What to expect when expecting…Greatness

Pitt Script Football Helmet

Pat Narduzzi is changing the culture at Pitt.

Pitt has long been a second thought within the state of Pennsylvania. In order for Head Football Coach Pat Narduzzi and staff to compete for ACC titles and beyond, they must get recruits they normally wouldn’t get and beat opponents they normally wouldn’t beat.

The first step in order for Narduzzi to achieve greatness is to excel in recruiting. Coach Narduzzi has hit the ground running since being hired at Pitt. He has largely kept intact the class Paul Chryst left behind. He also has added a handful of young studs since being handed the keys to the castle. Most of his recruits thus far have been much needed young men brought in to bulk up the defensive side of the ball.

Here is a short list of those recruits the coaching staff has sealed verbal commitments from in their short time on the recruiting trail:

Shawn Curtis 6’3″ 230lbs. OLB Miami, FLA.
Allen Edwards 6’3″ 247lbs. WDE JUCO Franklin, Mass Eastern Arizona.
Jay Stocker 6’2″ 192 lbs. S Coatesville, PA)

To go along with a handful of previously already committed prospects including the #6 ranked CB recruit in the nation and #1 ranked recruit in the state of Pennsylvania 5’11” 185lbs. CB Jordan Whitehead out of Monaca, PA, Narduzzi landed 6’2″ 190lbs. OLB Anthony McKee from Columbus, OH.

The second step in the progression of the Pitt football program is to create a culture of toughness and that starts with off-season conditioning. This job has been bestowed upon former Ohio State tight end Dave Andrews.

Andrews, who is now the head strength and conditioning coach for the Panthers, was a player on the 2002 Ohio State National Championship team. He knows what it takes to become a champion. Andrews was most recently on the strength and conditioning staff at Notre Dame. The Golden Domers excelled in the weight room and on the field during his tenure. Andrews along with Narduzzi and the rest of the staff will set the tone early with this Pitt football team. The staff will demand greatness from day 1 and accept nothing less. This will be apparent when the Panthers take the field this fall.

Complimenting the off-season conditioning will be the addition of more intense practices. It is a well known fact that all of the great coaches in the long and storied history of college football have been relentless in their preparation, especially their practice regimen. Good teams attack practice with as much intensity as they do the actual games.

In order for Pitt to compete at the proverbial next level, they must practice at the next level. When a team just goes through the motions in practice, it is reflected on the playing field. It will be up to not only the coaches but also the players to get to the top on and off the field. Intensity during practice will be crucial in the team’s development.

The last and possibly most important piece to the puzzle will be Narduzzi and his staff teaching these young players a strong work ethic. He said he wanted a “blue collar” football program, and the backbone of that is putting forth the effort. In order for any progress to be made in any area of the game, this has to be the main focus of not only the staff but also the players.

The former staff consisted of notoriously relaxed “players coaches” and that has been well documented. The work ethic in recent years was evidently lacking and it showed on Saturdays. This staff must be passionate and attack every day with enthusiasm. Every second should be spent trying to improve the players in one aspect or another. The work ethic will ultimately be the key to producing wins. One thing Narduzzi has not lacked in all of his years of coaching is work ethic. I do not foresee that changing this season or at any time at Pitt.

Once these steps are ingrained into the football program, the culture will change for the better. Shortly thereafter, the wins will come. These are not possibilities when you talk about Pat Narduzzi, they are inevitabilities. Fans of the Blue and Gold will have much to be excited about. And under this staff’s tutelage the old saying “Pitt is it!” will ring true once again.