The members of Pitt's offensive line gather each day before practice near the locker-room exit, but none take the field immediately.

Instead, they wait for others to follow them and the group grows until one of the seniors gives a sign that all are present and accounted for.

		Game: Virginia (0-0) vs. Pitt (0-0), 7 p.m. Where: Heinz Field. TV/radio: ESPNU/WPGB-FM (104.7) and WBGG-AM (970).

Then, they jog together as a unit to their first station on the field and start their warm-up drills.

It is a small -- and some might say insignificant -- daily ritual, but its message is far more powerful.

"We don't do anything alone," said senior offensive guard John Simonitis. "We are all in this together. After what happened last year, we got together and just decided that the offensive line needed to really come together and be one solid unit."

The Panthers play host to Virginia Saturday night, and the members of the offensive line said they hope their hard work in the offseason will be rewarded with an excellent performance against the Cavaliers. If that happens, it would be a big step forward for a unit that was one of the team's most glaring weaknesses last season.

Simonitis, one of the Panthers' most-experienced players, said the members of the offensive line have spent a lot of time together on and off the field. He believes an offensive line, more than any other unit, has to be unified because each individual is only as good as the player to his right or left. He also believes this line is more unified than any he has played on.

Part of its problem early last season was there wasn't much of an opportunity to gain momentum in training camp because so many combinations were used as coaches searched for the best five players. That problem was compounded in the second game by key injuries to starters.

By midseason, however, five starters were identified and, from then on, the line improved each week.

Four of those five players return, so the continuity is much better heading into this season. Some linemen said that alone should translate into a group that is more capable of both protecting quarterback Tyler Palko and opening running lanes for tailbacks.

"Last year was tough on all of us because we just didn't get much of an opportunity to play together until later in the season and, by that time, we were already on our way to a losing record," said center Joe Villani. "This year, we have four guys together already and, really, we just needed to work one new guy into the mix, which is much easier to do."

Simonitis added, "We started camp this year ahead of, and I mean by a lot, where we ended last season. It is not even close. I really expect us to not just have a good year, but to be the strength of our offense."

Simonitis, who is entering his fourth season as the starting right guard, Villani, right tackle Mike McGlynn and left guard C.J. Davis are the four returning starters who have had an entire offseason and a training camp to work together. They all say they've grown to the point where most of their communication is non-verbal because they have such a good idea of what the others are thinking in every situation.

The lone newcomer is left tackle Jeff Otah, a 6-foot-6, 340-pound junior-college transfer and one of the prize recruits of the current class. Otah began camp battling sophomore John Bachman for the starting job and recently was named the starter.

Villani said that getting Otah into the fold was an easy process because he is very coachable and easy to get along with.

"John played some with us last year, so he was already a part of us and had a good start to what we are trying to do," Villani said. "And Jeff, we all liked him instantly, not just as a player, but off the field."

NOTES -- Coach Dave Wannstedt named Palko, tight end Steve Buches and linebackers Clint Session and H.B. Blades captains for the opener. ... Freshman Joe Thomas will be the top reserve at offensive guard. ... Wannstedt said the top two reserve wide receivers Saturday will be Marcel Pestano and Cedric McGee. One receiver who will dress but not play is freshman T.J. Porter. ... Freshman RB/WR Dorin Dickerson has been hampered with injuries throughout the summer and missed much of camp, but Wannstedt expects him to play against the Cavaliers. ... Defensive tackle Mick Williams (concussion) has been cleared by doctors and is expected to play.