Pitt tackles Jeff Otah and Jason Pinkston might not win any most valuable player awards this year, but given their respective value to the Panthers, they clearly should be at the top of the list.

Not only are Pinkston and Otah talented, but they also play a position that is critical to the team's success. Maybe more important, they play a position where the Panthers have very few, if any, other viable alternatives should either get hurt.

That's why Otah spent most of this week sitting out of contact drills and resting and why Pinkston was held out of drills Wednesday and did not participate in the scrimmage.

Both players were healthy enough to play but are dealing with minor aches, so the coaches were not going to risk losing either of them.

"We thought it would be wiser at this point to let them rest and try and get them back healthy because we can't afford to be without them," said Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt.

The fact that Otah, who is the starting left tackle, has become such a valuable commodity is not shocking because he was recruited as a two-year solution at left tackle out of junior college last year. He started every game last year and was one of the Panthers' best and most consistent linemen by the end of the season.

Pinkston's development into an invaluable right tackle has been a pleasant surprise. He is a true sophomore and spent the early part of last season as a defensive tackle. He was switched to offense in mid-September because of injuries on the line and by midspring he had seized the starting right tackle spot.

Since then he has developed into one of the Panthers' most consistent linemen and coaches are excited about his potential because of his athleticism.

"Jason has done a great job getting himself prepared," Wannstedt said. "And he is only going to get better every week. He is going to be a much better player in Week 12 or 13 than he will be in Week 1, but that's how it is when you don't have the ability to redshirt a guy and you have to stick them in there to play. You'd like for all that improvement to take place somewhere else, like the spring or a redshirt year, but it is a process that they all go through.

"But I think if you have great ability, which Jason has, and a great attitude, which Jason has, you get better every week. And Jeff, it is amazing where he is considering where he was a year ago. He is like night and day better because he is more confident not just in what he is doing, but how he is going to get it done."

The value of Pinkston and Otah as players is doubled because of the lack of experience and depth at the tackle. Senior Mike McGlynn, who started at right tackle the last three seasons, had offseason shoulder surgery and still has not been medically cleared for full contact scrimmaging.

If Pinkston or Otah is injured, the Panthers would turn to redshirt sophomore John Bachman, who is recovering from a broken ankle and has only appeared in five games, or redshirt junior Chase Clowser, who is big but has not progressed as fast as coaches would have hoped in his first three seasons.

And even when McGlynn returns, it likely will be at a different position. He has practiced almost exclusively at center in those drills he can participate in.

Pinkston says the pressure is on Otah and him, to not only perform well, but also to stay healthy. He has settled in at tackle and feels comfortable with everything he is doing. he also is in the best shape of his life.

"I played right tackle in high school, so it is not like this is the first time I have ever played the position," Pinkston said. "I had some idea coming into it what it is all about. I think the big thing is I now have all my assignments down and I have improved in my pass blocking so it is just a matter of going out there and do it. I feel much better doing it right now than I did even in the spring because I'm down to 295 pounds [from 320] and my conditioning is very good.

"I think the key for both Jeff and me is our athleticism and our quickness. These days, you are playing against defensive ends that are 240 pounds and can move, so you better be quick and be able to take the right steps to make sure they don't blow past you."

NOTE -- Sophomore tailback Kevin Collier is out for the season with a broken right wrist. Collier got hurt Thursday in the final scrimmage of training camp. "What this does is puts [backup fullback] Shane Brooks back in the tailback position and I would think that the possibility of redshirting [freshman] Henry Hynoski is not going to happen because he'll move up a spot on the depth chart and become the No. 2 fullback," Wannstedt said.