Big East title within Pitt’s reach

Will this be the year that Miami football’s reign over the Big East comes to an end?

It… Will this be the year that Miami football’s reign over the Big East comes to an end?

It could be for one obvious reason – Miami wants to jump ship and run over to the Atlantic Coast Conference. This is a move I am not in favor of, but I am not going to rant and rave about it.

Miami’s dominance may come to an end because Pitt may have the team to beat them for the first time since 1997.

Pitt lost a heartbreaker to Miami last season, after quarterback Rod Rutherford overthrew 5-foot-10-inch wide receiver Yogi Roth in the end zone.

This season, Miami returns to our house. Pitt is a year older, a year wiser and has already received several accolades during the offseason. Most notably, The Sporting News ranked Pitt’s coaching staff No. 3 nationally. This ranking is ahead of Miami, whose coaching staff is ranked No. 6.

The Panthers finished 9-4 last season, won the Insight Bowl and have been ranked as high as No. 8 nationally in CBS Sportsline’s preseason poll.

The Sporting News ranks their special teams No. 2. Also ranked by the magazine are Pitt’s backfield and wide receivers at No. 9 and 10, respectively.

Miami lost more key players to the draft and graduation: quarterback Ken Dorsey, running back Willis McGahee and wide receiver Andre Johnson on offense. Vince Norfolk is the only starter from last season’s defensive line.

Pitt is returning most of its starters on both sides of the ball. And even though some key players were lost, the Panthers have capable players to fill those voids.

The offensive line is an area of concern, but Rutherford has emerged as a potent quarterback and running back Brandon Miree proved that he could take over games.

Also, look for wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald to be even more explosive as a sophomore.

Replacing Gerald Hayes in the middle of the defense will be a tough task, but Lewis Moore seems capable of being the leader this year.

The linebacking corps will be inexperienced, since Moore will be the only returning starter. Moore will have to emerge as the leader of what appears to be a young group of linebackers, and the secondary should be dominant as it returns Shawntae Spencer, Tez Morris, Tyrone Gilliard, William Ferguson and Corey Humphries.

Claude Harriott, ranked as the nation’s third-best defensive end by The Sporting News, will lead the charge on the defensive line and, hopefully, will be ready to return to form by Sept. 6.

Several other Panthers are ranked in the top 10 at their positions. This list includes wide receiver Fitzgerald, ranked No. 5; offensive tackle Rob Petitti, ranked No. 6; tight end Kris Wilson, ranked No. 9; fullback Lousaka Polite, ranked No. 5; punter Andy Lee, ranked No. 6; and strong safety Gilliard, ranked No.10.

Well, Walt Harris, let’s not make liars out of The Sporting News and other publications that think highly of the Panthers. They have predicted that Pitt has some of the nation’s best players and coaching staff.

Miami is limping into this season after losing the national championship and valuable players. Pitt has the advantage because it has grown together as a unit over the last couple of years.

The Panthers have all the tools to beat Miami this season and make a serious run at a Bowl Championship Series bid. It is time for the Panthers to return to an era of excellence on the football field.