Narduzzi shows ‘commitment’ to Pitt after ripping group
Oct 30, 2023, 03:32 PM ET PITTSBURGH– Coach Pat Narduzzi thinks he ought to be evaluated by his 9 years of work with the Pittsburgh Panthers, not a quick soundbite following a blowout loss to Notre Dame in which he honestly questioned the talent of his roster.Narduzzi came under fire both internally and externally for a remark he made following the 58-7 setback to the then-No. 14 Irish that added another difficult moment to the worst season of his mostly effective tenure. “I’ll go back, as a football coach you lose a lot of excellent players from a year earlier and you believe as a coach you’re going to replace them and clearly we haven’t, “Narduzzi stated Saturday.” Once again, it begins with me. I didn’t do a sufficient task coaching today. Put it on me and we have actually got to make plays. “The Panthers went 9-4 in 2022, winning the Sun Bowl. The loss to Notre Dame dropped Pitt to 2-6 this season heading into a go to by No. 4 Florida State (8-0)on Saturday.A version of the very first part of Narduzzi’s declaration went viral, with present and former players expressing concern.Editor’s Picks 2 Related Narduzzi stated he began reaching out to his players on the flight back from South Bend
and took the uncommon step of publishing on X a few hours after the game that the loss was completely his fault.The 57-year-old Narduzzi, who is 64-47 with the Panthers and assisted them to the 2021 ACC title, said he said sorry to the entire group during its typical Sunday night meeting for remarks that “didn’t certainly come out the way I intended them to come out.”Asked what he intended to state, the typically blunt Narduzzi demurred.”I do not even believe it’s up for conversation,” Narduzzi stated Monday.”I truly do not require to enter into
it. … and it does not even matter at this moment. So I ‘d rather simply proceed.
“Narduzzi stated his players informed him” they were all excellent and stated,’Coach, I absolutely understand.'” The loss to now-No. 12 Notre Dame put Pitt on the cusp of being disqualified for a bowl game for just the 2nd time since he was worked with in December 2014. He
has actually provided stability for the Panthers, who began the season with the second-best record in the ACC behind Clemson given that 2015. Narduzzi is not worried about how his remarks might play in the home of employees or players who might enter the transfer portal at the end of the season.
“I constantly have commitment to our football team, period,” he said.” And, you understand, you can take a look at that and then you can take a look at one 6-second snippet …
Which one are you going to go with? So it depends on you. “Narduzzi called the relationships he has with his players “important”and believes that has not changed.”You’re not defined in one game or one afternoon, you’re specified over time,” he stated.”And I think over time, my guys are my guys. … I understand how bad they’re injuring after that loss … But my significant message was:’I don’t care. I love you guys. I would not trade you for anything, duration. Those are my guys, which’s the way it will always be.”