Connect with us

Pitt Football

Pat Narduzzi Feels Pitt’s Best Games Are Still Ahead

Published

on

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi.

An air of uncertainty arose after Pitt’s shock loss to Georgia Tech earlier this month, but with Louisville now on the schedule, Pitt’s path is sure.

With six wins, Pitt will win the ACC Coastal and return to the ACC championship game. At 4-2 (1-1 ACC), Pitt still controls its own destiny. But it all starts with Louisville tonight.

And Pat Narduzzi feels like Pitt hasn’t played at its full capacity yet this season.

“I think it’s coming,” Narduzzi said Thursday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I don’t know when. I think we’ve played solid, but I don’t think we’ve put it all together like I’d like. But that happens. We played good enough to win four and should’ve won six.”

Pitt put Virginia Tech away with a 45-29 win before the bye week, courtesy of Israel Abanikanda’s 320-yard, six-touchdown performance, but it was a must win performance. And if Pitt wants to reach its goals, every performance going forward will need to be must win.

A road matchup against Louisville, the beginning of a stretch of conference play in which Pitt either wins or risks the chance of a failed season, is the series of games in which Pitt can work back from a slow start.

“We had a really good week of practice,” Narduzzi said. “I think the kids’ energy and enthusiasm were better than it was the last couple of weeks. You think it’s good — locked in — but just a little bit more pop in their step, I guess, which is good.

“That’s what you hope an open week does, get them a little fresh. So, we’ve had a good week. We have to go out and execute in all three phases and go down there and play a very talented Louisville football team.

Pitt faces a unique test on the road, at night, against Louisville. Malik Cunningham is the ACC’s top rushing quarterback, but Pitt will throw its entire defensive effort to stop both his and Louisville’s conference-leading rushing effort. And of course, Abanikanda, the ACC’s leading rusher, will be leaned upon heavily.

The Louisville game isn’t just the start of Pitt’s second half, it’s a test of Pitt’s offense and defense. There has been a lot of consistency on both sides of the football, and Louisville is a measuring stick test on both sides of the football.

An 8 p.m. kickoff at Cardinal Stadium gives Pitt the chance to perhaps put forward its most complete effort of the season and start the quest for another ACC title berth.

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
Click to comment
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Get PSN in your inbox!

Enter your email and get all of our posts delivered straight to your inbox.

 
Like Pittsburgh Sports Now on Facebook!
Send this to a friend