Home >  Sports >  Notebooks

Tuesday, August 22, 2000

By Shelly Anderson, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

John Turman hasn't missed any practices with a sore arm. He hasn't been doubling as a receiver. He simply has been a steady contender for the Pitt starting quarterback job.

"I'm just trying to stay strong, finish camp with a last couple good days," Turman said yesterday.

The other main contender, David Priestley, returned to practice after being bothered by a sore arm over the weekend. Redshirt freshman Rod Rutherford is splitting his time between quarterback and receiver. And freshman Pat Hoderny, who is expected to be redshirted, is not getting as many practice snaps as the others.

Turman knows an advantage when it's handed to him.

"If Rod's at receiver and David's sitting out, obviously I'm the one they're playing," said Turman, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior who split the starting duties with Priestley last year.

"I'm probably the one that's truly getting better because I'm taking all the reps. I'm really learning the offense, just getting it down."

Priestley, a 6-4, 205-pound junior, had off-season shoulder surgery and did not throw for months. Coach Walt Harris last week said Priestley was rusty.

"Most of all, I just needed the rest," Priestley said. "I probably still could use [yesterday] off, but I can't afford to do that.

"But I come out rested and my ball's high and I'm throwing harder than I have in the past few days. I feel good, and I'm optimistic. I think I'll be all right by Wednesday."

Pitt will hold its second and last preseason scrimmage tomorrow. Harris also is hopeful Priestley will be at full strength then.

"He says it feels better," Harris said. "He and I have been together a long time, so I trust that he's being very honest and I think his arm was hanging.

"You just knew it was going to happen because he really didn't do too much throwing during the summer. And then throwing three times a day is real challenging.

"I think he feels better now. Hopefully. We'll see on Wednesday."

Priestley doesn't think Harris will rush his decision on who will start.

"I don't think he'll have an answer after the scrimmage," Priestley said. "He's got almost another week and a half before we open, so I would say by the middle of next week he'll have a pretty good idea of what's going on. I'm sure he'll decide what he thinks is best."

Punters competing

Redshirt sophomore Jay Junko and freshman Andy Lee have been locked in a tight race for the punting job since training camp opened.

Harris said there is no front-runner yet to replace Greg DeBolt, who was just released by the Arizona Cardinals.

"I think they're still competing," Harris said.

Junko, an Upper St. Clair High School graduate and son of assistant head coach Bob Junko, split time between reserve receiver and backup punter until last spring, when he became a full-time punter.

Lee is a scholarship recruit from Westminster, S.C.

Harris was impressed with both in the team's first preseason scrimmage Saturday. Junko averaged 38.7 yards on six punts, Lee 41.2 yards on six punts, each with a long punt of 47 yards.

Extra points

The Panthers wore no pads for all three practices. Harris said that was to give the players a break. Some of the 15 players who missed the scrimmage Saturday because of injury were able to participate in the no-contact practices all day. Others, Harris said, had been run ragged filling in for the injured players. ... Today is the final day with three practices. Camp unofficially ends with the scrimmage tomorrow afternoon at Three Rivers Stadium, then the Panthers begin practicing once a day. ... The annual preseason FanFest will be Thursday from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Carnegie Science Center. Admission and parking are free.