Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Pitt's Pat Bostick tosses the football during media day on the South Side Monday. Click photo for larger image. More Coverage: Strong looks ahead, not back Bob Smizik: Panthers' QB situation takes turn for the worse

The much-anticipated competition for Pitt's starting quarterback position appears to have ended before training camp started.

That's because highly regarded freshman Pat Bostick has left Pitt and returned home. It was made clear yesterday that Bostick, who is from Manheim Township High School, has not quit the team nor is he being disciplined and that coaches are hopeful he will return in the near future.

They are moving forward with the understanding that he could be gone for an extended period as he works through what has been described only as personal issues. It is likely that any opportunity he had of pushing for the starting position this year has ended. He already was behind the other two scholarship quarterbacks and will fall further behind each day he misses.

"With our full support and understanding, Pat Bostick left campus [Monday] and returned home to Lancaster to deal with a personal issue," Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said in a statement released yesterday morning. "Everyone connected with our program has the highest regard for Pat, not only as a talented football player but also as a fine young man. No timetable has been set for his return. We are leaving that judgment to Pat and intend to do everything we can to be supportive of him and his family."

Wannstedt elaborated little during his post-practice interview session last night, saying only, "we have shown our support with Pat and will continue to show our support with Pat. And I don't have anything else to report at this time and, when I do, you'll be the first to know. We are optimistic that he'll get it resolved and, hopefully, he'll be back with us."

Bostick's departure means that junior Bill Stull is now clearly in the driver's seat to win the starting job.

Stull, from Seton-LaSalle, likely was going to be the starter, but Bostick was going to be given every opportunity to win the job as a true freshman. The other player involved in the competition -- and the Panthers' only other scholarship quarterback -- is redshirt freshman Kevan Smith, who fell behind Stull in spring practice and is raw in a number of areas.

Stull's status as the starter was evident by the way repetitions were handled yesterday.

The Panthers are holding split-squad practices this week. The veterans and players expected to be starters practice in the morning while most of the newcomers, key reserves and walk-ons practice in the afternoon.

Stull worked with the first group in the morning; Smith worked with the second group in the afternoon, and Wannstedt said this is not likely to change.

"We are going to keep Kevan with the second group," Wannstedt said. "It is not a big thing because both groups are running the same plays, but Billy at this point deserves the opportunity [to play with the first group]. He is a little further ahead, and we want to make sure [the veterans] are working with the more experienced quarterback. It is not just best for Billy Stull, it is the best thing for our football team right now.

"I'm not concerned [about the quarterback position] because we just have to coach Billy up, and he has the ability to play and be an excellent player. And Billy came out of the spring as our starter, so let's not lose sight of that, either."

Wannstedt said not much will change with the offense because the coaching staff understood it would be breaking in a new starter so the scheme already is quarterback friendly.

Stull is hopeful Bostick, who could not be reached for comment, can resolve his issues and return to camp in a hurry, but said he is going to continue to prepare the same as he has this entire offseason.

"Honestly, I'm not sure what happened with him or anything like that," Stull said. "We are just behind him 110 percent and, hopefully, nothing is seriously wrong. We support him and hope he comes back as soon as he can. I still have to do my best to get the job done and will keep doing what I've been doing."

In addition to Stull and Smith, the Panthers also have three walk-on quarterbacks: redshirt freshman Steve Malinchak from Scranton Prep, freshman Spencer Whipple from Pine-Richland and freshman Andrew Janocko from Clearfield.

NOTES -- Pitt's new synthetic practice surface was put to good use yesterday when it rained during the afternoon session. "I'm glad we had it. If we didn't have it we'd have been inside," Wannstedt said. "We were inside yesterday for media, and it was humid. And we were able to get outside today and we had the afternoon practice with wet balls, which is something you have to simulate when you are inside." ... Walk-on defensive back Jeff Stewart (Bethel Park) has left the team. ...Freshman receiver Aundre Wright (Perry) sat out practice with a stomach virus. ... The first day of full pads is Saturday. ... Four freshmen, offensive tackle Jordan Gibbs, offensive guard Chris Jacobson, center Greg Gaskins and safety Dom DeCicco, practiced in the morning with the veterans.