Narduzzi to pass Jock Sutherland most Pitt games coached

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – When the whistle blows as the first kickoff occurs against Syracuse Thursday night, Pat Narduzzi will have coached more football games at the University of Pittsburgh than anyone. What he said about his time at Pitt.

Narduzzi passes Hall of Famer Jock Sutherland with his 144^th game. Talk of himself is something that makes Narduzzi immediately uncomfortable, not that he isn’t proud, but accolades and personal records aren’t something forefront on his mind.

“What does it matter?” Narduzzi said. “I mean, we count how many practices I've been here thinking about. I probably had more practices than anybody too. Spent a lot of hours in the office and working. I mean we can count the minutes, the hours in in the Office in the 12 years. But to me, it's like 12 years and that's what it comes down to. And hopefully make it to 13.”

Narduzzi is proud of the ACC Championship and getting to another, but what he brought to Pitt football is stability. Over the span of the previously 11 years before he was hired, the Panthers had five head coaches.

“It's continuity,” Narduzzi said. “I mean I think continuity of your program is important if it's a revolving door with your coaches and I'm constantly worried about coaching the coaches up so we can make sure we're taking care of players like I want to be and taking care and have that relationship with our players like, I want and have.”

Narduzzi credits the recent chancellors and athletic directors for allowing him to keep as many coaches as they can. It’s also about keeping good people in the athletic department, and he’s proud of the work they’ve done.

“Making this place a destination, not a stepping stone job,” Narduzzi. “And it certainly is that for me.”

The 60-year-old not only brought continuity, but a toughness. A toughness he learned first-hand from his father Bill, who was a college coach for 30 years and Pat got to play for him one season, calling it the best year of his life. Not that it was easy, saying his dad kicked his butt, but it built him in to what he is today.

Narduzzi looks for that in his assistant coaches and staffers and the players. He prides himself on bringing in the right players. The ones with the right attitudes and willingness to work and not just chasing stars from a recruiting service.

“Just be me, you know, try not to be someone you're not,” Narduzzi said of why he believes it’s worked. “I think there's genuine care in this program. Again, it's everybody in the program. It's just how we treat our kids. And, I think, the big thing is respecting these guys for what they do on a daily basis. I couldn’t be more proud of the hard work these guys put in and the way they listen.

“Being a dad of four, that's what dads do. And I'm a dad 113 in this room, which is our current roster. And dad to the managers.”

Narduzzi brought up a current manager who is battling cancer. He was voted the team’s manager of the week before the UCF game and gave a speech to the team. It’s those moments as much as the competition on the field that makes this still fun for Narduzzi even in a changing college world.

Panthers pregame Thursday starts at 4:30p with Dorin Dickerson and Johnny Petrishen, Pat Bostick hosts the network pregame at 5:30p and the Voice of the Panthers, Bill Hillgrove calls the game starting at 7:30p on 93.7 The Fan.