It's as if Pitt has had a season worth of injuries and drama, and it's only week one of the season. Potential starting safety suspended for the season; the team's defensive leader charged with possession (subsequently dropped); heralded freshman QB leaves on the eave of training camp for a week to deal with "personal issues": the #1 WR blows out his ACL in a non-contact drill; the top freshman offensive lineman from the recruiting class dislocated a knee cap in training camp who was expected to at least be on the two-deep if not starting; add in the team's best offensive lineman who still not fully recovered from off-season shoulder surgery; and now the starting QB is out for at least four weeks with torn ligaments in his thumb.Bill Stull went down in the 3d quarter of the game against Eastern Michigan. At this point Head Coach Dave Wannstedt won't even consider naming a starter. It will either be redshirt freshman Kevan Smith or true freshman Pat Bostick.
The odds favor Smith since he has a year practicing Pitt's offense, he has a strong arm and much needed mobility given the porous nature of the offensive line. His biggest problem, and it is a big problem, is that he just can't seem to take a snap cleanly. It was something he struggled all through camp and in relief of Stull on Saturday, he fumbled one snap.
If Pitt suffers a 3d straight .500 or worse season, at least this year there's a good excuse.
