A while back, you might remember a column that the Post-Gazette’s Ron Cook wrote in which he declared that Pitt was tops among the local major programs, including Penn State and West Virginia. Add another that says the Panthers are ahead of their in-state rival Nittany Lions – CBS Sports:

Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh — Luckily we get to see this one settled on the field on Sept. 10 as the two in-state foes will renew their rivalry in Heinz Field. Pat Narduzzi’s changes around the facility and within the program have given us reason to believe a switch is about to be flipped, and it’s not crazy to think that Pitt will not only win the in-state battle but finish with more wins and a better conference finish than the Nittany Lions.

As I said at the time of Cook’s article, I believe that as of right now (meaning, this instant), that’s a true statement. I think that Pitt is ahead of Penn State as a program right now, even if only slightly. For the record, I think the difference is pretty negligible. Further driving that home was the early betting line of Pitt as nine-point favorites against Penn State that was released earlier this year.

This isn’t to say, of course, that the Panthers have had the better program historically or certainly in the past 30 years. But in terms of the better team right here, right now, I think it’s Pitt and others seem to be leaning that way, too.

But as discussed in the article, the good thing is we’ll get to see these two programs on the field. That should go a long way to telling us who’s ahead at the moment.

Be sure to join Cardiac Hill’s Facebook page and follow us on Twitter@PittPantherBlog for our regular updates on Pitt athletics. Follow the author and founder/editor @AnsonWhaley.

Michigan has made a ton of progress physically. They are right there. Good looking team.

— Dave Revsine (@BTNDaveRevsine) August 15, 2016

QB battle clearly tight at Michigan – splitting reps. Speight has had a nice day – just threw a pretty TD pass to Darboh

— Dave Revsine (@BTNDaveRevsine) August 15, 2016

Freshmen showing up during team drills. Gary with a sack, then Eddie McDoom with a TD grab – really turned on the jets

— Dave Revsine (@BTNDaveRevsine) August 15, 2016

Buoyed by a history of success against the Texas Longhorns, Notre Dame Fighting Irish fans based in Austin are ramping up the trash talk heading into the season opener on September 4 with a T-shirt that will sting a bit for the burnt orange faithful:

ND Club of Austin

The shirt retails for $18 in the preorder, with proceeds benefitting the organization’s scholarship fund.

So at least it’s for a good cause.

The content of the shirt is hard to argue with, too, as the ‘Horns have experienced struggles on the magnitude of losing to the Fighting Irish against only one other school — the Vanderbilt Commodores, oddly enough, with three wins and eight losses.

On a smaller scale, the only other comparisons are the BYU Cougars (1-4) and USC Trojans (1-4).

Coming off the 38-3 beatdown in South Bend last year, the best the ‘Horns can hope for now is to start changing that narrative by kicking off the 2016 season with a victory.

Until then, the official advice of BON is to be friendly to any Notre Dame fans spotted wearing this shirt in Austin (or any others, for that matter) by extending the hospitality for which Texas is known, even if that friendly smile has to fight through a grimace first.

(h/t to Mike Barnes of KVUE)

“I think our relationship is such that I trust him that way and he trusts me. But certainly you have to think about that stuff before you decide to do something like this because work is work. We gotta win games, and he’s the boss.”

-Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, via Nicholas Piotrowicz, the Blade

Urban Meyer has steered clear of his personal coaching faux pas for most of his career, as he has avoided hiring personal friends on his coaching staff. However, that philosophy was tested when Meyer brought on former Rutgers and Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano as defensive coordinator.

Schiano, who had been out of coaching since being fired from the Buccaneers following the 2013 season, had been seeking out a new head coaching role, but coming on as an assistant for Meyer was too good of a fit to pass up. Meyer acknowledged that both share the same “philosophical views on how to run a program and how to treat players and what to expect out of your coaching staff,” which ultimately help in creating a good fit for both sides.

Meyer and Schiano both earned their first head coaching jobs–Meyer at Bowling Green and Schiano at Rutgers–in 2001. They were also the two youngest coaches in Division I-A at the time. Both managed to revitalize their respective programs, and while Schiano opted to remain at Rutgers until accepting a head coaching position in the NFL, Meyer moved onto Utah and Florida, finding great success at both, before landing at Ohio State in 2012. Now, with the departure of defensive coordinator Chris Ash for Schiano’s former role at Rutgers, Meyer was able to bring on his longtime friend as a replacement, finally merging two careers that had diverged years ago.

