Pitt Football Notebook: Scuffle juices practice

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By Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Today is the first day the Pitt Panthers can go in full pads. That's probably a good thing because the intensity of practices has increased steadily. Players seem to be ready to start live hitting drills.

Yesterday, things came to a head when the offense squared off against the defense and got in a brouhaha. The two sides had to be separated.

The hit that set things in motion came when linebacker J.J. Horne laid out running back Rashad Jennings after Jennings caught a short pass over the middle. Offensive tackle Mike McGlynn protested the hit and was shouted down by members of the defense.

The next play, wide receiver Joe DelSardo caught a pass and was hammered by safety Sam Bryant. DelSardo was on the ground for a few minutes, but he got up and walked off on his own.

Before DelSardo hit the ground, quarterback Tyler Palko led the charge of offensive players into the pile in protest of the hits in what was supposed to be a two-minute drill. No punches were thrown, but there was plenty of shoving and trash talking. Cooler heads prevailed and practice quickly resumed at an even higher intensity level.

DelSardo said the play in question was just part of football and that the intensity figures to only to increase once the team is in full pads.

"That's what [bryant] is supposed to do, he's just doing his job," DelSardo said. "But we're not going to back down, and Tyler is never going to let any of us out their on our own. He is going to fight for every one of us, and that's why he's our leader and why we have his back as well.

"Right now, our opponent is the defense, that's just the way it is, so we're going to do everything we can do to win, and they are going to try and beat us."

Going Green

All the quarterbacks wore a green jersey (meaning hands off) yesterday for the first time. That was done in anticipation of the team practicing in full pads.

"We decided to go with the green jerseys because the way we are rotating people in and out we will have scrimmages where everything is live," Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. "Particularly with the young kids. I mean, I'm not sure that [freshmen] Mick Williams or Doug Fulmer even know who Tyler Palko is to be quite honest with you or even care for that matter. At least in the green jersey, they can associate a color with what's on limits and what's off limits. It is not a person or number."

Running in place

The tailback situation hasn't cleared up, but figures to over the next week. So far Tim Murphy and Jennings seem to be a little ahead of the pack for the starting job, but Murphy could end up at fullback.

"We have to give Murphy a day or two of full-pad work, tackling work when we're doing live inside drills and then determine [whether he'll play fullback or tailback]," said Wannstedt. "I like what he's done so far, and Rashad has really picked up where he left on the spring. The addition of Murphy [who was hurt] and [freshman] LaRod Stephens has changed the picture of that position."