PITTSBURGH — The boos hurt, a lot. So did knowing that, despite being a senior, he must give up playing time every week to a redshirt freshman.

When the season started, there didn't seem to be a question whether Pitt quarterback Bill Stull would lose his starting job. Only the timing was in doubt.

His confidence was shaky after last season concluded with Pitt losing a bowl game to Oregon State, 3-0, a game in which Stull completed only 7 of 24 passes.

He didn't have a great preseason camp.

Once the season started, Pitt fans were so down on him, some booed when he threw incomplete on his first pass attempt of the season against Youngstown State.

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt also appeared more than eager to get freshman Tino Sunseri into games, and not just for a series or two.

Since that first failed pass, Stull is succeeding not only at satisfying the fans, but in securing his job.

After helping Pitt beat Youngstown State 38-3, Stull completed 12 of his first 15 passes as Pitt defeated Buffalo 54-27 in its highest-scoring game in 10 years. He came back last week against Navy and completed 12 of his first 14 passes during a 27-14 victory.

"It's pretty cool when things go in the game just the same way that they go when we work on them in practice," said Stull, who is 49 of 70 (70 percent) for six touchdowns and one interception.

Stull is consistently finding wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin, who has a team-leading 13 catches, and senior Dorin Dickerson, who already has four touchdown catches. Overall, Stull has gotten 10 receivers involved in the passing game, providing the kind of offensive diversity the Panthers (3-0) lacked a year ago when they leaned on running back LeSean McCoy and his 1,488 yards rushing.

Pitt probably needs a similar effort from Stull on the road Saturday against North Carolina State (2-1) and Russell Wilson, who has thrown an NCAA record 329 passes in a row without an interception.

The surprise is that it probably wouldn't startle any of his Panthers teammates if Stull delivers again.

"I think Bill wanted to prove to everybody that he could play Division I football," fullback Henry Hynoski said. "He used all the talk as motivation, and the way he's playing has allowed us to feed off him. He's making good decisions, moving around in the pocket and getting rid of the ball."

To Wannstedt, it's not just the decisions Stull is making, but the indecision he now lacks.

"He knows that we can't stay back there and hold the ball forever," Wannstedt said. "We can't force throws in there. We've got to make quick, good decisions. We've got enough playmakers. I think he understands that, too."