Pitt set to start season against Ohio

There will be a fresh face at backup quarterback when Pitt opens its 2002 season Saturday. On… There will be a fresh face at backup quarterback when Pitt opens its 2002 season Saturday. On Wednesday, head coach Walt Harris announced that freshman Tyler Palko will serve as the team’s second quarterback behind junior starter Rod Rutherford.

Palko, who attended West Allegheny High School, was hailed as one of the 10 best high school quarterbacks in the country last year.

Redshirt sophomore Pat Hoderny will serve as the third string quarterback and true freshman Luke Getsy will likely be redshirted.

This year, Pitt fields an offense that includes eight returning starters, five of which make up the offensive line. Following team practice on Wednesday, Harris expressed his satisfaction with the offensive line’s progress.

“We’re improved at offensive line. We’ve got a better feel for our assignments and our technique and we can play more aggressively because we’re more confident and more knowledgeable,” Harris said. “I’m much more confident in our offensive line at this time than I was last year at this time.”

Not among the returning starters is Rutherford, who will attempt to pick up where last year’s starter David Priestley left off. Though Rutherford is the most experienced quarterback on Pitt’s roster, he has yet to start a game in college.

“With the young quarterback that we have, we know that Ohio U[niversity] is going to make it real tough on him,” Harris said. “We’re going to have to run the football.”

Three different tailbacks will be seen running the football for the Panthers this weekend. Junior Brandon Miree and sophomores Raymond Kirkley and Marcus Furman will all see time at the halfback spot, giving Pitt great diversity when it comes to the running game.

Succeeding Biletnikoff Award-winner Antonio Bryant as the leader of Pitt’s receiving corps will be senior Lamar Slade. Over the last three seasons, Slade’s role has been that of a complimentary receiver, but with Bryant and R.J. English gone, Slade will see his playing time dramatically increase.

Senior middle linebacker Gerald Hayes selected last year as a member of the first team All-Big East, leads the Panther defense. Hayes, along with senior Brian Beinecke and junior Lewis Moore, headline one of college football’s best linebacking corps.

Complimenting the linebackers on defense will be cornerbacks Torrie Cox and Shawntae Spencer and safety Tez Morris.

The Panthers’ defense, like the offense, has eight returning starters. Look for these seasoned defenders to feast on an Ohio offense that was outscored 323-198 in 11 games last season.

The Bobcats enter this season after going 1-10 in 2001 and were shut out twice, despite out-rushing their opponents 2,641 to 2,207.

Senior quarterback Dontrell Jackson leads the Bobcats this season. Last season, Jackson threw for just 559 yards on 44 completions and two touchdowns in 10 games. However, he finished second on the team in rushing, netting 472 yards on 143 attempts, finding the end zone three times on his own.

Returning this season for Ohio will be senior running back Chad Brinker. Brinker shined in Ohio’s first four games in 2001 before undergoing season-ending surgery. In those four games, Brinker rushed for 393 yards on just 53 carries and two touchdowns. His return makes the Ohio ground game much more potent than it was for most of last year.

The outcome of this game will, to a great extent, depend on the performance of the Panther defense. If Hayes and the linebackers can contain the dangerous Ohio running game, the Pitt offense will not need to shine in order to win.

On the other hand, if Jackson and Brinker do manage to break out, Rutherford and the offense will have to step up quickly. If Rutherford struggles, don’t be surprised to see Palko receive some playing time.

Though Ohio sports a defense with only three returning starters, the Panthers will still try to take some pressure off Rutherford by running the ball as often as possible. When the Panther offense does take to the air, expect to see mostly short pass plays designed to gain yards after the catch.

While Pitt is the heavy favorite in this contest, Ohio could keep the game competitive if its running game is successful.