PITTSBURGH - Friday nights in the fall are traditionally reserved for high school football in the Pittsburgh area, long one of the nation's top producers of future college stars.

Not now, thanks to a change in policy by the University of Pittsburgh, which will play at least one and possibly two televised games on Friday nights this year.

Neither game would be played at Heinz Field, but area high school football teams are worried the televised games could cut into their attendance - especially if the Panthers enjoy a good season under new coach Dave Wannstedt.

As many as four of Pitt's 11 games could be on weeknights, including the Nov. 24 game at rival West Virginia that will be played on Thanksgiving night for the second consecutive season. That ESPN telecast will be one of at least four national TV appearances for Pitt, which finished 8-4 last season after losing 35-0 to Utah in the Fiesta Bowl.

Pitt's Sept. 3 season opener at home against Notre Dame will be televised by ABC as both Wannstedt and Fighting Irish coach Charlie Weis make their debuts at their new schools. Pitt's Sept. 30 Big East Conference opener at Rutgers - a Friday night game - will be shown by ESPN or ESPN2.

The Panthers' Nov. 3 game at Louisville, a Thursday night contest that will mark the first meeting between the schools as Big East rivals, is set for ESPN.

Pitt is also negotiating with ESPN to move its Saturday, Sept. 10 game at Ohio University up by a day so it can be televised on a Friday night, only a week after many Western Pennsylvania high school teams play their openers.

"The number of national television games we already have is evidence that the networks are excited about Pitt football," Wannstedt said.

Even if area high school teams are less than excited. The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League, the nation's largest high school football conference, is fearful Pitt's decision to start playing on Friday nights will reduce attendance and interest in high school football.

Only last year, Pitt athletic director Jeff Long spoke out when some schools began playing televised Friday night games, saying the Panthers had no plans to do so and were very aware of the tradition associated with Pittsburgh-area high school football.

Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Tony Dorsett, Johnny Unitas and Mike Ditka are among the well-known players who grew up playing high school football on Friday nights in western Pennsylvania.

Coincidentally, Wannstedt has moved to upgrade Pitt's recruiting in its backyard since his Dec. 23 hiring, even visiting schools that lacked Division I prospects during the critical recruiting period before last month's national letter of intent signing day.

Pitt lost out on a number of top local players during the final seasons of former coach Walt Harris' eight-year tenure, including Michigan star Steve Breaston and defensive back Justin King, the nation's top-rated cornerback who signed recently with Penn State.

Wannstedt, himself a former Pittsburgh-area high school player, has said repeatedly Pitt needs to regain the local recruiting superiority it owned during a string of excellent seasons in the 1970s.

Pitt's schedule also includes the school's first trip to Nebraska in 47 years and three consecutive Saturday afternoon home games in October, against new Big East members Cincinnati and South Florida, plus Syracuse.