PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – They aren’t the only team dealing with it, Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi said it is part of life in 2022 FBS football. Kids are going to transfer or decide not to play in bowl games.
This year Pitt will be without the ACC Defensive Player of the Year (DL Calijah Kancey), the runner-up as ACC Player of the Year (RB Israel Abanikanda), First Team All-ACC (LB SirVocea Dennis), multi-year starters DL Deslin Alexandre and S Brandon Hill and offensive lineman Gabe Houy. Plus, the loss of starting quarterback Kedon Slovis and defensive lineman John Morgan to the transfer portal.
There will be more, decisions are coming with a few other starting offensive linemen, DL Haba Baldonado, WR Jared Wayne and others. Narduzzi said he’s aware there are more names, but he wants to let the players announce it.
“For me, it’s sad,” Narduzzi said Monday. “You have Senior Day, ok it’s the last home game. The last game of the season, it’s the last game of the season, but you have one more. Then you get blindsided, you get surprised. You are like, ‘really’?”
“You don’t get to give them a hug in the locker room after the game. That’s what hurts me, you want to go out one more time. I wish I would have known before the Miami game. You like to go out the right way. That’s my regret is I didn’t get a chance to have that last-game feeling with those guys.”
It’s not that Narduzzi doesn’t understand it’s the way of the game right now. He said he respects all of their decisions. He wishes them all luck and the Pitt staff works with them and tries to educate them on what they are hearing to help with their choice. He worries for some it’s premature, but says he understands it’s their call.
The Pitt Head Coach does wonder why so many skip a last game with their teammates.
“It’s the age we are living in, 15 years ago, 10 years ago, guys would have given their left leg to play in a bowl game,” Narduzzi said. “I don’t think it’s the case anymore. It’s sad because I think the bowl games are so much fun. It’s a reward for a great season. We are looking forward to going to the Sun Bowl. It’s a great bowl.”
Last year Kenny Pickett, star corner Damarri Mathis and receiver Taysir Mack opted out of the Peach Bowl. Offensive coordinator Mark Whipple left for Nebraska before playing Michigan State in Atlanta. He believes it obviously impacted the outcome in a loss to the Spartans.
Is he worried it reflects poorly on the program playing in these showcase games without all of your best players?
“Bowl games are not really the whole 2022 season,” Narduzzi said. “Last year our two best players didn’t play in the Peach Bowl. If they do, we win that game. Unfortunately, that goes on my record and I don’t care. I’m not worried about records, I’m worried about winning football games. We almost won it a year ago with a third-string QB. It doesn’t matter who steps up, we expect to go and compete.”
Opportunities are coming. In some cases, its younger players waiting for their turn. In others, it is a veteran who was beaten out or never had the shot and they will play in El Paso. Whoever they bring and whoever plays, Narduzzi said they are focusing to beat UCLA.
“The number one thing we are going to do is go try to win a football game,” Narduzzi said. “It’s not about 2023, we are going to finish the season and do whatever we can do to win the football game.”