Pitt quarterback Bill Stull returned to practice yesterday after sitting out most of practice Saturday with a cut on the thumb of his throwing hand.

The cut, which he got when he hit his hand on the helmet of left guard C.J. Davis in practice on Friday, required five stitches.

"It feels really good," Stull said. "It is a little bit sore, but it is fine. [Saturday] it was a little too sore to grip a ball and take some snaps, but today I went out there and played through a little pain.

"Right now, I can do anything as long as I can grip a ball, take snaps and throw, and I can definitely do it despite the stitches. I just wear a glove and go from there."

Stull said he has never worn a glove on his throwing hand and it is not something he really wants to get used to.

"It is obviously a lot different than throwing with a glove off," Stull said. "Handoff wise, with a glove on your hand the grip is actually a little bit better, but throwing with a glove on is something I had to get used to."

Stull also must get used to life without his top receiver, Derek Kinder, who is out for the season with a torn ACL.

"Derek played a big role in our offense the past couple of years," Stull said. "But we have some great receivers. We are actually pretty strong at receiver, but Derek was a great leader. He is still going to be around. He'll still play the leader role as always, but instead of being on the field, he'll be on the sidelines helping the receivers out."

About that nickname

Freshman tailback LeSean McCoy's nickname "Shady" is so prevalent that most of the coaches and his teammates refer to him by it rather than his real name.

"My mom gave me that nickname. She said I was a shady baby," said McCoy, who took more snaps with the first team yesterday than he had previously. "I'd cry and then be happy and smiling and she said I had a shady attitude. It has stuck with me since I was little so I just got used to it."

Quick hits

Senior defensive end Chris McKillop (hamstring) is still limited because of his injury but should be back to full speed by today. Fullback Conredge Collins (leg) and Davis (neck) returned to full contact yesterday. Defensive end Joe Clermond (thigh) was held out of the afternoon session for precautionary reasons. ... As a result of the center-exchange issues, coach Dave Wannstedt has done some shuffling of the second-team offensive line. John Bachman has moved from center to right tackle and Alex Karabin has moved from guard to center. Fifth-year senior Mike McGlynn (shoulder) worked in special teams drills. Wannstedt said McGlynn is close to returning to full-time duty. ... Tight end Darrell Strong, a former receiver, split out wide in certain formations yesterday. Wannstedt said he'll be used more in this capacity to help compensate for the loss of Kinder.