While friendship was one concern for Meyer, another was the fact that Schiano has not been an assistant coach in many years. In fact, this will be Schiano’s first role as an assistant since leaving the defensive coordinator role at Miami (Fl) in 2000. Still, Meyer points to former Iowa State head coach Dan McCarney, who joined Meyer’s staff at Florida with great success. And Schiano says that he understands his role in supporting the head coach and easing the burden on the boss.

“I think they should be in the Big 12. I’m saying that without making all the research necessary to really make that comment…I couldn’t be happier for that city and for that school if they do get in the Big 12.”

-Urban Meyer, via David Briggs, the Blade

While Ohio State has enjoyed an exclusivity in regards to recruiting that the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Michigan, Michigan State and pretty much everyone in the state of California can only dream about, it may have some competition in the near future in the form of the University of Cincinnati joining the Big 12. Ohio State is one of just two of the nation’s most populous states (New York, the other) with just one Power-5 school. Cincinnati joining the Big 12–a powerful and revenue-generating conference in its own right–could throw off the advantage that the Buckeyes have so long enjoyed.

Still, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer is not concerned, acknowledging that Cincinnati would be a good pick up for the Big 12, and that Cincinnati could benefit. The school recently completed an $86 million renovation to its football complex, and sits in a top-50 national television market. There is also the added bonus that bringing Cincinnati into the fold would help to align the Big 12 with West Virginia, which joined the conference as a full member in 2012. And, while not on a recruiting level with Ohio State, the Bearcats have averaged roughly nine wins per season over the last decade.

Even so, Cincinnati joining the Big 12 might not affect the Buckeyes as drastically as some might suspect. The region surrounding Cincinnati has been a tough recruiting nut to crack, as Ohio State competes against the likes of Notre Dame and others for the top recruits in the area. Bringing a Big 12 competitor into the area would make the landscape more complicated, but might not necessarily shift the balance too far from Ohio State. In the same way that Notre Dame might compete with Purdue geographically, the Buckeyes may have to face off for some recruits.

Still, Ohio State’s bottom line is in its favor, bringing in roughly four times as much revenue as Cincinnati last season. Combined with the prestige of its national championships and reputation for sending players to the NFL, it is unlikely that Ohio State will lose the top spot in Ohio.

“Losing 6,531 defensive snaps and 6,575 offensive snaps to the NFL is no easy task to replace, but Ohio State continues to bring in strong recruiting classes and their roster has plenty of promising players ready to take a step forward.”

-Steve Palazzolo, Pro Football Focus

While there have been no actual games played to determine the talent level of the top teams in the country, the Ohio State Buckeyes have consistently found themselves in the top-10 of most preseason polls. Despite the loss of an ample amount of talent to the NFL, Pro Football Focus’s poll cites the power of a series of strong recruiting classes in keeping pace with the high-level of talent lost in this year’s NFL Draft.

Most of the high-ranking teams in this poll have either a large amount of returning players or a high-level returning quarterback. While some teams–like Oklahoma–have both, Ohio State is relying on quarterback J.T. Barrett to anchor the offense and linebacker Raekwon McMillan to do so on the defensive side. Alongside promising young players like defensive linemen Tyquan Lewis and Sam Hubbard, the Buckeyes should be able to get through their growing pains on both sides of the ball.

Alabama leads the poll, even having lost numerous players to the NFL as well. The Crimson Tide return eight players in the front seven who played at least 180 snaps. Though they will also need to replace Jake Coker at quarterback, Alabama returns several other key positions on offense including three members of their offensive line.

Behind Alabama, Oklahoma, LSU, Clemson and Michigan round out the top-five. The Wolverines return a top-rated defense behind cornerback Jourdan Lewis and linemen Chris Wormley and Maurice Hurst. Still, the offense will have some serious work to do in the fall behind a new and, as of yet, undetermined quarterback. Florida State, Tennessee and Ole Miss sit ahead of Ohio State in the poll, with North Carolina coming in at the No. 10 spot. Besides Ohio State and Michigan, Iowa is the only other Big Ten team to crack the top-25, at the No. 20 spot.

“In the punt return game, there’s a chance to make more happen. A year ago, that was all Marshall…”

-Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland.com

Ohio State fans caught a glimpse of the potential of Dontre Wilson early on in his career at Ohio State, but due to a series of nagging injuries, the speedster from DeSoto, Texas has remained largely limited in his role for the Buckeyes in recent years, filling in mainly on special teams. This year, however, as Wilson prepares to enter his senior season at Ohio State, his role appears to be broadening to include punt returns, according to Urban Meyer, who said that Wilson will be tops for both punt returns and kick returns come this season. This new role will inevitably give Wilson the opportunity to showcase his speed. Primarily used as a kickoff returner alongside Curtis Samuel last year, Wilson was not utilized extensively, mostly because the Buckeyes were not required to return many kickoffs in 2015.

