Jordan Gibbs enters training camp as a starter.
Penn Manor grad Jordan Gibbs is No. 1 on Pitt's depth chart at left tackle.
Pat Bostick's job status is a little more up in the air.
The two former Lancaster-Lebanon League standouts opened training camp today with the University of Pittsburgh.
The Panthers, coached by Dave Wannstedt, are coming off a 5-7 season last year and are picked to finish third in the Big East this year by their peers.
Gibbs, a 6-7, 290-pound Penn Manor grad, redshirted with the Panthers last year. But a strong performance in spring camp vaulted him into the No. 1 spot at left tackle ahead of senior Chase Clowser.
"It's going to be a different speed now in camp, especially when we scrimmage, and in the game as well," Gibbs told the Associated Press. "But I'm looking forward to the challenge."
Bostick, a Manheim Township grad, started eight games at quarterback as a true freshman last season. But the 6-3, 220-pound sophomore will have to battle to keep his starting job.
That's because Bill Stull, who earned the starting nod last season before suffering a thumb injury in the season opener, is back under center with the Panthers.
Stull, a 6-3, 205-pound junior, had a very good spring camp and enters training camp with a slight advantage over Bostick, according to Wannstedt.
But the former NFL coach appears content to let Stull and Bostick battle with redshirt sophomore Kevan Smith and junior Greg Cross for the starting job.
"Coming out of camp a year ago, I really believed Bill Stull was going to be the best kept secret in the Big East," Wannstedt said at Monday's media day press conference. "When he came out of camp a year ago, his statistics were as good in two categories as Tyler Palko's when Tyler was a senior (during training camp).
"Bill never redshirted when he came in, so I think the redshirt last year will help him out. He's bigger. I know his arm's stronger. He's more mature. Hopefully he's smarter, but I was very pleased with how he performed and progressed at spring ball. Coming out of that, he was our most complete quarterback.
"Then you look at Pat Bostick, Kevan Smith and Greg Cross, who's learning the system. We have four guys coming here to win the job. That's what makes players better."
Pittsburgh opens the season against Buffalo on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m.
