Pam Panchak, Post-Gazette photos Running back Rashad Jennings rushed for a game-high 119 yards in Pitt's Blue-Gold game yesterday. Click photo for larger image. Panther Notebook: Blue-Gold game attracts an overflow crowd

The Pitt Panthers have been working all spring to transform themselves from a passing offense into a power-running offense. So it was entirely appropriate that the first play of the Blue-Gold spring game yesterday at Gateway High School was ... a flea flicker?

The play worked almost to perfection as Tyler Palko handed off to tailback Rashad Jennings, who then faked like he was going to run up the middle but pitched the ball back to Palko, who threw it over the top to a wide open Greg Lee.

The timing of the play was good, but the execution was off -- the pass was slightly underthrown and Lee dropped it.

"I don't call those kinds of crazy plays," Pitt offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh said. "It was incomplete, right? Well, then definitely [head coach Dave Wannstedt] called it."

Cavanaugh was joking, but the play of Jennings and the Panthers' offensive line was no joke at all. Jennings, a freshman who has emerged as the clear favorite to become the Panthers' starting tailback, ran 19 times for 119 yards and showed the same combination of power and speed that has vaulted him to the top of the depth chart.

Wannstedt stopped short of naming Jennings the front-runner, quickly pointing out that all three of the primary tailbacks from last season were injured for much of the spring.

"I was real pleased with our running game," Wannstedt said. "So we walk out of spring practice today feeling good about making progress."

Cavanaugh added, "They are all competitive right now but, without question, Rashad has proven he can be a power back and get the ball moving forward. I think he went a long way this spring in establishing himself as a guy we are going to put a serious look into."

Pam Panchak, Post-Gazette Dave Wannstedt follows the action in his first Blue-Gold game as head coach. Click photo for larger image.

Wannstedt said a lot of the credit for the success in running the ball should go to the Panthers' first-team offensive line. He was pleased with the way his linemen came off the ball and provided holes for backs to pick up tough yards to extend drives.

The first drive of the game was a great example of what Wannstedt and Cavanaugh are looking for from Pitt's offense. After the flea flicker, Palko led the Panthers 80 yards in 14 plays for a touchdown. Much of the work on the drive was done by Jennings and a short, controlled passing game.

"That first drive by the offense was 14 plays. We had no penalties and no turnovers," Wannstedt said. "And we scored a touchdown. We had two long drives by the offense and that's what we're looking for. I've said all along one of the things I have been encouraged and pleased with is the progress of our offensive line and they showed up today. Pass protection was fantastic and we ran the ball as well."

While Jennings and the offensive line shined, the Panthers also showed they have some areas they need to improve. Wannstedt said the most glaring area was the pass rush. The Panthers had only three sacks in 53 pass plays and only nine tackles for loss in 115 plays.

"I think we did all right against the run," defensive tackle Thomas Smith said, "but we have to get the best players out there that can rush the passer. As you could see there was a lack of it today so that has to be our main focus, get our pressure up, get our sack numbers up."

The defensive line may have some work to do, but the Panthers' secondary appears to be to ready and will clearly be the strength of the defense. The only big mistake in the secondary came on a short pass from Joe Flacco to Derek Kinder. Kinder caught a sideline pass, then made a spin move to shake reserve corner Reggie Carter and sprint 65 yards to the end zone.

Palko finished the scrimmage 18 of 27 for 151 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions -- one by H.B. Blades and one by Josh Lay. Sophomore Terrell Allen had a decent scrimmage as he made a spectacular diving catch and finished with three receptions for 52 yards.