PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi said he liked what they did last year when Kenny Pickett would have to run over to the sidelines to get the play call. Narduzzi said he knows no one else did and they won't do it this year. But not because you didn't like it.
It's because it's a new offensive coordinator and they will use signals to relay plays instead of mouth-to-mouth, exactly how they will signal Narduzzi left a mystery. For Pickett, he goes from running over to the sidelines to the luxury of hearing a coach in the NFL.
"Now Kenny has that (speaker) in your ear and he's going to love that when (Steelers Offensive Coordinator) Coach Canada says here is your play," Narduzzi said. "He's got up to 15 seconds on the play clock. He can tell them 'hey, third down and long, they like to be in this or that and watch that corner blitz'."
Narduzzi said it would be better if they had that in the college game because of better communication, not just on offense, but he would love to have one on defense. His only worry with a potential electronic system and having them hand-signaled from the sidelines, the opponent figuring out their system.
"That's what I liked about our quarterback going to the sideline last year. No one could steal our signals. There is something to that because there are a lot of thieves out there."
That's more like it
Narduzzi said on Wednesday that their previous day's practice was not what he wanted and he let them know it. He was pleased with how his group responded.
"Much better, I look better and told our kids today it's just a focus," Narduzzi said. "It comes down focus trying to get these teenagers getting them to focus daily is a struggle. Sometimes you get that great focus day on a Saturday. We have to teach them how to focus every day."
During the answer, a lawnmower interrupted Narduzzi, which caused a few laughs. The lawn care pro was not focused.
Panthers are now less than two weeks from opening at home against West Virginia.
