To keep workouts fresh this offseason, the Pitt football team turned their work into contests, keeping track of things like catches and defensive stops.

The offense won. Running that offense the majority of the time was Tino Sunseri, the redshirt sophomore quarterback who enters training camp as the favorite to be the starter.

"I think when you combine the intangibles with the athletic ability and the intelligence, Tino's going to play good," coach Dave Wannstedt said. "He's going to have a good year."

Sunseri split first-team reps with starter Bill Stull last training camp after redshirting his freshman season. He knows how to succeed: After transferring to Central Catholic High School for his junior and senior seasons, he won the WPIAL and PIAA championships in 2007. Behind Stull last season, he played in just five games, completed 10 of 17 passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns.

"He's had a lot of repetitions with the first guys from a practice standpoint," Wannstedt said. "He's got the arm to make all the throws that we need to make."

Sunseri, (6 feet 2, 210 pounds) and his receivers worked out early in the morning and late at night this summer to sharpen their skills before training camp. The workouts improved their timing, both between quarterback and receiver and between the receivers themselves.

"We all get together and just find out things that they didn't do well or I didn't do well, we just critique each other," junior receiver Jon Baldwin said.

Sunseri approached the sessions with goals in mind. He watched film of Super Bowl MVP quarterback Drew Brees and noticed Brees' footwork enabled him to release the ball quickly, Sunseri focused on improving his own footwork.

Sunseri's work ethic made an impact on his receivers. They noticed his efforts to improve, not just physically but mentally and as a leader.

"I give him so much credit for that, because he's out there working on the timing with the receivers, working on being a better overall play-caller, coming into the huddle and knowing what he's doing and knowing everybody's assignments," redshirt sophomore receiver Mike Shanahan said.

As a result, Sunseri started to earn the trust of his teammates..

"A lot of guys are listening to him," redshirt senior receiver Greg Cross said. "He's taking control, not just on the field in the huddle, but also off the field."

Sunseri knew he was ready to lead the team when he could accurately answer the questions about plays and assignments his teammates asked him in the huddle.

"But until that point, until I knew exactly what was going on, I wasn't [ready], because there was uncertainty in the huddle," he said.

"Whenever he steps up in the huddle, he has everybody's attention, and that's a very key thing for a quarterback to have in the huddle," Shanahan said.

Despite Sunseri's offseason work, nothing can prepare him for a fulltime starting role except playing games. His experience last season will help, but being the starter will speed the learning curve.

"He has the confidence of our team," Wannstedt said. "We've got to make it happen on the field, and that only comes through game experience and training camp."

"All the great quarterbacks that ever play started somewhere, and that's what I'm going to do now," Sunseri said "I want to be able to step into that role right away and be able to move the team and have no concerns and start scoring points for this team."

The live defense in camp will help.

"Whenever you're in the offseason, nobody has pads on," Sunseri said. "Even when the defensive line's coming at you a little bit, they're not totally rushing. You need to be able to step up in the pocket, make throws under pressure and be able to deal with that."

"A lot of guys are listening to him. He's taking control, not just on the field in the huddle, but also off the field."

-- Greg Cross, senior receiver on quarterback Tino Suneri

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