PITTSBURGH — Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt made it official when he named junior Bill Stull the Panthers’ starting quarterback after the team’s final intrasquad scrimmage on Wednesday afternoon.
Stull, the only Pitt quarterback with any previous playing time at the collegiate level, beat out redshirt sophomore Kevan Smith and true freshman Pat Bostick. And while he was the frontrunner since spring practice ended, there were always some questions about him. But not by Stull.
“It feels good, finally,” Stull said. “I guess once I signed and came to Pitt, I’ve always dreamed of being the starting quarterback in my hometown. I played football here in high school (Seton LaSalle), and what better way to progress than to be the starting quarterback for the University of Pittsburgh.”
Smith has played well, at times, the past two weeks during training camp, but his inexperience was evident more often than not. He only started one season at Seneca Valley High School and was redshirted last year. Bostick, a blue-chip recruit and fan favorite since he signed with Pitt in February, was at a disadvantage after he left camp for personal reasons before it even started and didn’t return for eight days.
“I think it’s pretty obvious that Billy Stull is the starter at quarterback,” Wannstedt said. “He’s performed the best, and right now he’s the most confident in what we’re doing. He has the most confidence from this football team. He has the most confidence of the coaches right now.
“So, Billy will be the starter, and Kevan Smith and Pat Bostick will continue to work, and they’ll improve. They’ll work hard enough during the week (in practice), as we get into this season, that they’ll get better and better. And, if need be, they’ll be ready to play.”
While several starting positions are settled, including quarterback, Wannstedt noted that two areas need to be sorted out.
“The linebacker thing, we’re still working through some issues,” Wannstedt said. “We’re pretty set in the secondary, and we’re pretty set on the defensive line. We’re going to rotate those guys. The offensive line just has to get back healthy, but we know who the five starters are today with Mike (McGlynn) not being in there today.
“The tight ends are kind of like the defensive line. All three guys are starters. Nate Byham, Darrell Strong and John Pelusi. The running back thing, we’ve got great depth there. So, the offensive line and linebacker are the two spots that we’re working through.”
The scrimmage wasn’t much of a workout for many starters, as a handful were rested due to various bumps and bruises. Starting tailback LaRod Stephens-Howling had just one carry, but it went for 44 yards.
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Pitt picks Stull to start at QB
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College basketball in brief
A closer look at Thursday night's men's and women's college basketball games:
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Penn State men absorb fifth straight loss
Penn State refused to be routed the first time No. 11 Michigan State had a chance to pull away for an easy victory.
The Nittany Lions, though, couldn’t stay consistent enough to keep their comeback hopes alive. -
South Florida rebounds with win over Pitt
South Florida’s Hugh Robertson combined a perfect night offensively with a stellar defensive performance that helped the Bulls rebound from their worst-ever Big East loss.
Robertson had a season-high 18 points and helped USF
(14-10, 7-4) hold Pittsburgh star Ashton Gibbs to a season-low four points in a 63-51 victory over the Panthers on Wednesday night. Augustus Gilchrist added 10 points for the Bulls, who lost by 30 points at Georgetown last weekend. - Local sports in brief 2-9-2012
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Pittsburgh senior Ashton Gibbs is a happy man now that his backcourt mate, junior Tray Woodall, is back and healthy in the starting lineup. He’s almost as happy as Woodall, who recovered from a groin/abdominal strain to turn in one of his best performances of the season.
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Panthers looking to extend winning streak
Even as the losses piled up, Pitt’s men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon said his players never abandoned hope. That can be tough in the face of an eight-game losing streak stretching from December into January.
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Nittany Lions drop 4th in a row
Bryce Cartwright has been in and out of Iowa’s starting lineup all season. Now the senior looks like he’s there to stay.
Cartwright, bothered with concussion-like symptoms earlier this season, scored 17 points to lead the Hawkeyes to a 77-64 victory over Penn State on Saturday. - More College Headlines
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