PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said he’s had several conversations with Kenny Pickett and his family about his future, even though it looked like he would leave for the NFL, Pickett changed his mind Tuesday.
“He texted me last night said ‘Coach, I love Pittsburgh’,” Narduzzi said. “’I love this team. I’m coming back to finish what I started’.”
“I texted him back saying that’s awesome. I’m fired up. Great decision.”
Narduzzi said the building was rocking getting the news hours that essentially their most important recruit made a decision before national signing day.
“That’s huge,” said receivers coach Chris Beatty. “It’s the biggest signee of the class right there. He’s our leader. The confidence that Kenny brings is immense. You can tell that from the time he’s not out on the field. The receiver room is happy about it. The O-line room is happy about it. The whole building is happy about it because he makes us a better team, clearly.”
“I was excited as anybody last night when I got the news,” said assistant head coach Charlie Partridge. “It says a lot for Kenny’s feelings towards this program, towards this city, towards what he believes he can be able to do here. He intends to come back here and have a special year and go on and have an amazing career beyond Pitt as a quarterback.”
“Really, really happy for him. I think it was a good choice. I think he got some really good advice.”
Partridge said the Panthers defensive players respect Pickett in practice like his Wisconsin players respected Russell Wilson.
Pickett deciding to return could influence a few other players to come back for another season. Beatty said he talked with senior receiver DJ Turner who is mulling over his decision.
“I think Kenny, he’s your best recruiter right now,” Beatty said. “People have confidence in him. We’ll see how that goes.”
For Narduzzi, it also allows them to get more reps with their younger quarterbacks, for when Pickett’s career finally is over at Pitt.
“We couldn’t be more excited with Kenny coming back,” Narduzzi said. “It starts right there with that quarterback. It also gives our quarterbacks who didn’t have a spring a year ago to develop and find out who that next guy is too.”
It likely short-term will mean the transfer of at least one quarterback, but to get another year with clarity at the most important position, seems like a good trade off.