PITTSBURGH — Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said Monday that the NCAA sanctions announced last month will not effect his program going forward.
Pitt’s football team was hit with three years of probation, a fine amounting to 0.5% of its budget and Narduzzi will have to miss two training camp practices in August. A coachable hours penalty and a recruiting time penalty were served during the 2019 season.
Narduzzi said Monday that he does not expect there to be any real effect from the sanctions.
“Absolutely nothing,” he said. “I made a statement on that already, so we don’t really need to address it anymore. I’ve got a big smile on my face.”
Narduzzi was penalized after admitting that he used non-coaching personnel, specifically quality control coaches, in coaching roles, and furthermore, took measures to hide that fact from Pitt administrators and any other outside visitors to practice.
“As head coach of the University of Pittsburgh football program, I am wholeheartedly committed to following NCAA rules and preventing these types of issues from happening again,” Narduzzi said in a press release after the school and the NCAA jointly announced the violations. “I fully recognize my responsibility in what occurred and, equally important, how those missteps will be corrected as we proceed forward.”
The football team was involved in a greater investigation made by Pitt into its own athletics practices, beginning with similar violations committed by former men’s basketball coach Kevin Stallings. According to NCAA’s violation document, former basketball assistant Matt Woodley accused the football team of similar improprieties.
Current men’s basketball head coach Jeff Capel said that the sanctions will have “no impact” on his team going forward, as well.
Pitt will be on NCAA probation through 2023.
A little disappointed that this website seems to be keeping alive such a minor violation. This isn’t the paterno/Sandusky scandal.
This is the chief difference between Pittsburgh and State College. The PG, Trib, PSN and other news outlets won’t bury a story, no matter how “minor”. The Centre Daily Times was complicit in the Sandusky case and also the hazing taking place now at PS. For Pitt that’s good and who cares about the middle of the state.