PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s all a matter of how you can use it, Pitt football coach Pat Narduzzi says he doesn’t care about being ranking in the Top 25, which Pitt is for the first time this season, but he does when he can use it as a motivator.
And an opportunity to ding the ‘school down the road’.
Narduzzi said during the ESPN on-field interview immediately after the game that he wanted voters for the Associated Press, and presumably USA Today Coaches’ Poll, to ‘wake up’ and realize Pitt is a good team after beating Virginia Tech Friday night.
The Panthers head coach said ‘I really don’t care’ about the rankings, but does when it’s viewed from the lens of respect for his kids. Narduzzi was annoyed by the stat Friday night was the first time a pair of 4-0 schools from Power Four conferences had met and both were unranked.
“Shoot, are you kidding me?” Narduzzi said Monday at his weekly news conference. “That's kind of what got it kind of going a little bit, got my juices flowing.”
So much so he saw ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips before the game and told him he was going to say something about that because it’s disrespectful to the ACC.
“The ACC is really good,” Narduzzi said. “It doesn’t get the respect it deserves.”
Joining the ACC in 2013, the Pitt head coach said voters look at the brands. They look at the logos and not really at what the schools are doing that year. He also mentioned those ranking really shouldn’t start until the college football playoff rankings do around November 3.
That’s when Penn State was brought up, although not directly by name, as the Nittany Lions were ranked 16th in the AP preseason poll.
“I mean, you look at the school down the road gets into the Top 25 and what did they really do to get in the Top 25?” Narduzzi said.
Then it was back to the rankings really don’t matter, it’s where you are at the end of the year. That being said, he’s happy his players get the respect.
“It matters, and it doesn’t matter,” Narduzzi said. “You know what I’m saying?”
Oh it matters, only to the point where Narduzzi can use it as a tool to fire up his team. The coach he is facing this week, Bill Belichick, did that for decades with the Patriots, posting not only quotes from opposing players or coaches before games, but stories that might prove as a motivator.
So, to clear it up.
“It really doesn't matter,” Narduzzi said. “But it's definitely a respect thing, and I use it to our advantage. It's still disrespectful. We're only 25. You ranked us 25. We'll get some more disrespect.”
Coaches.
Wonders why ‘school down the road’ was ranked previously
Wonders why ‘school down the road’ was ranked previously