Wilson will be filling the role vacated by now-New York Jet Jalin Marshall, who finished the 2015 season ranked third in the Big Ten with an average of 13.5 yards per return, and who just electrified the Jets camp with an 80-yard return in last week’s preseason match against the Jaguars. This year could offer a similar opportunity for Wilson, whose hopes of an NFL career have been somewhat sidelined due to injury. While Marshall opted to leave Ohio State early, he went undrafted in April, but still managed to make the Jets roster and turn heads in the preseason. Wilson had previously paired with Marshall in the punt return game in 2014’s national championship season before being sidelined due to a foot injury.

Samuel will likely remain alongside Wilson in kick returns, and freshman Demario McCall will probably see some playing time as well on special teams. Samuel took a little more than half the kickoffs (nine) for an average of 23 yards per return, while Wilson took seven, averaging 23.9 yards per return.

STICK TO SPORTS

Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Robbie Kalland & Chip Patterson really know how to rile up a state. In their article posted on CBSSports.com, the duo selected the team they feel is playing the best football entering the 2016 season.

“With the college football season rapidly approaching, we got to wondering: What is the best team from each state of our union?

Specifically, this is not a list of the programs that have had the most all-time success in each state, but rather a look at what teams we believe are playing the best right now.”

When the duo got to West Virginia, the Mountaineers fell short of the requirements. Robbie and Chip ultimately chose Marshall as the team playing the best in West Virginia.

West Virginia: Marshall — WVU is a good team, don’t get us wrong, but it’s hard to argue with Marshall’s success under Doc Holliday, particularly the last few years. He and the Herd have amassed a 33-8 record with a 10-3 mark in 2015. Meanwhile, Dana Holgorsen and the Mountaineers are 36-28 since his arrival with a 8-5 record one season ago. The Herd are Thundering through the state right now.

Now, if you want to go strictly by record, then yes Marshall has played better over the past 5 years. Having only lost 8 games since 2011, Marshall has certainly garnered a better record, but does a better record mean you are playing better?

Marshall has only played four ranked teams since 2011, losing all four games. The Thundering Herd played #24 West Virginia, #13 Virginia Tech and #19 Houston in 2011 along with #11 West Virginia in 2012. After the first game of the 2012 season, Marshall has not played a ranked team in 50 straight games. By comparison, WVU played four ranked teams last year alone and has played 20 ranked teams since 2011. Would WVU have a better record if it had avoided 16 ranked teams on its schedule?

When Daniel Brooks arrived in Norman as a teenager to play running back for the Sooners, he brought with him the attitude and perseverance of a seasoned vet. Following his impressive performance in the shutout win at K-State last October when he carried 11 times for 41 yds and added 34 more on a tackle-dodging pass reception, Guerin Emig of the Tulsa World detailed Brooks’ injury setbacks to his years in high school. So considering what it’s taken for him get to his fifth and final year of eligibility in the crimson and cream, he’s certainly earned his chance to shine. And the patience he’s shown in doing so illustrates the determination, confidence and character of the 5’8” speedster from Texas the Sooners landed four years ago.

Brooks’ sprinter speed on display as he wins the Texas 3A 100-Meter title as a junior at Calhoun HS:

Amid the injuries over the years, however, fans will also remember Brooks flashing brilliance on a few explosive bursts last season. And as his touches have increased in Lincoln Riley’s system so have his contributions. But the setbacks have continued as well. After a career-high 55 yards on 4 carries against Iowa State last season, he’d soon miss time with an ankle injury and eventually the trip to Miami to take on Clemson in December.

Though OU appears to have an embarrassment of riches at running back this upcoming season, needless to say the ugly head of injury is always lurking at this position. So utilizing this depth is key if the Sooners hope to survive the season unscathed. For a title season to develop OU needs to establish a reliable, productive run game early as the offensive line continues to gel and Baker establishes a rhythm with a Sterling Shepard-less receiving core. Preferably Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon don’t have to shoulder the entire rushing load all season after OU faces three heavy-hitting, top-15 opponents before even getting to the Red River Rivalry in October. Carries may appear limited with Rodney Anderson also getting healthy and Abdul Adams now in the mix, but the dynamic change of pace and speed that Brooks brings should still earn him his share of touches.

