The Pitt football team crossed the halfway point of spring drills, meaning the scrimmage Saturday was a midterm exam.

And while the overwhelming sentiment among the coaching staff is that the grade is incomplete because so many players are limited due to injury, coach Dave Wannstedt made it clear that there will be some changes coming to the depth chart this week. He said the scrimmage was the first chance the coaches got to look at a number of younger players in game situations.

"Guys may look good in drills," Wannstedt said, "but until you see them lined up and being asked to think on their feet and play at full speed, you just don't know. This will give us something to look at and something to begin to make some evaluations and rethink some things with our depth chart."

While there are still plenty of decisions to be made, here is an overview of the spring so far:

• The defense should be excellent -- The fruits of Wannstedt's recruiting are finally starting to show in a big way. The defense is fast and will get even faster when a group of redshirt freshmen linebackers start contributing. The defensive line is going to be dominant and tackle Mick Williams and end Greg Romeus are two superstars in the making. The secondary also will be good as the arrivals of sophomores Dom DeCicco and Elijah Fields at safety will be a big upgrade.

• The quarterback job is Bill Stull's to lose -- Wannstedt said last week that Stull has moved ahead of the other quarterbacks because he has been the most consistent. But sophomore Pat Bostick also has played well, so Stull can't afford any letdowns. Kevan Smith still is the most intriguing prospect because physically he is the most gifted of the group. Also, junior-college transfer Greg Cross has not yet proven he can throw accurately enough to run the West Coast offense, but he is an exciting athlete so there is no question he will have a role in the fall.

• The offensive line has talent, but is young -- With senior guard C.J. Davis and redshirt sophomore tackle Jason Pinkston -- both starters -- sitting out recovering from surgery, the coaches have had to scramble to patch together an offensive line. That may be good in the long run because the Panthers have a number of young linemen who need as much work as possible. It appears that the Panthers have found a third capable tackle in redshirt freshman Jordan Gibbs, and center Robb Houser, a junior-college prospect, will upgrade that position as well. The offensive line has been an issue in the past, but the difference is that there appears to be enough young talented players to put together a unit that is competent and deep.

• The Panthers are loaded at tailback -- With the return of Kevin Collier, the Panthers have three excellent backups to LeSean McCoy -- senior LaRod Stephens-Howling, Collier and redshirt freshman Shariff Harris. Finding enough carries to keep them all happy this season could be an issue, but as the Panthers have found out in recent years, there never can be enough depth at this position.

• The receiving corps is deep -- There are no Antonio Bryants or Larry Fitzgeralds on this team, but this group is far more talented and versatile than any the Panthers have had in quite some time. Redshirt junior Oderick Turner, redshirt freshman Aaron Smith, junior T.J. Porter, redshirt freshman Aundre Wright and sophomore Maurice Williams are all big-play threats. Fifth-year senior Derek Kinder and redshirt junior Cedric McGee are big, physical receivers with sure hands. The challenge for the offensive coaches is to make sure all of this ability doesn't go to waste.

• Dorin Dickerson has found a home -- Dickerson is one of the most talented players on the team, but coaches struggled to find a position for him. He seems to have found a home at tight end, and he will be able to make a big contribution -- provided he gets the ball thrown his way. He has good hands and is explosive once he gets the ball.

• Buddy Morris is worth whatever they pay him -- Morris was brought in last year as the strength and conditioning coach and he has transformed the program. His grueling schedule has instilled a mental toughness the team seemed to lack in recent years, and more importantly, they are stronger and in better shape this spring then they have been. The Panthers seemed to get stronger as the season wore on last year and played some of their best football down the stretch. That has carried over into the spring, and it is clear his contributions are making a difference.

The Panthers still have a long way to go and still have some things to work out, but there is no question this team should be, by far, the best of the Wannstedt era and perhaps one of the best teams the Panthers have had since the 1980s.