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Well, it has been a few days since I answered some questions, but I've been out sick and my trusted colleague Ray Fittipaldo handled the Pitt football team for me while I was out. Anyway, a lot has happened - the school lost an A.D., the team lost its best defensive lineman and there is this big game on Saturday against Michigan State, so let's get it started. I answered a double dose of questions today in order to try and catch up on some of the critical issues of the week. Also remember to join me tomorrow at noon for the weekly Pitt football live chat.

Q:Now that Jeff Long has gone away, who should Pitt turn to as its next athletic director? What do you think are the qualities of a person that the athletic department could use?

Harold Graham, New York City.

ZEISE: Well, I think the most important quality will be to find a highenergy go-getter that doesn't mind being the face of the athletic department and doesn't hide when it comes time to answer tough questions. That being said, the university must, or at least has a responsibility, to try and find some of the best and most qualified minority candidates out there and give them a legitimate shot at getting the job. I just can't understand -- and I've spoken to some prominent members of the black community who have the same sentiments and concerns -- how the athletic department of a major urban university with so many African-American student-athletes, particularly in the three "revenue" sports, can be so lacking in diversity among its most prominent positions. Think about it for a minute - there is not one African-American who is a prominent spokesperson or face of that athletic department. Not one, which is, a little ridiculous considering it is 2007 and Pitt isn't located in some small cow town in the middle of the state. Just take a look at who is always doing the talking on behalf of athletics and who is always answering questions and think about who are the faces and spokespeople for this athletic department: the coaches of the three most prominent and high-profile teams (men's and women's basketball, football), the athletic director (when Long was there) and the guys he brought in who have served as spokesman (like Keith Molin, Derek Morel, Mike Pratapas), the chancellor, the vice chancellor, the athletic director who deals with women's basketball, the sports information director as well as his top two assistants and the marketing guru --- all of them are white. They are all good people and good at their jobs, but it is hard to understand how it came to be that there isn't one African-American holding any of those prominent positions. I keep hearing about internal candidates yet here is an internal name I never hear - Kirk Bruce - nor do we ever get to hear from and I can't quite understand why.

Q:Last week you responded to a Pitt script question saying as long as Jeff Long was in charge of the athletic department it was a non issue. I guess this week it is a legitimate topic once again considering his sudden departure? Hopefully the new AD will have sense enough to realize most people love the script and would love to see it on the helmets again.

Scott Hollis, Boonsboro, Md.

ZEISE: I had no less than 26 inquiries about the script in the wake of Long's departure. All I can say is - we just have to wait and see who the new AD is and what his/her agenda is. But it is fair to say, at least for now, that the script is no longer dead because the guy who was 100 percent committed to keeping it on the sidelines is now gone.

Q:Is Pitt looking into possible causes for the spate of non-contact knee injuries? Are conditions of the practice fields and Heinz Field responsible? Shoes and cleats? In addition to injuring current players, if this is viewed as an epidemic, potential recruits will take that into account when making commitment decisions.

Michael Landey, Dallas

ZEISE: I don't think it is an epidemic nor is it anything more than just bad luck. In fact, Dave Wannstedt was so concerned about the knee injuries from last year he ordered all of the linemen on both sides of the ball to wear knee braces. Plus, Derek Kinder's injury and Gus Mustakas's injury and Doug Fulmer's injury all took place on different fields.

Q:Kevan Smith performed well last week, and seemed to handle the offense quite well. How much of the offense do you think Coach Cavanaugh is comfortable in Smith handling, especially at Michigan State on the road?

John Knoblach, Johnstown

ZEISE: They admittedly watered it down last weekend for Smith and will add a little more this week. I don't think the whole play book will be opened but I also don't expect it to be nearly as vanilla as last week. The one encouraging sign was the one time they let him air it out, he connected with Oderick Turner for that deep pass so perhaps we'll see more of that this week.

Q:Paul, Pitt's defense has performed well in its first two games. The loss of Gus Mustakas will no doubt hurt. How do you rate Mustakas' backup, Tommy Duhart? Is it likely the defensive line can be effective against Michigan State without Mustakas?

Michael Buncher, New Hope, Pa.

ZEISE: This will be the big test for the defensive line because Michigan State is going to line up and try and knock them off the ball and run right at them. The Spartans are an I-formation, physical, power-rushing team, so we will find out quickly just how improved this line is. As for Duhart, I saw a big jump in his production from week one to week two so you'd think with more experience, he'll continue to develop into the playmaker he was recruited to be.

Q:Was the Grambling game was an indication of a team not good enough to put away an inferior opponent when it had the opportunity, or is this a case of a young team that lost its intensity after it got an early lead?

Mark Schilajew, Huntingdon, Pa.

ZEISE: I think two things - the penalties and mishaps killed the offense's chances of being productive in the second half and the coaching staff just made the decision to surrender, rather than give Grambling a chance to get back in the game. The play calling in the second half was about as creative and aggressive as something you might have seen from Pitt in the 1920's, but that was by design. Coaches didn't want to show anything to Michigan State and they also didn't want to turn the ball over. I don't agree with the methodology because I think the second half of that game could have been a chance to let Kevan Smith really get his feet wet but I understand what they did and why they did it.

Q:Is our only chance to win this game against Mich. St. is to have McCoy have a Heisman trophy day and we get turnovers and a few Defensive/Special Teams TDs?

Frank Stosic, Munhall

ZEISE: LeSean McCoy needs to have a big day for Pitt to have a chance for several reasons. One, to help protect Kevan Smith -- you obviously don't want a situation where he has to drop back and pass every down because you've fallen behind, and if you are running the ball successfully it means you are still in the game. Also, a big day running the ball will help protect the defense by keeping it off the field and fresh. And one other thing - if Pitt can control the line of scrimmage against Michigan State, it would be a huge confidence boost going forward. I think Pitt can win without getting help from the defense and special teams scoring points, but a few easy scores sure would help the cause.