Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Pitt's Darrell Strong led Panthers tight ends with 15 receptions, 171 yards and three touchdowns last season. Click photo for larger image.

As he prepares for the season, Pitt tight end Darrell Strong tries hard to look to the future and just as hard to forget the past.

It all started Nov. 4 in Tampa, Fla.

Pitt's 22-12 loss to South Florida was overshadowed by the obscene gesture Strong made to the Bulls' fans following a 19-yard touchdown catch.

Coach Dave Wannstedt suspended him for two games. Then came an offseason citation for harassment and criminal mischief stemming from an argument with a girlfriend.

But Strong is trying to forget all that, choosing instead to focus on his team's talent at tight end and his personal expectations for his final season.

"I'm past [those incidents] right now," Strong said. "I'm trying to go out this season and surprise myself and everybody that's around me. I'm definitely looking forward to this season, especially since it's my senior season."

Despite the two-game absence, Strong led the tight ends with 15 receptions, 171 yards and three touchdowns in 2006. He entered the preseason behind only sophomore starter Nate Byham on the depth chart.

Byham was Scout.com's top-rated tight-end prospect coming out of Franklin High School in 2006. He filled in nicely during Strong's midseason suspension, catching a 23-yard touchdown pass against West Virginia.

Byham said entering fall camp as the probable starter put added pressure on him.

"At the same time," he said, "I know my role in the offense. Obviously, I don't want to get bumped down, but, even if something happens to where the coaches feel I should be at [No.] 2, I'll still feel comfortable in my role."

"I don't see Nate coming off the field very often," Wannstedt said. "I don't see any scenario, unless we go no tight-end, where Nate will be standing next to me [on the sidelines]."

"Nate came in as the No. 1 guy in the rotation, but we're going to use all the tight ends," tight ends coach Brian Angelichio said.

"They all do things a little bit differently. We're going to use all of their strengths wherever they can help us win football games."

Angelichio said sophomore John Pelusi's 6-foot-3, 255-pound frame can match up well with Big East defensive ends, while Strong's receiving ability hopefully will create matchup problems.

"You can put any three of us out there, and we'll get the job done," Strong said.

"Pelusi's probably the best blocker. I'm probably the best route-runner. Nate is a mixture of me and Pelusi, just a little lighter."

"Having all three of us is not only good for the team, but it gives the coaching staff a lot of options," Pelusi said.

Pelusi may have a bit more ground to make up in the offense than Strong or Byham. He played in 11 games in 2005 as a true freshman, but redshirted last fall after offseason knee injury.

He said that shouldn't affect him this season.

"It's all healed up. I'm out of the brace now. I'm ready to go," he said.

The depth at tight end, wide receiver and in the offensive line could help to ease the transition at quarterback from Tyler Palko to, almost surely, junior Bill Stull.

"We hope that assignment-wise we're able to execute so that [the quarterbacks] can trust that we're going to be in the right spots," Angelichio said.

"Obviously, we got a long way to go, but, it was a good start. On the first day, there are always things to work on. All you look for now is the effort, the attitude and the willingness to get better."