Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt does not anticipate making wholesale changes to the starting lineup for the Panthers' game Saturday night against Buffalo, but he did say yesterday that two true freshmen -- receiver Jonathan Baldwin and offensive right tackle Lucas Nix -- will be in line for increased playing time.

But a bigger issue for Wannstedt is finding healthy linebackers.

Starting outside linebackers Adam Gunn, a senior, and Shane Murray, a junior, are questionable for the game due to injuries. Gunn was knocked out of the loss to Bowling Green with a concussion and Murray did not play Saturday against the Falcons because of a knee injury.

Senior Austin Ransom started in place of Murray against Bowling Green and played well, but Wannstedt had to use a combination of redshirt freshman Greg Williams and redshirt sophomore Nate Nix to replace Gunn. Neither has much experience.

Williams played the bulk of the snaps, but Wannstedt has not named a starter and holds out hope Gunn will be able to play.

"Adam Gunn was in here today, and he is much improved. He is clearly doing better," Wannstedt said yesterday on his teleconference. "We are just going to have to take him day to day. But, beyond him, we're going to have to continue to practice all of those younger guys. We got them some reps [Sunday] night at practice and we'll try to get redshirt freshman Tristan Roberts some reps. Overall, I thought those two did a nice job filling in."

As for changes to the starting lineup, Wannstedt said he is not ready to panic after one game, but he said Lucas Nix and Baldwin need to be on the field more because they are two of the most talented players on the team.

Nix has been pushing starting right tackle Joe Thomas for playing time since training camp and was supposed to play against Bowling Green, but he didn't mostly because the Panthers were locked in a tight game with few opportunities for making changes. But the coaches believe Thomas has underachieved since training camp began and Saturday apparently wasn't his finest hour, either. Wannstedt said game situations won't dictate Nix's playing time this week.

"We need to get Lucas Nix into the game and get him some playing time," Wannstedt said. "We're just going to have to put him in and let him play. Whether we are winning or losing or it is a close game, we need to get him in there. And the same thing with Baldwin; he needs to be in there and play a little more.

"Those are the two players who need to get more playing time, but nothing else will change because we just made a few mental mistakes, and they can be corrected.

"If you look, we were winning the game at the half, but, after the half, we come out and turn the ball over three times, we miss a field goal and we can't convert on a fourth down, and those are the things that will get you beat. But they are all things we can work on."

Wannstedt was also asked specifically about the Panthers' seemingly conservative offensive philosophy. The Panthers were criticized for punting twice inside the Falcons' 35 and played for a field goal instead of a touchdown at the end of the first half.

Wannstedt took exception to the criticism and said that the Panthers were -- and always are -- obviously trying to score a lot of points -- they just weren't very successful at it. He said that was due to lack of execution and a lack of protecting the football.

"I'm not sure what you mean, full throttle?" Wannstedt asked rhetorically. "I mean, you'd like to think with our backs we'd be able to make a few big plays running the ball. We have to be able to generate some big plays, but, if you look at it, our longest play from scrimmage was only 17 yards.

"You are not going to score a lot of points doing that. Our offensive line is a new group, and we are taking that into account [in play-calling] and our quarterback was playing his first full game of his career, but we know that we are going to have to score more points to beat anybody, especially against some of these spread teams.

"Scoring has gone up significantly the past few years, we know that, but we also didn't help ourselves by creating short fields for our offense. We got one turnover and we turned it over four times, which is eliminating four possessions. We can't turn the ball over; it is the difference between winning and losing."

As for criticism that the Panthers weren't in shape or were tired, he said that was silly. He also said anybody who thinks the Panthers are ready to go into the tank because they lost one game doesn't know the character of the team.

"Our team is in great shape, they weren't tired, and I don't think there was credence to that idea [that Pitt was tired] at all," Wannstedt said. "We have great leadership and great character on this team and, after watching the tape last night and getting out and moving around at practice, the guys came around and we will be fine."