Coach Narduzzi shares some thoughts

[RaleighPittFan]

Here's a curious tidbit: "Standing at a podium in a large hotel ballroom, wearing dark-rimmed glasses that made him look like a professor addressing his students, Narduzzi said, “If we all had great players, what fun would it be to coach?”

https://triblive.com/pghtrib/locals...erienced-defense-gives-pitt-chance-to-improve

 

[Jpripper88]

 

[Swervin27]

“I really think we upgraded in the hire of Randy Bates, and that’s no disrespect to Josh. It’s just a different guy with different ideas. I love his passion about the game.”

Uh coach, yes it is disrespect. hey, im cool with it but it's definitely a shot..

 

[pittdan77]

Here's a curious tidbit: "Standing at a podium in a large hotel ballroom, wearing dark-rimmed glasses that made him look like a professor addressing his students, Narduzzi said, “If we all had great players, what fun would it be to coach?”

https://triblive.com/pghtrib/locals...erienced-defense-gives-pitt-chance-to-improve

Urbs, Saban, and Swinney apparently aren't having any fun.

 

[Jpripper88]

That is a straight up scary quote from a coach struggling to recruit.

 

[Chescat]

That is a straight up scary quote from a coach struggling to recruit.

Ok, good point....but IMO it's not "scary" at all. It's an honest appraisal of how he thinks. It's also reality as to where Pitt is in the recruiting world. When I see 2 star tight ends like
O'Neil coached up to being drafted by the NFL, Lb'rs like Idowu being made into valuable starters, etc. etc., I have to take him at his word.
Now, with that said; would I like to see him start bringing in 4 and 5 star recruits?
Of course, but until we start winning consistently at 8+ games per year, I doubt it happens.

 

[Swervin27]

watching fitzgerald was fun, watching our Wrs last year wasn't fun.. Watching Revis was fun, watching every QB in the ACC have career days against Maddox and Lewis in '16 wasn't fun. Watching James Conner and McCoy was really Really fun, watching Darrin Hall last year wasn't fun..

Going to go ahead and disagree with coach on this "fun" statement. For some reason, I think he as a coach will have more fun coaching great players over bad ones..

 

[bwh05]

Ok, good point....but IMO it's not "scary" at all. It's an honest appraisal of how he thinks. It's also reality as to where Pitt is in the recruiting world. When I see 2 star tight ends like
O'Neil coached up to being drafted by the NFL, Lb'rs like Idowu being made into valuable starters, etc. etc., I have to take him at his word.
Now, with that said; would I like to see him start bringing in 4 and 5 star recruits?
Of course, but until we start winning consistently at 8+ games per year, I doubt it happens.

Yes, that’s what makes coaching such a fun challenge. Seeing guys develop out of nowhere and achieve things no one thought they could.

 

[Jpripper88]

Ok, good point....but IMO it's not "scary" at all. It's an honest appraisal of how he thinks. It's also reality as to where Pitt is in the recruiting world. When I see 2 star tight ends like
O'Neil coached up to being drafted by the NFL, Lb'rs like Idowu being made into valuable starters, etc. etc., I have to take him at his word.
Now, with that said; would I like to see him start bringing in 4 and 5 star recruits?
Of course, but until we start winning consistently at 8+ games per year, I doubt it happens.

Recruiting leads to winning, not the other way around.

Yes, that’s what makes coaching such a fun challenge. Seeing guys develop out of nowhere and achieve things no one thought they could.

Winning is a lot more fun and the development happens with schools with stud recruits and high achievement, as well. Alabama has sent former walk ons to the NFL. They have turned 2 and 3 stars into 1st round picks.

 

[cashisking884]

Yes, that’s what makes coaching such a fun challenge. Seeing guys develop out of nowhere and achieve things no one thought they could.

He should recruit players with only one leg. That would be REALLY fun for him!!!

 

[cashisking884]

Ok, good point....but IMO it's not "scary" at all. It's an honest appraisal of how he thinks. It's also reality as to where Pitt is in the recruiting world. When I see 2 star tight ends like
O'Neil coached up to being drafted by the NFL, Lb'rs like Idowu being made into valuable starters, etc. etc., I have to take him at his word.
Now, with that said; would I like to see him start bringing in 4 and 5 star recruits?
Of course, but until we start winning consistently at 8+ games per year, I doubt it happens.

I'm not sure what you are taking him at his word about? That having elite talent on the field wouldn't be fun to coach?

 

[Chescat]

I'm not sure what you are taking him at his word about? That having elite talent on the field wouldn't be fun to coach?

