Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Dorin Dickerson, left, celebrates after scoring a touchdown last season. Dickerson played running back and wide receiver last year, but he has been moved to defense. Click photo for larger image.

Dorin Dickerson was one of the most heralded football recruits Pitt has signed in recent history, but so far in his short career he has been a player without a position.

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt knows a player as talented as Dickerson, a sophomore from West Allegheny, needs to be on the field so he has moved him again, this time to linebacker, and hopes he'll show enough to break into the starting lineup.

And linebacker is an excellent spot for any player looking to get on the field this year because all three of the starting jobs -- as well as just about every backup spot -- is open.

In fact, as spring football begins tomorrow, linebacker is probably the biggest question facing the Panthers. The quarterback spot is open and will get most of the public's attention, but with all four of the primary starters at linebacker from last year's team gone, either by graduation or, in the case of junior Tommie Campbell, via indefinite suspension, there is no other position where Wannstedt has to find so many answers.

Wannstedt said Dickerson, who is 6 feet 2, 215 pounds and played running back and receiver last year, is one of the best athletes on the team.

"Dorin is a guy who we want to get on the field and he is the type of kid who wants to play. He wants to play badly," Wannstedt said. "We just felt with the way our receiver position grew last year and really became a strength and with the recruiting class of running backs coming in, it would be tough to get him in the mix as much as both he and we'd like.

"At linebacker, he has a chance to do some really special things for us so we'll see how it works out in the spring."

Dickerson wasn't the only player moved to linebacker in the offseason. Safeties Jemeel Brady and Shane Murray will both move up and compete at the position. Junior Scott McKillop, who starts the spring as the starting middle linebacker, is the only player in the group with much experience, and he has been limited behind H.B. Blades his entire career.

Junior Bill Stull and redshirt freshman Kevan Smith will compete for the starting quarterback job but Wannstedt said the competition really won't begin in full until the fall when freshman Pat Bostick, who was rated among the top 10 quarterbacks in the country, arrives. Bostick was originally supposed to enroll at Pitt in January but he couldn't because of the academic calender at his high school, Manheim Township.

Wannstedt admits that Bostick will be behind but knows he's talented enough to catch up in a hurry. He said quarterback will be one of the least of his worries because the rest of the offense has so much experience.

"We have virtually the entire offensive line returning and some of the young guys that provide depth, like a Jason Pinkston, now will have a full year under their belt," Wannstedt said. "Our receivers are all back, our running back position is very deep, we have three of our tight ends back. What we're going to need from our quarterback is a guy to move the chains, make good decisions and manage the game.

"I think we will be less reliant on our quarterback because we won't need to be. I feel really good about our situation because all three guys are capable."

Spring practice is generally a little less intense than fall practice because a number of players who figure to be in the lineup are held out because of injuries. Still, the competition is intense for backup jobs and for redshirts trying to make the two-deep roster.

The first practice of the spring -- which runs for 15 sessions -- will be tomorrow. Next Friday and Saturday are the annual clinics for high school coaches and the spring game is April 14. Pitt also will have its annual Pro Day for NFL scouts today and there are 40 key personnel from NFL teams expected to watch Pitt's seniors, as well as the Panthers' top draft prospect, junior cornerback Darrelle Revis, work out.

"Dorin is a guy who we want to get on the field and he is the type of kid who wants to play."