Pat Narduzzi on AD Hire: ‘I Don’t Think You Could’ve Gotten Anyone Better’

Pat Narduzzi was familiar with new Pitt Director of Athletics Allen Greene well before his hiring was made official Friday morning. And it wasn’t because he was on the search committee; he wasn’t.

Narduzzi and Greene played golf together in Arizona some years ago.

“I think probably 2017, I was out in Arizona with my son at a Fiesta Frolic, you know, kind of coaches and meetings and all that kind of stuff out there, and I had an opportunity — I got paired up,” Narduzzi said Friday at his weekly presser. “I didn’t ask to get paired up, but things happen for a reason. I got paired up to play with Allen Greene at a beautiful golf course out in Arizona and obviously spent the day with him. And had kind of stayed in touch the entire time.”

Narduzzi has kept up with Greene over the years, congratulating him when he was hired by Auburn in 2018, and he’s looking forward to the opportunity to work with Greene now.

“I’m really excited about that hire,” Narduzzi said. “I, again, had nothing to do with it. Just focusing on coaching football, and obviously wasn’t on the search committee, nor did I have time to be on that. But I’ll start off by saying, first of all, I thank Chancellor (Joan) Gabel for doing such a great job on this thing. I think Allen is a slam-dunk hire. I don’t think you could have gotten anybody in the world better, and I say that for a couple reasons.”

Narduzzi hasn’t kept up with how Greene has run the athletic departments he’s been a part of over the last 10 years, he said Gabel took care of that, but he’s seen the kind of person that Greene is. And that’s what he likes.

“He was a guy that I wanted to stay in touch with,” Narduzzi said. “It was kind of like this guy is top-notch. And it starts with the people … But as far as people and wanting to work with somebody, the Chancellor did an unbelievable job of nailing that hire, which is significant.”

Narduzzi spoke with Greene Friday morning, congratulating him and his family.

“He is pumped up to be here,” Narduzzi said. “I guess you’ll get a feel next week, and we’ll get a chance to sit down next week, him and I. But he’s excited.”

Greene will officially take the post on Nov. 1, spending time in Pittsburgh and Knoxville, Tenn. as he fulfills any remaining duties for Tennessee, but he will hit the ground running as he guides the Panthers into the new age of college athletics.

“I am tremendously grateful and honored to receive the opportunity from Chancellor Gabel to join the University of Pittsburgh, an institution and athletic tradition I’ve long admired,” Greene said in the Pitt release. “It was apparent from my very first conversation with Chancellor Gabel that Pitt has the highest of aspirations in every endeavor it undertakes.

“That’s tremendously energizing to me and a challenge I fully embrace. I am inspired by the storied history of Pitt Athletics and am fully dedicated to helping our Panthers reach even greater heights in the future. I am looking forward to meeting and working on behalf of Pitt’s student-athletes, coaches, staff and campus leaders. The Greene family is incredibly thankful and excited to proudly wear Pitt’s blue and gold.”