Now that he does have a special season under his belt, Harry “the Pitt Guru” Psaros felt it was time to re-visit his past evaluation of Pat Narduzzi’s tenure at Pitt.
How would you now grade Narduzzi’s time as Pitt head coach now that with the context of having achieved this 2021 season?
I’ll take back everything bad that I’ve ever said about Narduzzi if they can win the next 2 games and don’t get blown out in a New Year’s six game. That being said, I’ll be scratching my head if we can’t turn a 10+ win season into better recruiting classes.
Let's Believe
1 year ago
Enjoy every second of the rest of this season. Have fun with it. Back to normal next year…
Pat Adonizio
1 year ago
the key to this season’s success is OC Whipple hiring 3 yrs ago and developing the qb…hope HC follows that recipe
No the key is having tight ends you can trust to catch the ball. Krull and Batholomew have performed to the point that you expose your defense if you double cover Addison.
You’re all missing the point. The offense is fine. It’s usually fine. It’s the defensive scheme we run under the supposed defensive guru Narduzzi. It probably worked great against 1990’s style offenses in the big ten when he was at MSU but our defensive backs are quite literally playing man coverage every play of the entire game during every game which is a surefire way to blow a few games every year we should be winning if a modern defensive scheme were being used. Until that happens Pitt will never be any better than they are now.
Randy Joseck
1 year ago
Thanks for the great article. I have been critical of Narduzzi at times. He is a great fit for Pitt and he has done a good job at Pitt. another observation is that he and his staff do a good/great job of developing our 3 star recruits to play in the NFL.
emoneypitt
1 year ago
I think Narduzzi is a decent coach but he chokes away too many winnable games. I think Kenny Pickett has made Narduzzi this year more than the other way around. A top rate college coach probably would have had Pitt undefeated and in the national title hunt this year. But I also realize that Pitt isn’t going to land, or be willing to pay for a Nick Saban or Dabo Sweeney. That said, if Pitt doesn’t win the ACC championship and go to a major bowl this year, the season is a total failure. They’re the best team in the… Read more »
The season is total failure if they don’t win the championship?? Really?? The Panthers have overachieved for once. Give credit to Pickett
If you want, but they weren’t supposed to even be in the championship according to preseason polls.
They most certainly have not overachieved. I 100% agree a top flight coach would easily have them undefeated and blowing everyone out right now. No doubt about it. Narduzzi and his complete refusal to not force his defensive backs into man coverage on every single play of every game will never, never allow them to not lose at least a couple games a year on that one stubborn action alone. Kenny Pickett is running away with the Heisman for a #3 ranked playoff bound team under a better head coach.
Jason
1 year ago
Well stated. It is a great time to be a Pitt fan. I have been back to Heinz twice this season and really enjoyed watching our Pitt Panthers in person. And it was great to be there believing that this team would actually pull out the win.
Here is to the magic continuing!
H2P
#FJB
1 year ago
I’d like to point out that this article would have a much different tone had Pitt not converted on that fourth-and-short by passing the ball. It was a pretty gutsy call by The Nard-dog. If that play doesn’t work most would be calling for his head right now.
Darren
1 year ago
For some reason, it seems so difficult to evaluate Narduzzi. If you asked any Pitt fan at the beginning of the year if they’d be happy with Pitt’s record right now, I think it would be overwhelming “yes”. However, I also think if you asked any Pitt fan now if they should have won both games they lost, it would be overwhelming “yes”. Unfortunately, being a Pitt fan it’s never black or white. In bad seasons we’ll win a game or two we’re not supposed to and in good seasons we’ll lose a game or two we’re not supposed to.… Read more »
I’ll take back everything bad that I’ve ever said about Narduzzi if they can win the next 2 games and don’t get blown out in a New Year’s six game. That being said, I’ll be scratching my head if we can’t turn a 10+ win season into better recruiting classes.
Enjoy every second of the rest of this season. Have fun with it. Back to normal next year…
the key to this season’s success is OC Whipple hiring 3 yrs ago and developing the qb…hope HC follows that recipe
No the key is having tight ends you can trust to catch the ball. Krull and Batholomew have performed to the point that you expose your defense if you double cover Addison.
Yes, and we have a lot less dropped balls by WRs this year. That killed us last year on third downs.
You’re all missing the point. The offense is fine. It’s usually fine. It’s the defensive scheme we run under the supposed defensive guru Narduzzi. It probably worked great against 1990’s style offenses in the big ten when he was at MSU but our defensive backs are quite literally playing man coverage every play of the entire game during every game which is a surefire way to blow a few games every year we should be winning if a modern defensive scheme were being used. Until that happens Pitt will never be any better than they are now.
Thanks for the great article. I have been critical of Narduzzi at times. He is a great fit for Pitt and he has done a good job at Pitt. another observation is that he and his staff do a good/great job of developing our 3 star recruits to play in the NFL.
I think Narduzzi is a decent coach but he chokes away too many winnable games. I think Kenny Pickett has made Narduzzi this year more than the other way around. A top rate college coach probably would have had Pitt undefeated and in the national title hunt this year. But I also realize that Pitt isn’t going to land, or be willing to pay for a Nick Saban or Dabo Sweeney. That said, if Pitt doesn’t win the ACC championship and go to a major bowl this year, the season is a total failure. They’re the best team in the… Read more »
The season is total failure if they don’t win the championship?? Really?? The Panthers have overachieved for once. Give credit to Pickett
If you want, but they weren’t supposed to even be in the championship according to preseason polls.
Well that was then and this is now. As I said, no excuses for not going to a major bowl.
They most certainly have not overachieved. I 100% agree a top flight coach would easily have them undefeated and blowing everyone out right now. No doubt about it. Narduzzi and his complete refusal to not force his defensive backs into man coverage on every single play of every game will never, never allow them to not lose at least a couple games a year on that one stubborn action alone. Kenny Pickett is running away with the Heisman for a #3 ranked playoff bound team under a better head coach.
Well stated. It is a great time to be a Pitt fan. I have been back to Heinz twice this season and really enjoyed watching our Pitt Panthers in person. And it was great to be there believing that this team would actually pull out the win.
Here is to the magic continuing!
H2P
I’d like to point out that this article would have a much different tone had Pitt not converted on that fourth-and-short by passing the ball. It was a pretty gutsy call by The Nard-dog. If that play doesn’t work most would be calling for his head right now.
For some reason, it seems so difficult to evaluate Narduzzi. If you asked any Pitt fan at the beginning of the year if they’d be happy with Pitt’s record right now, I think it would be overwhelming “yes”. However, I also think if you asked any Pitt fan now if they should have won both games they lost, it would be overwhelming “yes”. Unfortunately, being a Pitt fan it’s never black or white. In bad seasons we’ll win a game or two we’re not supposed to and in good seasons we’ll lose a game or two we’re not supposed to.… Read more »