Pretty simple to me......he seems to like the idea of developing players. He seems to
like that part of the job. No where did I say that he wouldn't like coaching and
developing elite recruits. The nimrods that read that into my original post seem to have
their own agenda.

 

[pittdan77]

Pretty simple to me......he seems to like the idea of developing players. He seems to
like that part of the job. No where did I say that he wouldn't like coaching and
developing elite recruits. The nimrods that read that into my original post seem to have
their own agenda.

If he prefers that kind of a challenge, then I prefer he go somewhere else.

 

[cashisking884]

Pretty simple to me......he seems to like the idea of developing players. He seems to
like that part of the job. No where did I say that he wouldn't like coaching and
developing elite recruits. The nimrods that read that into my original post seem to have
their own agenda.

Then I still have no idea what you mean by, "take him at his word"? Narduzzi's quote doesn't say anything about him liking to develop players, which would be an odd quote anyway because I'm not aware of a coach that doesn't like player development.

 

[cashisking884]

If he prefers that kind of a challenge, then I prefer he go somewhere else.

Reminds me of the Milton Friedman story where he is in some Marxist inspired Asian country in the 60's, and the workers are building a canal with shovels, and Friedman asks the government Czar of whatever that is there, "Why are they using shovels instead of the machine equipment sitting around here?" And the Czar replies, "Mr. Friedman, this is a work project." And Friedman responds with, "Oh, I thought you were trying to build a canal. In that case you should give the workers spoons to dig."

 

[MyNameisJoe]

It almost feels as if he knows/thinks he'll never be able to recruit the top end kids here. That's a defeatist attitude imo and not one I'd like the man in charge to take. I want him to believe he can get the best of the best here. That quote tells me he doesn't think that will happen, so he's reserved himself to the fate of getting the 3 star kids and having to develop them, which obviously leads to 6 - 6, 7 - 5 seasons.

Not to compare them, but you think Capel would say that?

 

[FallingRun84]

It almost feels as if he knows/thinks he'll never be able to recruit the top end kids here. That's a defeatist attitude imo and not one I'd like the man in charge to take. I want him to believe he can get the best of the best here. That quote tells me he doesn't think that will happen, so he's reserved himself to the fate of getting the 3 star kids and having to develop them, which obviously leads to 6 - 6, 7 - 5 seasons.

Not to compare them, but you think Capel would say that?

I don’t know if he believes he can’t recruit 4 & 5 stars, but if his passion is developing players perhaps his energy / enthusiasm his higher when talking to 2 and 3 stars as opposed to 4 and 5 stars. And as such he is more effective landing 3 star players. What is his pitch, the picture he conveys? Development or Excellance? I don’t know..but the results would be the same as not believing he can recruit at an elite level.

 

[Jpripper88]

Pretty simple to me......he seems to like the idea of developing players. He seems to
like that part of the job. No where did I say that he wouldn't like coaching and
developing elite recruits. The nimrods that read that into my original post seem to have
their own agenda.

But, then, what is your point? Developing players is part of every coaches job, at every level, and it has to happen whether you have the #1 recruiting class year after year or the #100. The same stories happen at Alabama in the midst of 5 star recruits. The difference is: they also win.

I'd like it if he had "fun" winning and did what it takes to do that.

 

[cashisking884]

I don’t know if he believes he can’t recruit 4 & 5 stars, but if his passion is developing players perhaps his energy / enthusiasm his higher when talking to 2 and 3 stars as opposed to 4 and 5 stars. And as such he is more effective landing 3 star players. .

3* players grow on trees as it relates to P5 football coaches. There's no such thing as being "effective" at landing 3* players at a school like Pitt. That's just the default recruiting setting at basically any P5 school. I mean, how many non-specialist 2* players signed with P5 schools last year?

 

[DiehardPanther]

watching fitzgerald was fun, watching our Wrs last year wasn't fun.. Watching Revis was fun, watching every QB in the ACC have career days against Maddox and Lewis in '16 wasn't fun. Watching James Conner and McCoy was really Really fun, watching Darrin Hall last year wasn't fun..

Going to go ahead and disagree with coach on this "fun" statement. For some reason, I think he as a coach will have more fun coaching great players over bad ones..

I thought our offense with Peterman as the QB was a lot of fun to watch. Beating Clemson and PS that year was very enjoyable.

 

[pittdan77]

I mean, how many non-special 2* players signed with P5 schools last year?

And how many those weren't "big" linemen that were viewed as projects.

 

[pittdan77]

I thought our offense with Peterman as the QB was a lot of fun to watch. Beating Clemson and PS that year was very enjoyable.

Would have been a lot more fun if you didn't have to sweat every third and long when the defense was on the field.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

I think people are taking a harmless comment that was quoted with no context, and blowing it out of proportion.

