It has been well documented just how valuable LeSean McCoy, who was named the Big East's offensive player of the week, has been to the Pitt offense.

McCoy had 140 yards on 31 carries and scored a touchdown in the Panthers 20-17 win Saturday against Syracuse, and became the Panthers first freshman since Larry Fitzgerald in 2002 to be named a Big East player of the week.

But given his numbers compared to those of other top backs and the state of the Panthers offense, it could be argued McCoy is even better than advertised.

Consider, Pitt has gone into each of its past five games with the simplest of game plans -- run the football, don't turn it over and don't take chances in the passing game.

Although freshman quarterback Pat Bostick has improved each week, he isn't asked to thrown the ball down the field very much. Instead, Pitt has gone in for short, safe tosses.

All of which has led to opposing defense lining up with eight and sometimes nine men near the line of scrimmage in an effort to stop the run. Still, McCoy has rushed for more than 100 yards in four consecutive games and has surpassed 1,000 yards for the season.

It's only the fourth time since 1990 -- and the first since Kevan Barlow in 2000 -- that a Pitt running back has surpassed 1,000 yards for the season. If McCoy continues his current pace he is likely to turn in the fifth-highest single-season rushing performance in Panthers' history.

McCoy has rushed 198 times for 1,065 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns. He is averaging 118.3 yards per game, which is second in the Big East to Rutgers standout Ray Rice (139.7 yards per game), and he also became the second true freshman --West Virginia's Steve Slaton was the first -- in Big East history to rush for at least 1,000 yards.

He's doing it without the benefit of a threat of a passing game, behind an offensive that is generously described by some as inconsistent and against defenses that are designed to shut him down.

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said yesterday that what McCoy has done is remarkable given the struggles the Panthers have had on offense. The fact he's doing it as a true freshman shows he is a special talent.

"Obviously a major part of what we have done on offense is LeSean McCoy," Wannstedt said. "I don't think that people realize it really hasn't been easy for him. People know we are running the football and every week are lining up and doing a great job of making it very difficult on him, and yet he's finding a way to make positive yards. And I like the way he is handling things, he is handling everything very well.

"It was nice to see him shake off the tough loss and what happened at Louisville and come back to have a good productive day against Syracuse," he said, referring to McCoy's fumble at the 1 in the waning moments.

Wannstedt said that he had no doubt about McCoy's ability when he recruited him, but he wasn't sure how tough he was because many young players aren't ready for the physical part of college football. McCoy quickly earned Wannstedt's admiration and has averaged 29 carries per game over the past four games.

Wannstedt said he didn't "think there is any question" that McCoy will become one of the nation's elite running backs as soon as next year. "I think this year he has basically had to learn the offense and make that transition from high school and understand the toughness and the speed of college football as compared to high school and he's done all that.

"But I can't say much about his ability -- his ability speak for itself. As I like to say, I like to recruit players who do things I don't have to coach, and he does a lot of things you don't have to coach him to do."

NOTES -- Pitt is off this weekend. ... The Pitt-Rutgers game Nov. 17 at Rutgers Stadium has been selected as the Big East Game of the Week and will kick off at noon on WTAE. ... Wannstedt said the Panthers didn't have any new injuries in the Syracuse game. ... Two key players -- guard Joe Thomas (hamstring) and tailback LaRod Stephens-Howling (shoulder) -- remain questionable for Rutgers.