Pitt senior LaRod Stephens-Howling lost his starting tailback job to sophomore LeSean McCoy early last season but you would never know it by the way they interact with each other on and off the field.

Even though they are competing for the same job, there is nobody who is rooting harder for the other to succeed than the one standing on the sideline.

This year, however, they will have less time to cheer for each other because they will spend more time on the field together. Pitt coaches are installing a number of formations that utilize both tailbacks in the backfield at the same time.

It will be a scary proposition to try and defend the Panthers out of those formations and that has the two players, their teammates and coaches excited.

"The reality is we have two starting tailbacks," Pitt running backs coach David Walker said. "They are both going to play a lot and they are both going to play together at times because when we put them out there together it opens up a whole new challenge for defenses trying to stop us."

McCoy added, "With both of us out there, you have no idea who is getting the ball and that makes us both more dangerous. That is what made West Virginia so good, they had Pat White, Steve Slaton and Noel Devine back there, that's a lot to deal with. Hopefully people will say the same thing about us."

Stephens-Howling and McCoy are not just backfield partners, they have become best friends. They refer to themselves as Mario and Luigi in reference to Nintendo's Mario Brothers and have used that friendship to push each other.

It is a fairly simple formula. When one is having an off day he looks to the other for motivation and it almost always pays off. And there's no such thing as petty jealousy between them because the two share one common goal ... getting Pitt to a BCS bowl.

"I owe LaRod a thanks for everything because last year I didn't know anything and he helped me out, led the way for me," McCoy said. "He really took me in and put me under his wing, like I was a little brother. I tell him all the time, he's the big dog, I'm the pup. It doesn't matter to me if he carries the ball or I carry the ball, because if he succeeds and our team succeeds, then I am succeeding as well."

Stephens-Howling added, "The key is we both want to see the other guy succeed, it doesn't matter who is getting the glory, who is running the ball. People from the outside ask me all the time if I have a problem with Shady [McCoy] and I just laugh because, I have no problem with him, I love to be around him."

Stephens-Howling, who is 5 feet 7, 180 pounds, was the starting tailback in 2006 and rushed for 893 yards and nine touchdowns. He began last season as the starter.

But McCoy, who was a heralded freshman, was too productive to keep off the field and by the fourth game had wrestled the starting job away from Stephens-Howling.

But Stephens-Howling didn't pout, get angry or threaten to transfer. Instead, he jumped on McCoy's bandwagon and became his No. 1 fan, all the while keeping himself ready to contribute in any way possible when his number was called.

This act of unselfishness did not go unnoticed by his coaches or especially by the guy who took his starting job away.

"A lot of time, we look to LaRod to give us a spark," McCoy said. "Like last year against Cincinnati [Stephens-Howling had 100 yards and scored the winning touchdown against the Bearcats] -- I was struggling to get yards and when he went in I told him 'Let's get it started' and he did and that motivated me to do better."

NOTES -- Doug Fulmer (knee) and TJ Porter (toe) returned to practice yesterday for both sessions. However, corner Buddy Jackson, safety Irv Brown and defensive end Greg Romeus sat out with what appeared to be minor injuries. "We have too many guys right now with bumps and bruises that we need to get out there and start practicing. It is never acceptable from a coach's standpoint," Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said.