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Working hard at practice comes easy after that.

"I have something to prove to myself, and I have something to prove to the coaches," Strong said. "I'm going to show the coaches that they can trust me and put me out there again."

The senior tight end, who found himself in Wannstedt's bad graces after a pair of embarrassing incidents in the past year, is coming off a successful training camp as he tries to make amends.

With Pitt football breaking camp today after its third and final scrimmage, Strong has emerged as one of its offensive stars - even if he's not in the starting lineup.

"Darrell Strong has had a fantastic camp," Wannstedt said. "I could not be happier with how he's worked and how he's done everything that we've asked. He's finally in good shape. Darrell is going to have a great year for us."

The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Strong boasts the athleticism of a quarterback, where he played in high school. He has the soft hands and speed of a wide receiver, where he played as a freshman at Pitt. He is listed as the No. 2 tight end behind sophomore Nate Byham.

"Darrell is a different kind of animal," Pitt receiver Oderick Turner said.

Strong led Pitt tight ends last season with 15 receptions for 171 yards. But after his third - and final -- touchdown of the season, he directed an obscene gesture toward the South Florida fans.

Strong showed up for spring practices out of shape, missed some time with an injury and then, on Memorial Day weekend, was cited for harassment and criminal mischief following an incident with a girlfriend at Waterworks Mall.

"I'm not that type of person," Strong said. "It was just something that happened."

In between, strength and conditioning coach Buddy Morris gave him a pink shirt which read "I work out at Curves" - a women's fitness center - because he was out of shape.

Wannstedt admits Strong was on thin ice, but he gave the Plantation, Fla., native another chance. Strong took advantage of his reprieve and is one of the reasons Pitt has as much quality depth at tight end as nearly any team in the nation, along with Byham and redshirt sophomore John Pelusi.

"If I thought Darrell was a bad guy, Darrell Strong would not be on this team," Wannstedt said. "But Darrell is not a criminal. Darrell has done some immature things that he regrets, some foolish things. He's not a bad person. He's a good person. I like Darrell, and that's why I've stuck with him. I think he realizes that, too."

Strong was relieved of the motivational pink T-shirt after a couple of days of good workouts, and lost 10 pounds from his listed weight of 265. His blocking - or lack thereof - was the biggest point of concern. Tight ends coach Brian Angelichio understands Strong is still relatively new to the position (he has started only six games at tight end in college) and likes what he's seen so far.

"He is a strong kid and he does have explosiveness," Angelichio said. "It's just a matter of working on technique and fundamentals."

Strong said this is the best offseason he's had since being recruited to Pitt as a quarterback - he can throw the ball 70 yards in the air - and arriving as a "jumbo athlete."

Wannstedt said any final judgment on Strong will come during the next three to four months. A potential shot at the NFL awaits Strong, who is ranked among the top 15 tight ends in college by some draft projections.

"Some guys figure it out," Wannstedt said, "and some guys never do."

Has Strong figured it out?

"We'll see, after he scores his first touchdown."

Pitt senior tight end Darrell Strong has a lot at stake this season. Here is where some 2008 NFL draft projections have him ranked among senior tight ends.

Draftdaddy.com - 12th

NFLDraftcountdown - 13th

Walterfootball.com - 19th

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