PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Heading into the Peach Bowl with 11 wins and a first ACC Championship, Pitt Director of Athletics Heather Lyke said Tuesday they are working on a new contract for head coach Pat Narduzzi.
"Pat and I will work on his arrangement and deal," Lyke said. "We are and we have. When we are ready and are able to share that. We absolutely will."
Narduzzi signed a seven-year contract extension four years ago and that was coming off a 5-7 season. Since signing that contract, Narduzzi is 32-19 including 11-2 this season.
"It is what I believed we could do," Lyke said. "When you look at the schedule, obviously we are very involved in scheduling. This is the first year of the schedule we put together, Pat and I. There is no question I had confidence they could make a good run this year. I'm not surprised one bit."
According to USA Today, Narduzzi was already the second-highest paid football coach in the ACC at $4.8 million. Clemson's Dabo Swinney makes $9.5 million.
Unsure about Pickett
Narduzzi said he doesn't know as of Tuesday with practices ramping up for the Peach Bowl on Saturday, if Kenny Pickett, and maybe a few others, will play.
"Everybody has a business decision to make," Narduzzi said. "Not everybody is going to agree with decisions I make, Kenny makes or anybody else makes, but they are business decisions. We all have to respect those decisions for whatever they are. We all know what we would like, but not everybody in this room has to deal with the consequences of playing or not playing. Those are big-boy decisions."
Offensive Coordinator
With Mark Whipple leaving and immediately taking the same job at Nebraska, Pitt is without its play-caller for the bowl game. It's compounded because Wednesday is National Letter of Intent Day (when high school seniors sign with colleges). Narduzzi still has not named a replacement.
He said Kenny Pickett committed to Pitt not knowing who the offensive coordinator would be back in 2017.
"It just comes down to trust," Narduzzi said. "It comes down to relationships that you have with the players. If they don't trust you, you are probably better off. If they trust you, we will get the right guys here."
Spartan Connection
Initially downplaying the matchup, Narduzzi has now thought a little more of playing against his old school on December 30.
"To go against the green and the white, it's exciting," Narduzzi said. "You have some familiarity. I don't know the kids, it's been seven years. Everybody is new, a couple of the coaches I have a long, long relationship with."
"I'm glad I don't have to go against Mark Dantonio (his former boss at MSU) just because of the love we have and the relationship we have. It would be hard to see him lose."
Peachy situation
The Peach Bowl announced a $100,000 to endowed scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh—The John Lewis scholarship will be used by underprivileged kids for the opportunity to attend Pitt.
