Pat Narduzzi Sticking With Phil Jurkovec Despite Noise From ‘Boo City’

He didn’t mean to do it, but Pat Narduzzi unintentionally gave a growing movement of angry Pitt fans the best name anyone could’ve ever imagined.

Boo City, PA. Population Phil Jurkovec.

It’s the harsh reality Jurkovec is facing as he returns home to Acrisure Stadium this weekend for a matchup against No. 17 North Carolina. Narduzzi can say all he wants that fans are booing him, not Jurkovec (and fans will be booing Narduzzi himself now, too), but the loudest boos will be reserved for the failing starting quarterback.

Through three games, Jurkovec is the worst starting quarterback in the ACC. He’s completed 35-of-75 pass attempts (46.7%) for 474 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s the most inaccurate and least prolific quarterback in the conference.

And it’s his play on the field that has cost Pitt in losses to Cincinnati and West Virginia. There were even boos on the road in Morgantown, W.Va. last weekend. It will not be a happy homecoming this weekend.

“Who were they booing? I think they were booing me, just so we’re on the same page,” Narduzzi said Monday at his weekly news conference. “Did they say boo Phil or boo Coach? Like, there were boos, so I don’t know who they were at. At least from what I hear because I don’t hear those things with my headphones on, and I’m not sure our kids really do, either.

“I’m sure someone said something to him or to me or whatever and said there was boos. I think there was boos in the first game someone said, correct? We’re in Boo City. Boo City, PA.”

Narduzzi spent the majority of his Monday news conference defending Jurkovec. It’s clear that he wants to give Jurkovec more time, but he also said if a change actually is made, it won’t come from him. It’s up to Frank Cignetti Jr. now. Narduzzi hasn’t spent much time with the offense. The offensive staff, he said, knows better.

But of course, he still has his opinion. And he doesn’t believe in just pulling the plug on Jurkovec. He’s mentioned that in back-to-back post-game press conferences. Neither Narduzzi nor Cignetti has considered making a change at quarterback. Narduzzi said Saturday night that he doesn’t like dumping people, regardless of if it’s a quarterback, a tackle or a cornerback.

That’s not exactly true, though. Look at BJ Williams and Donovan McMillon. They weren’t just inserted into empty spots across the lineup over the last two weeks. When asked about it Monday, he clarified that quarterback is different.

“I think the quarterback position is a totally different animal than any other position,” Narduzzi said. “That’s why I said you try to compare a quarterback to a safety, and to me, there’s no comparison. We’re going to rotate safeties in there. If you talk about a two-quarterback system, you talk about a four-safety system, you’re rotating guys in there. All of a sudden you find a rotation you like.

“I just think the quarterback position is a totally different deal. Again, I’m not a quarterback whisperer, I’m not a quarterback guru, but I do believe from anywhere I’ve ever been that it takes time to gel with your guys.”

It’s been three weeks, and if anything, the cohesion has only gotten weaker. It’s as if Jurkovec has gotten worse each week. The latest area of need, according to Narduzzi, is throwing under duress. He wants to get Jurkovec more chances to throw under duress in practice. That’s fine. It would probably help. But I don’t see how that helps with Jurkovec missing the easy throws underneath. Even when given time in the pocket, he hasn’t consistently worked through his reads and hit the receivers who come open.

Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Phil Jurkovec (5) September 2, 2023 David Hague/PSN

Jurkovec has played from a clean pocket, according to PFF, on 58% of his dropbacks this season, and he’s been okay. He’s completed 53.1% of his pass attempts in a clean pocket for 381 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. In the 37 dropbacks where he’s faced pressure, though, he’s completed just 34.6% of his pass attempts for 93 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

He’s done most of his damage in the intermediate range (with Gavin Bartholomew, in particular), and that’s been much needed as the deep ball is non-existent. Jurkovec has completed just 5-of-21 pass attempts (23.8%) of more than 20 yards for 154 yards and an interception.

Very little play-action, very little RPO work, very little creativity from Jurkovec in extending plays.

Narduzzi said he’s liked what he’s seen from practice each of the last two weeks, but if there was ever an opportunity for working throws under duress, it would’ve come after a disastrous showing against Cincinnati. Narduzzi clearly likes what he’s seen from Jurkovec in practice. Because Jurkovec clearly hasn’t shown anything in games.

“When you look back, and you look at all the stats and all the numbers of what you put in practice and what you put through camp and you put on paper and what you’ve showed to do as far as not throwing interceptions in practice,” Narduzzi said. “Now, obviously, games are games. You just don’t dump things like that. You just don’t do it. That’s just a philosophy and where I’m coming from.

“Again, we’re going to evaluate every day. Obviously, it’ll be a big week of practice for everybody, including the quarterbacks. We’ve got to get better.”

Looking good in practice is one thing. So is being that veteran leader with all those intangibles that coaches laud throughout the offseason. It all means very little when that player is actively hindering his team’s chances of winning games.

Narduzzi cannot speak as to what goes on in the locker room, but he sees that Jurkovec has the trust and support of his teammates. He says there’s no finger-pointing, no singling out, no blame game being played.

“Again, nobody can point the finger and say they played 100% or they didn’t screw it up because there was a lot of guys that didn’t make plays on both sides of the ball,” Narduzzi said. “But as you watch it, you’re kind of going, hmm. I’m a receiver, if I would have just made that block, what happens? If I’m a tight end, if I would have just blocked down instead of blocking out, what happens?

“There’s not a run-through and you’re not hitting hit on 3rd and 3, and it’s going to be a first down, then the clock is moving. What if I don’t jump offsides on 4th and 1 on a quarterback sneak? What happens? It’s all over the tape. Again, that’s our job as coaches, to get that stuff fixed as best we can.”

It seems very likely that Jurkovec will once again lead the offense this week against UNC. I don’t know what it means for him. It could be his last chance to show that he’s what Pitt needs at quarterback, or Narduzzi, Cignetti and the coaching staff could truly be pleased with what Jurkovec is bringing to the table.

Regardless. The next stop is Boo City, PA. It remains to be seen how Jurkovec’s night will go, but it seems foolish to expect different results against tougher competition.