Pitt won't overlook Grambling

By: Dale Grdnic, Beaver County Times Sports Correspondent

PITTSBURGH - Grambling State University won't be taken lightly by Pitt in their game Saturday.

You can thank Appalachian State for that. Ap State became the first team from the Division I Football Championship Subdivision - it's not called Division I-AA anymore - to beat a ranked team from the Football Bowl Subdivision (yep, I-A).

But Ap State doesn't get all the credit for Pitt's concerns.

The Panthers (1-0) can't afford to look past Grambling because they'll have a freshman as the starting quarterback. Either redshirt freshman Kevan Smith or true freshman Pat Bostick will replace injured junior Bill Stull (thumb surgery).

"They've both done a good job,'' Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. "They really have. I think we've tried to make it as difficult on them as possible, but I think it's important not to try to fool them. But you want to try to pressure them and give them some different looks. If you're going to face a freshman, you want to try to force them into making some bad plays."

As for which one has the best chance to start, Wannstedt said that he will not name a starter until game time.

"But I'd like to see both of them play, to be quite honest with you,'' Wannstedt said. "Whether that will happen or not, who knows? But they've both prepared well, and we've pretty much split it down the middle from a rep standpoint in practice.

Wannstedt added that he was cautiously optimistic that either Smith or Bostick would perform up to their capability just because others on the Pitt team have done that this season.

Pitt's quarterback, Wannstedt said, will face a 4-4 defense that pressures an offense. Junior linebacker John Carter is Grambling's defensive leader, while senior tackles Jason Banks and Donald Williams also provide a push from up front.

When the Tigers run the ball they primarily use just one back, as Frank Warren ran for 143 yards on 30 carries and added four catches in last week's 31-10 win over Alcorn State. Grambling quarterback Brandon Landers completed 19 of 36 passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns - Reginald Jackson had six catches for 198 yards and two scores - in that game.

"Grambling's receivers are very fast and quick, and very athletic,'' senior cornerback Kennard Cox said. "In their division, they have a lot of good athletes and a great quarterback. I think they're a little better team than Eastern Michigan with better athletes, even for a Division I-AA team. (But) I respect everybody I play, and we won't look past them.''