has come a long way from his former slow-footed frame.

Still, while Bostick has provided Stull with a little pressure, he hasn’t done enough to take the job away from the incumbent starter.

With both quarterbacks having their fair share of past struggles, redshirt freshman Tino Sunseri has had an opportunity to make a significant impression in spring drills. Unfortunately for Sunseri, he hasn’t had the stunning performances necessary to jump Bostick and Stull on the depth chart.

If one thing is certain, it’s that the quarterback race is still open and Stull’s job isn’t carved in stone yet. It will be interesting to see if Bostick continues to progress under new quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti. If he does, then Stull will have to respond with a confident and efficient summer camp.

At the moment, the future of Pitt’s most crucial position remains unclear.

Neon Dion: Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt wasn’t left unprepared when LeSean McCoy departed for the NFL Draft. Wannstedt brought in three running back prospects in his 2009 recruiting class.

One of those recruits was Dion Lewis, and after his early enrollment in January, Lewis proceeded to skyrocket to the top of the depth chart. Lewis didn’t let the jump to college football intimidate him and now he appears to be Pitt’s No. 1 option at tailback.

Granted, Lewis is still learning the Panthers’ offense and getting settled in with the college lifestyle. But, throughout the spring, Lewis has shown he is too talented to keep off the field.

While Lewis is the starter now, whether he will be in September is still in question. Redshirt freshman Chris Burns and redshirt sophomore Shariff Harris will push Lewis for playing time.

Burns is another talented runner with heaps of potential. If Lewis slips up, Burns could easily take the majority of carries for the Panther offense. Harris, on the other hand, is a strong downhill runner who has shifted back and forth between halfback and fullback. With his versatility, Harris is more than capable of earning some carries for himself next fall.

Whether Pitt employs one feature back or a running-back-by-committee approach, having an overstock of talent at the tailback is a good problem to have. The only thing this group lacks is experience, but that will change soon.

Problems in the middle: One has no starting experience after four seasons with the team, another missed most of last season with severe neck injury, and the last one is still recovering from a torn ACL.

That describes Steve Dell, Adam Gunn and Shane Murray, respectively. Those three redshirt seniors are being called upon to fill the hole left by the graduation of middle linebacker Scott McKillop.

Undoubtedly, the trio of linebackers provides a good deal of experience and maturity. But Dell is an unproven commodity, while Gunn and Murray haven’t been practicing at full speed yet.

The likely starter when the season begins is Gunn, who was recently granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA. When healthy, Gunn has been a reliable performer at the strong-side linebacker position, but whether Gunn can replace McKillop’s productivity remains to be seen.

At a glance, the middle linebacker position appears to be one of the most experienced groups. But a closer examination reveals that injury concerns make Pitt’s most important defensive position its shakiest.

Ready to make an impact: On the brighter side, a handful of Panthers have used the spring to display that they are ready to join the starting lineup.

One of those players is former Army All-American offensive lineman Lucas Nix. Now a sophomore, Nix will be called upon to provide stability to Pitt’s offensive front. The Thomas Jefferson High School graduate is overflowing with potential and should grow in his starting role.

On the other side of the ball, Elijah Fields will get the opportunity to prove himself at the strong safety position. Fields is an amazing athlete but has had his share of off-the-field issues. Now, with Eric Thatcher gone, Fields and Dom DeCicco could become two of the most talented safety tandems in the Big East.

Lastly, redshirt sophomore Max Gruder was the defense’s Ed Conway award winner. Gruder has displayed impressive instincts at the weak-side linebacker position, and his physical play has earned him a starting job.

Gruder has a motor that is always going, and with Greg Williams opposite him, the Panthers have two young, talented bookends at linebacker.

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