 

[DiehardPanther]

It almost feels as if he knows/thinks he'll never be able to recruit the top end kids here. That's a defeatist attitude imo and not one I'd like the man in charge to take. I want him to believe he can get the best of the best here. That quote tells me he doesn't think that will happen, so he's reserved himself to the fate of getting the 3 star kids and having to develop them, which obviously leads to 6 - 6, 7 - 5 seasons.

Not to compare them, but you think Capel would say that?

Narduzzi came out of the gate swinging for the fences, but has realized Pitt is a much more difficult place to land 4 and 5 Stars than he originally anticipated. Pitt is a lot more similar to BC and GT than FSU and Clemson. It is an uphill battle to win over 4 and 5 star recruits when you have ND, Ohio St, Michigan, PS, and others with a presence already in Western PA. It is even more difficult to go into someone else’s backyard and land 4 and 5 star recruits.

 

[MyNameisJoe]

Narduzzi came out of the gate swinging for the fences, but has realized Pitt is a much more difficult place to land 4 and 5 Stars than he originally anticipated. Pitt is a lot more similar to BC and GT than FSU and Clemson. It is an uphill battle to win over 4 and 5 star recruits when you have ND, Ohio St, Michigan, PS, and others with a presence already in Western PA. It is even more difficult to go into someone else’s backyard and land 4 and 5 star recruits.

True that, but you can't come out and say that, can you? I mean, think it - sure...but it just feels like he's already defeated. I'd love him to sell it - be absurd - say you're gonna get all these great players and develop them to be even better. Hell, even say you already have the greatest players...none better - see where I'm going here?

 

[Jpripper88]

Narduzzi came out of the gate swinging for the fences, but has realized Pitt is a much more difficult place to land 4 and 5 Stars than he originally anticipated. Pitt is a lot more similar to BC and GT than FSU and Clemson. It is an uphill battle to win over 4 and 5 star recruits when you have ND, Ohio St, Michigan, PS, and others with a presence already in Western PA. It is even more difficult to go into someone else’s backyard and land 4 and 5 star recruits.

Yeah, and publicly admitting you don't have great players or that you get more pleasure from coaching up players who aren't great is a really bad thing to have your coach say.

 

[DiehardPanther]

True that, but you can't come out and say that, can you? I mean, think it - sure...but it just feels like he's already defeated. I'd love him to sell it - be absurd - say you're gonna get all these great players and develop them to be even better. Hell, even say you already have the greatest players...none better - see where I'm going here?

I did not take what he said in the same negative manner. The reality of the situation is The University and its alums do not prioritize the football team in the same manner as many of its competitors. This is the biggest obstacle IMO.

 

[cashisking884]

I think people are taking a harmless comment that was quoted with no context, and blowing it out of proportion.

The entire context is him saying these guys weren't capable of playing well for us last year, so the defense sucked. But we made major strides.
He then says that's the problem with college football. You can't pick these players in a draft, you have to convince the best talent to come. He then says that's the fun of coaching, developing the players. He then says the quote above everybody is talking about.
So the entire context is: recruiting is difficult, and so player development is important. And that's what is fun, especially at Pitt.

 

[PittFanDan17]

I love HCPN but that sounds like an excuse to me. Can't recruit the top HS recruits? Coach your lower ones up, don't say yours aren't as good as another program.

 

[pitt2533]

I think that quote is sort of being taken out of context.

I think he simply means that he enjoys the process of coaching up and developing players that come into the program. That he likes that aspect of the job.

I don't think he is saying that he doesn't want better players or whatever. I think it is as simple as him stating he likes to Coaching up aspect of his job and the work that is put into developing these kids over the 4 or 5 year period.

Not sure the quote is anything more than that. But carry on with the hysteria.

 

[cashisking884]

The quote is for the most part, harmless.
The only thing I don't like is Narduzzi saying that is what makes coaching "fun," "especially at Pitt." So you better enjoy this "especially at Pitt" challenge if you want to be here. I don't like what that says about the program, or at least how he views it.
And he's putting it in the context of last season. If you read the ESPN article this quote is coming from, that's what he is talking about. He blames the defense sucking last season on these being the players he has to recruit. If the defense we've seen the last couple of seasons is the price for you to be having "fun," then stop having fun.
It can't be, "These are the type of players I enjoy coaching and bringing in. The defense the last couple of seasons are what happens when you bring in these kinds of players." That to me is a problem.

 

[cashisking884]

I think that quote is sort of being taken out of context.

I think he simply means that he enjoys the process of coaching up and developing players that come into the program. That he likes that aspect of the job.

