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Q: Regarding yesterday's Q&A. If Keith Benjamin was capable of playing like this last year, then Graves should have been playing 5 minutes a game as his backup. There is nothing he could do that Benjamin can't do better. Benjamin is more consistent offensively, can shoot better, is quicker, and plays better defense. It's a no brainer. What is about Ben Howland and Jame Dixon that they seem to refuse to give guys a chance until they are forced to? Jaron Brown road the bench his entire freshman season on to really blossom to the Big East Tourney. The next year it was Chevy Troutman riding the pine until he was forced to play against Georgetown because of foul trouble. There seems to be a player like this every year. This year it's McGhee. The way he played against South Florida, it's hard to see why he can't be given 5-8 minutes a game just to reduce the minutes played by DeJuan Blair, Sam Young and Tyrell Biggs.

Curt Gardner, Wexford

FITTIPALDO: I know Graves did not play particularly well at the end of last season, but he helped the Panthers win a lot of games during his career. Remember, Pitt would not have played Georgetown in the Big East championship game last season if not for Graves. Pitt trailed by 11 at halftime of a Big East semifinal game against Louisville, but Graves made three 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the second half to spark a 20-2 run that turned the game in Pitt's favor. He finished with a career-high 23 points in that 65-59 victory. Graves was the third-leading scorer on the team with 9.2 points per game. He shot 40 percent from 3-point range. He was a good defender. You could argue that Dixon should have turned to Benjamin during his long shooting slump before that game, but Dixon was giving Graves a chance to work his way out of his funk. For one game, he rewarded Dixon's confidence in him.

When you have good players in front of you at your position you have to wait your turn. Benjamin waited his turn and is making the most of his opportunity. And while we're at it, let's know crown Gary McGhee an All-American just yet. He came in and provided some solid minutes against South Florida, but don't overreact. He has a long way to go before he becomes someone who demands playing time.

Q: I have a quick question about the status of Levance Fields. I know that the talk has been that he is out for six more weeks. But when we say six weeks, does that mean that it will be six more weeks until he plays in a game or is it six more weeks before he is fully recovered and practices with the team, meaning he will miss another week just getting back in game form?

Kamesh Krishnamurthy, Pittsburgh

FITTIPALDO: After Fields had his surgery Jan. 1, Pitt said he would be out of the lineup 8-12 weeks. He could come back to practice before that and attempt to get into better condition before playing, which I assume he will do. I do not expect Fields to play his customary 30 or 35 minutes in his first game back. He will need a few games to get used to the speed of the game.

Q: With the job that Jamie Dixon has done so far this year, especially after Fields and Cook went down, do you expect Steve Pederson to try and lock up Dixon for many more years with a lucarative extension that would signify Dixon as one of the country's elite coaches in terms of salary?

Steve, Langhorne, Pa.

FITTIPALDO: Pederson can reward Dixon with more money, but he won't be "locking" him up. Coaching contracts in college sports are not worth the paper they are written on. Dixon could sign an extension after the season through 2020, and he could leave next year.

And there is now way Dixon will become one of the highest-paid coaches in the country until he gets past the Sweet 16. The highest-paid coaches are the ones who win national championships and reach Final Fours.

That being said, there are only a few jobs that Dixon would consider taking. He is very happy at Pitt. He knows that he has things in place here where the team can be successful for a long time. He's not going to leave that unless he is presented with something that really appeals to him and his family.