PITT FOOTBALL Stull waits for opportunity

The sophomore quarterback is the son of two Newton Falls High graduates.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
PITTSBURGH -- For the second year in a row, Bill Stull Jr. will be playing a backup role at quarterback behind Tyler Palko for the University of Pittsburgh football team.
But that doesn't mean Stull is any less important to the team, or that he doesn't have to prepare for the 2006 season as much as Palko has to during the current spring practice, which will culminate Saturday in the Panthers' annual Spring Game at Heinz Field at 1 p.m.
"You have to be ready at all times because you never know what will happen," said Stull, a freshman from Seton LaSalle High in Mount Lebanon, who is a Youngstown-area native.
He was born in Newton Falls and also lived in Canfield and Poland before his family moved to Mount Lebanon from Poland midway through his sixth-grade year at McKinley Elementary.
Stull realizes that if anything happens to Palko that he has to be ready to go in and maintain the same high standard of performance. He knows that he can become the first-team quarterback tomorrow and is Pitt's insurance policy at quarterback.
"I'm running with the second [team] and so far I think it has gone very well," said Stull, the son of Bill Sr. and Debbie Stull, both graduates of Newton Falls High. "I'm definitely more comfortable with the offense. I know the basics and now I think it is time to learn all the details in the playbook inside out to make sure I know what I'm supposed to do."
Works with Palko, Cavanaugh
Stull said he is working closely with Palko and Matt Cavanaugh, Pitt's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, who is a native of Youngstown and a Chaney High graduate, so that he can learn everything about playing quarterback.
"I think I have all the plays and routes down for the playbook but I definitely need to work on the protections," said Stull.
"I need to know what everyone is doing inside and out. You have to know what all the other 10 people on the field are doing and what the other 11 people on the defensive side are doing, so you have to know everything."
But, "I have good people helping me -- Tyler [Palko] and coach [Cavanaugh] -- who are teaching me the in and outs of being a quarterback."
Stull said that he is more of a passer than runner, but that he can do both, although he is a short-distance runner.
"I feel that I can do everything but I think I'm more of a pocket passer," said Stull. "I can get the occasional 5 or 10 yards for a TD, but don't expect me to run 80 yards."
Lost his redshirt year
Stull played in two games last season against Youngstown State and South Florida, which eliminated his chance to be a redshirt that would have given him an extra season.
"I definitely would have liked to redshirt but I'm doing what the coach wants me to do. I'm not going to question them," said Stull. "Definitely going out and playing a little bit will help me.
"I think it goes both ways."
Cavanaugh has said in published reports that he regrets playing Stull last season after Stull had beat out Shane Murray for the backup spot behind Palko.
"I regret burning Bill Stull's redshirt, putting him on the field just to clean up a couple of games," Cavanaugh told the Associated Press. "But those are decisions that you need to make."
Coach developed his abilities
Both Stull and his father credit Greg Perry, Stull's coach at Seton LaSalle High, for developing his abilities.
"I had the ability to become a good quarterback but without [Perry] I don't think all of the puzzle would have been put together," said Stull. "That was just the system that he taught and had. He did all the drills with me and pretty much what I became since I came to Pitt, which is a lot, is because of him. He taught me a lot about being in the quarterback position not only as a player but as a leader."
Stull's father said that Perry had a big impact on his son.
"Perry has the premier passing program in the state. [LaSalle High] has become a quarterback factory," said Stull Sr., a General Motors employee who worked at Lordstown for 25 years and now has been at West Mifflin for almost nine years. "I'm planning to retire May 1."
And he's looking forward to watching Bill Jr. play three more years.
kovach@vindy.com