PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – You could tell he was holding back and being measured in his response as Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi asked Monday about the non-call safety in the fourth quarter Saturday.
After an interception of Kenny Pickett up four points with 4:07 to play in the game, Miami, following a penalty, got the ball at their own 2-yard line. The Hurricanes handed it off to Jaylan Knighton, he attempted to get out of the endzone against a good push by the Pitt defensive line. Knighton put his head into the line and got pushed back and tackled a few yards into the end zone by Phil Campbell.
The call on the field was ball at the one-yard line. That the ball had not only crossed the goal line, but made it up to the one-yard line. The officials would review it to see if it was indeed a safety, and confirmed the call on the field. Miami would convert the next play into a first down and eventually ran out the clock.
Narduzzi said after the game he had no comment on the play. On Monday during his weekly news conference, nearly 48 hours to calm the emotions. Narduzzi stated.
“The side judge or head linesman, who ever is on that sidelines said he couldn’t see it,” Narduzzi said of what the ref told him Saturday. “And he called him out of the endzone. Where he gained I guess two inches past that white line, but I think the ball was in the other hand.”
“It’s football. There’s a white line out on there it’s about 6 inches, I don’t know whatever it is. You have to get past that white line.”
“If he calls it a safety and it’s inconclusive, it’s a safety. If he calls it got out, but he said he couldn’t see. How did he make that decision, I don’t know?”
“Coaches coach, players play and officials officiate, can’t control everything.”
“I’ll just try to keep coaching better.”
Normally coaches hear from the ACC about close or blown calls, as of Monday at noon. Narduzzi had yet to hear from the conference explaining the ruling.
“It ain’t going to change anything,” Narduzzi said. “They aren’t going to let us play that fourth quarter over again. It doesn’t really matter, it’s gone.”
Whether what was lining up to be a special Pitt season is gone. That’s up to how this team responds again to another disappointing loss at home.