PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s been a big topic in Pittsburgh and around the state after Fan Morning Show host Adam Crowley said last week Penn State was afraid to play Pitt. The question was posed to Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi Tuesday afternoon on 93.7 The Fan.
Why don’t the teams resume one of the classic rivalries in the history of college football?
“You’d have to ask James Franklin that,” Narduzzi told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on 93.7 The Fan.
When asked if it’s Franklin who makes those schedule decisions, Narduzzi said ‘I believe so’.
“My call is ‘let’s go’,” Narduzzi said on The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan. “We’ve called. We’ve asked.”
Narduzzi did express some optimism that maybe new Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft could help resume the series PSU leads all-time 53-43-4. The Pitt coach said he knows Kraft, calls him a great guy and said maybe he gets something done.
During a four-year revival of the series from 2016-19, the Nittany Lions won three of the games, however the one Pitt victory likely kept Penn State from the college football playoffs.
There is nothing on the horizon and Narduzzi wonders if he would ever see this while he is the Panthers head coach.
“These schedules are built up six-seven years,” Narduzzi told The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan. “It’s going to be a while. I’ll be retired in 10 years, 20 years. I’ll be 80 years-old.”
“I’ll be coming back in a wheelchair and maybe a cane.”