I don't think he is saying that he doesn't want better players or whatever. I think it is as simple as him stating he likes to Coaching up aspect of his job and the work that is put into developing these kids over the 4 or 5 year period.

Not sure the quote is anything more than that. But carry on with the hysteria.

But that's not what he is saying. He ends his point with the quote cited above. But most of the context is him talking about why the defense has sucked, and how you can't draft players, you have to recruit them. Implicit in that is him saying, "I can't land the type of players that will stop last year's defense from happening, because I don't get to draft them, I have to convince them of their own free will, to come. And I can't do that."

 

[cashisking884]

"We can't draft them, you know. It's a little easier, I think, in the NFL. It's not easier to win, but it's easier when you can say I want that guy, I want to pick that guy. I don't care if it's the first pick in the draft or the 24th pick, but you're recruiting him"

This is what he said before the quote everybody is talking about. I actually think this quote is worse.

 

[MyNameisJoe]

I think that quote is sort of being taken out of context.

I think he simply means that he enjoys the process of coaching up and developing players that come into the program. That he likes that aspect of the job.

I don't think he is saying that he doesn't want better players or whatever. I think it is as simple as him stating he likes to Coaching up aspect of his job and the work that is put into developing these kids over the 4 or 5 year period.

Not sure the quote is anything more than that. But carry on with the hysteria.

You're probably right, but perception...I want him as the head guy to at least trick me into thinking he's gonna get the best of the best - even if everyone knows that's not gonna happen.

 

[thebadby2]

It almost feels as if he knows/thinks he'll never be able to recruit the top end kids here. That's a defeatist attitude imo and not one I'd like the man in charge to take. I want him to believe he can get the best of the best here. That quote tells me he doesn't think that will happen, so he's reserved himself to the fate of getting the 3 star kids and having to develop them, which obviously leads to 6 - 6, 7 - 5 seasons.

Not to compare them, but you think Capel would say that?

After 3 years of getting laughed out of the living rooms of 4 and 5 star kids or getting strung along by some local prima donna whose ass the Dooz has been kissing for 18 months, only to watch him pull out the PSU, ND, OSU or Michigan cap at his presser, can you blame him?

It appears that our staff hardly even bothers to target that top 250 level of player anymore. I suspect it's just a matter of reality having set in. If Dooz could string together a couple of 10-11 win seasons, decent bowl games and some level of national relevancy, that could change the recruiting equation dramatically.

Football recruiting and basketball recruiting, and what appeals to prospects in the respective sports are totally different from one another. The fact that one sport requires 85 scholarship athletes to the other's 13 makes it a completely different animal as well.

 

[MyNameisJoe]

After 3 years of getting laughed out of the living rooms of 4 and 5 star kids or getting strung along by some local prima donna whose ass the Dooz has been kissing for 18 months, only to watch him pull out the PSU, ND, OSU or Michigan cap at his presser, can you blame him?

It appears that our staff hardly even bothers to target that top 250 level of player anymore. I suspect it's just a matter of reality having set in. If Dooz could string together a couple of 10-11 win seasons, decent bowl games and some level of national relevancy, that could change the recruiting equation dramatically.

Football recruiting and basketball recruiting, and what appeals to prospects in the respective sports are totally different from one another. The fact that one sport requires 85 scholarship athletes to the other's 13 makes it a completely different animal as well.

Can't argue with any of what you said. Just kinda hoping for him to continue selling that pipe dream to me is all. Reality? No - and I know it, nor do I really have a problem with what he said either. Just wish he was over the top positive in his responses to the media. Kids read that stuff too, but I suppose he's building this reputation of being an honest, no B.S. kind of guy. Anyway - I hear what you're saying with all of it

 

[pittdan77]

Football recruiting and basketball recruiting, and what appeals to prospects in the respective sports are totally different from one another. The fact that one sport requires 85 scholarship athletes to the other's 13 makes it a completely different animal as well.

Maybe. But that doesn't mean it can't work.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

The entire context is him saying these guys weren't capable of playing well for us last year, so the defense sucked. But we made major strides.
He then says that's the problem with college football. You can't pick these players in a draft, you have to convince the best talent to come. He then says that's the fun of coaching, developing the players. He then says the quote above everybody is talking about.
So the entire context is: recruiting is difficult, and so player development is important. And that's what is fun, especially at Pitt.

This is where the quote is from. People are making a big deal about nothing.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

If anything, him throwing Conklin under the bus is more of a discussion point.

 

[cashisking884]

This is where the quote is from. People are making a big deal about nothing.

View embedded media

Yeah, that's exactly what I described.