Going into last season, he showed optimism after his bumpy first three years in Norman, telling Jason Kersey of The Oklahoman that despite the injuries and even briefly spending time at corner in the spring and summer of 2013, his skill set is perfect for this offense.

“This offense is so spread out. All of us at the running back position have so many opportunities. It’s a chance for me to split out wide. I get some reverses. I line up in the backfield. There are screens. There are a variety of things I can do. It’s a great opportunity for me and a great chance to show my talents.”

He was certainly right then, and if he stays on the field, the same should be true this season as well. The skill on the field when the Sooners are on offense will be tough to handle for every opponent. But we know it takes a foundation of the run to get the whole show started, and OU undoubtedly has the backfield depth to punish and pummel defenses through the entire schedule. If utilized correctly, maybe Brooks and all the backs could enjoy a full, exciting and healthy season.

The right opportunity for Daniel Brooks presented itself with the arrival of Lincoln Riley in Norman, and though his season last year was cut short again, the right time for Daniel Brooks could be now. He’s certainly earned it. And there are plenty of fans ready to see him fly a few more times.

One of the surprising developments going into the start of fall camp was when scholarship athletes Kevin Estes and Krenwick Sanders were both left off the 105-man camp roster. While they remained on scholarship, it was a move that threw their future status with the Badgers into question.

This weekend, Sanders asked for and received a release to transfer from Wisconsin, according to 247sports. The Wisconsin State Journal’s Jason Galloway confirmed Ryan Bartow’s report.

Sanders, a three-star wide receiver from Jesup, Ga., was once committed to Georgia before joining UW’s class of 2014. He came into the program with momentum from a strong senior season, coming to Wisconsin with nose tackle and fellow Georgia native, Jeremy Patterson.

After a big fall camp, the 6’2, 208-pound Sanders was able to see the field as a true freshman in 2014 — though he was only able to reel in one catch. He redshirted in 2015, and ultimately was lost in the shuffle amidst the current roster of wide receivers and the intriguing freshmen of the class of 2016.

Sanders will lose a year of eligibility should he decide to transfer to an FBS program due to NCAA rules. Should he decide to drop down a level, he will remain a redshirt sophomore.

Texas Longhorns freshman wide receiver Devin Duvernay has only participated in just more than a week of practice for the ‘Horns, but he’s already drawn the attention of sophomore wide receiver John Burt and Charlie Strong for his speed and cutting ability.

A track athlete who ran a 10.27 100 meters in high school and a verified 4.38 40-yard dash, Duvernay’s ability to cut at top speed may be just as impressive as his straight-line speed.

“The speed is there but he also has the ability to make quick cuts, which is something I found interesting,” Burt said. “He’s a super-fast guy who can stop on a dime and make cuts. I think we got good receiver with him.”

Strong agrees.

“When he runs by guys out there, he runs by them,” Strong said. “When you watch some of these track guys, a lot of them have trouble translating from the track to the football field, but Duvernay never slows down. Once he makes that cut — some guys have to sit down in their cut — he plants and he’s gone.”

Indeed, Duvernay got the crowd buzzing last weekend at the open practice when he caught a long touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Shane Buechele on a wheel route.

Devin Duvernay gets loose down the sideline, Shane Buechele finds him. #HookEm #Longhorns #Believe pic.twitter.com/fhJ4I8rr9h

— Jeff Howe (@JeffHowe247) August 7, 2016

On Saturday, Strong also recounted another moment when Duvernay got past a cornerback and the safety was trying to get over from the hash.

“Oh, that’s a touchdown,” Strong remembers thinking.

The safety just didn’t have the angle to catch the blazing Duvernay. Sure enough, Duvernay was gone.

Former Baylor head coach Art Briles called the nation’s No. 4 wide receiver the fastest player in the country when Duvernay attempted to sign with the Bears in February and the 5’11, 195-pounder holds the same title for the Longhorns, which can boast some decorated track athletes like Burt, who qualified for the national championships in the 110-meter hurdles, senior cornerback Sheroid Evans, and junior cornerback Antwuan Davis.

In watching Duvernay separate on the above quick, it’s apparent that he simply moves at a different speed than everything else on the field.

“It’s rare,” offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert said of his speed.

So don’t be surprised when Duvernay uses that elite speed and cutting ability to find open grass once his Texas career officially gets underway — that’s just what he does.