PITTSBURGH - The rainy remnants of Hurricane Frances forced Pittsburgh to practice inside in advance of its delayed season opener.

No doubt the Panthers didn't mind being slightly inconvenienced on Wednesday. After all, their season already has been wind-aided.

The same storm previously caused Pitt's scheduled game at South Florida on Labor Day to be delayed for three months, potentially a huge advantage for what may be the least-experienced of coach Walt Harris' eight Panthers teams.

So, instead of playing a dangerous opponent in stifling weather on its home field, and on national television, Pitt gets an extra week of practice before facing what appears to be a much weaker team, Ohio, on the Panthers' turf.

The weather almost certainly won't be a factor Saturday night, and the Panthers' glaring lack of depth won't likely play a major role in deciding the outcome. Another advantage: the Panthers now get South Florida in December, when the weather - and, possibly, the Bulls - are likely to be much more hospitable.

The Panthers couldn't have gotten a much bigger break unless next week's home game against Nebraska was delayed until, say, 2006.

"We love playing at home," Harris said Wednesday. "It's nicer, less change, much better for us."

Less worry, too. Pitt is 22-1 against Mid-American Conference opponents and is 6-0 against Ohio, outscoring the Bobcats by an average of 41-6. Ohio beat VMI 42-14 last week, but probably took little out of that victory other than a game's experience.

Of course, that's something not a lot of these Panthers have. Pitt has eight former non-scholarship players on its two-deep depth chart, a remarkable number for a team that spent most of last season in the Top 25.

Rather than Heisman Trophy runner-up Larry Fitzgerald at receiver, for example, the Panthers will go with former walk-on Joe Del Sardo. Rather than Rod Rutherford at quarterback, the Panthers will have redshirt sophomore Tyler Palko, who has had little game action.

And, at least this week, little practice time. He sat out Tuesday with the flu, forcing Harris to use redshirt freshman quarterback Joe Flacco with his starting unit.

Luke Getsy, who was to have backed up Palko, left after failing to win the starting job and apparently plans to play for former Pitt assistant J.D. Brookhart at Akron. Pitt has yet to release Getsy from his scholarship.

Harris said Palko's absence was a setback, especially since Pitt is preparing for a different opponent than planned for its opener. This will be the latest Pitt has opened a season since 1980.

"This coach is all about practicing," Harris said, referring to himself. "It's always hard when a guy who is starting his first ballgame, who has zero starts, misses a key day of practice."

Regardless, Harris understands a team with as little experienced depth as Pitt does can't help but be aided by an unscheduled week of practice before its opener.

"We try to find the silver lining in everything," Harris said.