Wasn't the risk associated with hiring an NFL guy supposed to be his potential reluctance with and proficiency in recruiting?

Wannstedt knew better.

But even he didn't expect this much this fast.

No one should have.

And yet there's Wannstedt, beating Michigan, among others, for Dickerson, beating USC, among others, for Pinkston, and gaining control of Western Pennsylvania, his stated intention upon taking over in Oakland

"The reason it's gone better than what I think anybody would have imagined is it's an easy sell for me," said Wannstedt, prevented by NCAA regulations from discussing verbal commitments in particular but limited only by his boundless enthusiasm when discussing recruiting in general.

"I couldn't do this at any other school," he continued. "How could I sit there and talk to a set of parents or a top prospect and really convince them this is the place he needs to be when I might not believe it in my heart?

"There's a difference between selling something when you believe it in your heart and when you're trying to sell something because it's your job. I think that's coming through. I think people see that and I think people want to be a part of that."

Wannstedt's first recruiting class was respectable, given the limitations of his late start.

His second, already highlighted by the verbals from Dickerson and Pinkston, the equivalent of landing a Tyler Palko and a Steve Breaston in the same class, has a chance to be resplendent.

Particularly if Wannstedt convinces Darrin Walls of Woodland Hills to join the Pitt Parade.

"It doesn't make any difference if it's Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State or who it is," Wannstedt said. "If we're going to be a Top 10 program, we have to make sure we control Western Pennsylvania."

Wannstedt's sincere belief in Pitt and the energy that generates is already winning friends and influencing people. But he's also ahead of schedule in recruiting because of where he's coming from most recently, as opposed to where he's coming from while recounting his vision of what Pitt was and can be again.

"Every kid, in the back of his mind, we don't talk about it but they all have that vision of playing pro ball," Wannstedt said. "And we're running a pro-style system on offense and a pro-style system on defense.

"It's real for us."

The dominoes are picking up speed.