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Q: What are the position battles on defense that are most intriguing going into camp and potential depth at each of the positions?

Shawn Kunes, Cranberry, Pa.

ZEISE: Going into camp I'd have said Doug Fulmer versus Jabaal Sheard at defensive end but that battle has been put on hold as Fulmer is still trying to come back from his ACL injury and he's not really ready to be an every-down player. Sheard, however, has been spectacular at camp -- he is impressive, he is going to be a big-time player. Here is what is scary for opponents -- Pitt will have Sheard and Greg Romeus starting at defensive end for the next three seasons (counting this one) and both of them are in a category I'd call "scary talented." There is no question both could be very high draft picks when it is all said and done and it is going to be fun to watch them mature and go from being talented raw players with a lot of speed to dominant pash rushers. The corner battle I discussed yesterday between Buddy Jackson and Jovani Chappel will be fun to watch and, of course, the safety battle between Elijah Fields and Dom DeCicco is going to be exciting because they are such different players. Also, I have really enjoyed watching those young linebackers develop -- they likely won't unseat the three starters, but they will be chomping at their heels all season. The defense, however, is pretty well set so most guys are battling for back-up jobs.

Q: As much as I like Dom DeCicco, I just don't see how you can keep Elijah Fields on the sideline. Has it been that evident in practice that DeCicco is the better player where he'd keep the job with first team? Any chance they'd play both and sit Thatcher (not that I'd advocate that)?

Paco Fitzgerald, Mars, Pa.

ZEISE: DeCicco knows the defense better and therefore plays at a higher level right now. Elijah Fields is catching up in his knowledge but has a little ways to go. And you are right, Fields does so many things you can't coach that he will be on the field this year and he'll play a lot. But again, Dom DeCicco is an excellent player -- he is going to be a starting safety for three years because he is such a smart player, such a tough guy and he really understands the defense. Again -- they are different players. Thursday afternoon, Fields made a mistake, ran the wrong way and got way out of position -- and still somehow he recovered in time to not just make the tackle, but strip the ball away from the running back. DeCicco won't make those kinds of plays, but he rarely has to because he is almost always where he is supposed to be in anticipation of the play. Those two, along with Eric Thatcher, will play the bulk of the snaps and it won't shock me if there are times when DeCicco and Fields are on the field and Thatcher is sitting out. Needless to say, the safety spot is a strength.

Q: What big-name freshman might be redshirted this year?

Mike Kube, Etna, Pa.

ZEISE: If the coaches get their way, all of them!!! Seriously though, that's the ideal situation -- let freshman learn for a year then slowly work them in. Because of scholarship limits, that is unrealistic, but it is ideal. That being said, I don't think coaches have the luxury of redshirtting Jonathan Baldwin but I could easily see Lucas Nix, Cameron Saddler, Tino Sunseri, Andrew Taglianetti, Shayne Hale, Jarred Holley and Chris Burns all taking a redshirt just because of the positions they play and the fact that there is depth at all of those positions. I will say I doubt Holley will take a redshirt as coaches have already talked about putting him on special teams and using him some in nickel and dime packages or whatever you want to call those sets used on passing downs that have a extra-defensive back or two.