PITTSBURGH — Maybe it's a baseball adage, but it certainly applies this season to Pitt running back LaRod Stephens-Howling. He shouldn't look behind him because somebody might be gaining on him.

That someone is LeSean McCoy.

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt has praised Stephens-Howling throughout training camp, emphasizing that the junior will start Saturday night's opener against Eastern Michigan. Stephens-Howling is only 5-foot-7, but the former Johnstown High star ran for 893 yards while averaging five yards per carry last season.

"If LaRod stays healthy, he's a 1,000-yard rusher, no doubt," Wannstedt said. "He's now bench pressing over 300 pounds, he's worked hard on getting bigger and stronger. He's capable of doing something special every time he touches the ball."

But it is McCoy, a freshman from Harrisburg, who is clearly the running back Pitt plans to build around for the future. During camp, McCoy repeatedly flashed the ability to break the big run, a feature Pitt has lacked for years.

Since Tony Dorsett left Pitt with his Heisman Trophy following the 1976 season, only one Pitt runner — Curvin Richards in 1988 and 1989 — has had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Curtis Martin, the No. 4 rusher in NFL history, was hurt most of his Pitt career and had only one 1,000-yard season.

For now, the 5-11 McCoy must sit and wait as Stephens-Howling gets his carries, but no one at Pitt doubts that McCoy's day is near.

During Pitt's second preseason scrimmage, the starting offense went three-and-out on its first two possessions with Stephens-Howling in the backfield. When McCoy came in on the next series, he immediately ran off gains of 32, 12 and 9 yards. He also caught a 5-yard pass and then, a play later, ran 7 yards for a touchdown.

McCoy ended that scrimmage with 78 yards on 10 attempts, while Stephens-Howling was held to 4 yards on five carries.

"But I know my role. He's the starter," McCoy said. "I'll follow in his footsteps."

The question is how quickly.

"For a running back to be effective, they have got to get into the flow of the game," Wannstedt said. "There's nothing set for a certain number of series or anything like that. They've both been splitting time and they're both prepared. And that's the way we're going to go into it."