PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi has said a few times since winning the ACC Coastal Division championship, the goal is to win the entire ACC title. They are locked in to playing for it and have a game Saturday that won’t affect that goal.
Does that mean Pitt will rest a number of players Saturday night at Syracuse?
“That would be a natural question,” Narduzzi said Monday. “Let’s go up there and keep them all healthy and play our backups and be ready for the championship game. I would love to do that, but I don’t see doing that.”
Narduzzi often has conversations with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. A few times in Tomlin’s career with the team locked into the post-season, he would rest some players. It’s a little different scenario in college with the bowls, polls and his team currently 9-2.
“10 wins means a lot and I think we need to have that chemistry going into the next game too,” Narduzzi said. “We will keep them healthy and let our guys go.”
Narduzzi also dismissed they will go hunting stats for quarterback Kenny Pickett as a semi-finalist for several awards and receiver Jordan Addison, a semi-finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.
“We are not going to do anything different,” Narduzzi said. “We are trying to win a football game. I don’t want guys throwing into coverage trying to make a play. We are not worried about those awards. It would be nice for both of them, trying to win a football game.”
Targeting
Panthers linebacker SirVocea Dennis missed all but three plays of the win over Virginia after a targeting call and safety Brandon Hill got one in the second half.
“We haven’t had one all year, 10 games, zero,” Narduzzi said. “Then all of a sudden we have two mysterious targeting calls. We coach good. That’s what we do, it’s disappointing.”
Hill will miss the first half vs.
Syracuse, Narduzzi said junior Judson Tallandier likely will get the start. He also said there will be competition in practice for that opportunity.
Highest ranked ACC
For the first time since they joined the conference, Pitt is the highest ranked football team in it. Panthers are 20th in the AP poll, one spot ahead of Wake Forest and four ahead of NC State.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” Narduzzi said. “We want to win a championship. Rankings don’t mean anything, they matter at the end of the year. If you say you are in the top 20, top 10, top 5, that means something at the end of the season, that’s what matters.”
“I’m not going into a living room saying ‘hey, after 11 weeks we were ranked (whatever). I’m not taking a midseason ranking into a home (recruiting).”
Players of the Week
Addison named the ACC Receiver of the Week after 14 receptions for 202 yards and four touchdowns.
Israel Abanikanda named the ACC Specialist of the Week after his 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.