Michigan State officially fired head coach Mel Tucker for cause this week, which opened up an attractive head coaching vacancy in the Big Ten.
Potential replacements have been lobbied about since the news of Tucker’s suspension arose earlier this month, and Pat Narduzzi has had his name linked to the Spartans a few times. And he’s been named a candidate for the opening.
Action Network’s Brett McMurphy reported Thursday that Pat Narduzzi is a candidate for the Michigan State job, alongside Duke head coach Mike Elko, Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos, LSU defensive coordinator Matt House, Marshall head coach Charles Huff and Wisconsin defensive coordinator Mike Tressel.
McMurphy noted that each each candidate, aside from Elko and Huff, have played or coached in East Lansing, Michigan.
Narduzzi spent seven seasons at Michigan State, working under long-time head coach Mark Dantonio as the defensive coordinator. He built one of the top defenses in the Big Ten, earning the Broyles Award for the top assistant coach in college football in 2013 for his efforts, and he’s spoken highly of his time in East Lansing.
And it’s not the first time — and it won’t be the last — that Narduzzi is linked to Michigan State. The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman linked Narduzzi to Michigan as a “wild-card” option earlier this month:
“The 57-year-old was a superb DC and brought plenty of edge to MSU,” Feldman wrote. “He’s been really solid in almost a decade running Pitt’s program and has had consecutive Top 25 seasons the last two years, going 20-7. Would he want to go back to East Lansing? I’m not sure about that. He has a good job in a great city, but he has been there a long time, and the Big Ten has a lot more stability than the ACC.”
Narduzzi is in the midst of his ninth season in Pittsburgh, with a 63-44 (41-26 ACC) record and the 2021 ACC championship to show for it. It’s been a poor start to the 2023 season for Narduzzi and Pitt, but there’s no denying the stability that he’s brought to the program over the last decade. And he’s currently under contract in Pittsburgh until 2030.
Michigan State will go through an extensive search before hiring its next head coach, and it will be able to offer very lucrative contracts (MSU gave Tucker a 10-year, $95 million contract to Tucker), but Narduzzi doesn’t appear to be itching for an exit at this point.
Pitt is back in action this weekend against Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va. The ACC matchup is scheduled to kickoff at 8 p.m.
Go go go.
Yep, let’s run one of the best coaches this program gas ever had out of town. Good thinking.
I’ll start a collection to pay for moving expenses!!! Not sure he will even consider the job knowing if he coaches like he does at Pitt his ass will be fired!!
Surprisingly Pitt can do better. Pitt is a good job once again.
Sold
I think if you look at what he did at Pitt, you would have to say “thank you”! He won an ACC championship, played in another, brought stability back to Pitt, and gave Pitt an identity (sacking the QB).
However, I think we can do better, now. He’s too stubborn and won’t budge in his old school offensive ways. If he wants to play ultra conservative, then get a mobil QB who can look at one receiver then run if it’s not there. Either way Pitt needs to get a new OC!
H2P!!!
Pitt gets a new OC every 2 years on average. Keep narduzzi dump cignetti.
I will have to “look at the tape” and get back to you…
How big of a U-Haul do we need? This is the coach that couldn’t figure out that replacing the retiring HS director Bob Junko with Bob Palko would be good for WPIAL recruiting.
Where has he been named a candidate?
The only place I’ve seen that mentions him as a candidate is the Pittsburgh media which seems to be just wishful thinking not backed by any proof
Would be a big loss. He’s been the most consistent winner since Sherrill. And unlike his basketball counterpart, he takes accountability, does more with less and doesn’t throw players under the bus. Oh, and he doesn’t recruit felons
NOBODY listens to YOU.
Hmm. You clearly do.
I not only listen, I agree 100%
Would be huge loss. He’s best coach at Pitt in 20 years. Better than Walt and Dave. Where would Pitt turn next?
Boo city says “GO!!!!”
Don’t let the door smack you in the arse on the way out, NardDog….