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✦ TOP STORYLINES: NOTRE DAME VS. PITT McCoy became a second-round NFL draft pick after accumulating 1,328 and 1,403 yards in his two seasons with the Panthers. Succeeding him was Dion Lewis, who as a freshman in 2009 romped for 1,799 yards, including 152 in 21 attempts dur- ing a 27-22 victory against Notre Dame. Lewis also entered the NFL draft after his second season with Pitt. In the aforementioned Pitt victory over Notre Dame in 2009, then-freshman Gra- ham's three carries totaled 57 yards, and last year he was among the nation's rush- ing leaders until tearing his anterior cruci- ate ligament in October. In the 15-12 loss to Notre Dame, he appeared headed for a 95-yard scoring jaunt in the first half before Irish outside linebacker Prince Shembo hustled to bring him down near midfield. Complementing the recovered Graham in the backfield this year is one of the na- tion's top running back recruits in 2012, Rushel Shell, the all-time leading rusher in Pennsylvania who also set a national record with 39 consecutive 100-yard rush- ing outputs. It's the type of backfield tandem first- year head coach Paul Chryst was used to producing at Wisconsin as the Badgers' of- fensive coordinator from 2005-11. A Rose Bowl participant each of the past two sea- sons, Wisconsin nearly had three 1,000- yard rushers in James White (1,052), John Clay (1,012) and Montee Ball (996) in 2010. And while Chryst is undertaking a re- building project, Pitt demonstrated in a 35-17 victory against Virginia Tech how dangerous it can be on the proverbial " any given day." After opening the season with a 31-17 loss at home to Youngstown State and then getting whipped at Cincinnati 34-10, Pitt responded by ending Virginia Tech's 13- game winning streak in true road contests with the convincing victory. Shell rushed for 157 yards, while Graham totaled 94 yards and two touchdowns, and added a third score on an 18-yard reception. For the year, Graham has rushed for 622 yards and 4.6 yards per carry while Shell has amassed 441 yards and 5.1 yards per attempt. That matches up somewhat to the Notre Dame rushing tandem of Theo Riddick (525 yards, 4.6 per carry) and Cierre Wood (467 yards and 6.5 per tote), although the Irish have faced stronger competition. "He's really starting to round into form," Irish head coach Brian Kelly said of Gra- ham. "He was difficult to defend last year. "Having Shell in there obviously gives him an opportunity now that he doesn't have to carry the load, which keeps him fresh. They're two really good running backs." Huge rushing numbers against Notre Dame's vaunted defense is unlikely, es- pecially because Pitt's offensive line also has been reconstructing while adjusting to a new staff. Nevertheless, Pitt's ground-game explo- sion against Virginia Tech demonstrated that if the Irish are not prepared physically and mentally the week after the emotional showdown at Oklahoma, it could haunt them against the Panthers. SAFETIES IN NUMBERS It's a testament to Notre Dame's depth at safety this year that it graduated first- round pick Harrison Smith and then lost two of its top three returnees in Jamoris Slaughter (Achilles tendon) and Austin Collinsworth (shoulder) to season-ending injuries, yet has still been able to excel at the position, led by senior Zeke Motta and sophomore Matthias Farley. Pitt boasts a strong secondary that is led by fifth-year senior safety Jared Holley, who amassed 51 tackles (sec- ond on the squad) and one interception during the team's first eight contests. The Panthers also have similar "safeties in numbers." Although it is generally not considered ideal for safeties to be the top two tacklers on the team, the Panthers this year are leaning heavily on four veteran safeties on a defense that ranks a respectable 29th overall (339.88 yards allowed per game) and 33rd in scoring (21.75 points allowed per game) during a 4-4 start. Redshirt junior safety Jason Hendricks leads the Panthers in tackles with 54 (35 solo) and interceptions with four, while fifth-year senior safety Jarred Holley is right behind with 51 (28 solo) stops to go with an interception. Fifth-year senior Andrew Taglianetti ✦ PAGE 10 PHOTO COURTESY PITT started six games at safety for Pitt last year and is tied for fifth in solo tackles (17) this year, while Michigan transfer Ray Vinopal, who started six games for the Wolverines as a true freshman in 2010, fortifies the overall depth, including the nickel and dime packages. Pitt's top defender for the next level could be junior lineman Aaron Donald, who recorded 11 sacks last season to go with 11 quarterback pressures. A knee injury slowed him earlier this season, but Donald still had 10 QB hurries and 3.5 sacks in the seven games he played. However, for overall strongest posi- tion group, safety would get the nod at Pitt. ✦