Did anyone see Narduzzi discuss recruiting rankings the other night on KDKA?

[Dr. von Yinzer]

On Friday or Saturday night, KDKA ran an interview Rich Walsh had with Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi on NSD. Walsh asked the Pitt coach about his feelings on the star rankings.

Predictably, Narduzzi basically laughed at Walsh and said that when he was at Cincinnati the one year they had the 82nd ranked recruiting class. However, seven of the guys from that class went on to get drafted by NFL teams. He also said that when he was at Michigan State, they beat out only Bowling Green for Le'Veon Bell and called him "a late add."

Narduzzi then spoke about how important development was before circling back to poke fun at recruiting rankings one final time.

I was looking for the interview on KDKA's website but I can't find it. At any rate, I really like Narduzzi's honesty.

 

[ncyajleel]

Everyone peaks at a certain time in their lives. Some peak early, some are late bloomers. When I think of 5 star players I think of kids that are peaking now, at this moment in high school. I'm sure I'm wrong, but that's the way I look at it. Some kids peak in junior high, some in high school, some in college, and some in the pros. Some never peak at all. But when I see the 2, 3, and 4 stars I just see kids who have not met their peak yet and those are the ones I would want because they work harder than those who know how good they are.

On Friday or Saturday night, KDKA ran an interview Rich Walsh had with Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi on NSD. Walsh asked the Pitt coach about his feelings on the star rankings.

Predictably, Narduzzi basically laughed at Walsh and said that when he was at Cincinnati the one year they had the 82nd ranked recruiting class. However, seven of the guys from that class went on to get drafted by NFL teams. He also said that when he was at Michigan State, they beat out only Bowling Green for Le'Veon Bell and called him "a late add."

Narduzzi then spoke about how important development was before circling back to poke fun at recruiting rankings one final time.

I was looking for the interview on KDKA's website but I can't find it. At any rate, I really like Narduzzi's honesty.

 

[pittpitt]

For the zillionth time, unless a coach is a true savant at evaluating future talent in teenagers, a college team full of 5* and 4* recruits have a MUCH larger margin for error for success than a team of 3* recruits with a few 4* sprinkled in. Of course there are 3*/2* kids who did great and 4*/5* kids who totally flamed out, but a team comprised of random top-end recruits will almost always defeat a team comprised of random middle-level recruits (coaching being equal -- see also: The HC Lane Kiffin Effect).

Pitt fans, like the fans at every other school that doesn't land 10+ 4*/5* recruits every year, likes to think our coach may be one of those savants. On the plus side, Narduzzi consistently got FAR more out of his defenses at Michigan State than their recruiting rankings/stars predicted, much like he got more out of the D in 2015 than Chryst did with nearly the same guys in 2014.

 

[burgerczar]

Recognizing upside in a recruit is the most important part of recruiting.

 

[Teh Teh]

Narduzzi gets it.

By the way, said time and time again, even by the recruiting experts on sites like this. Physical gifts, height, weight, strength, speed, give you the stars for the most part. Often these gifts give you great stats in high school, and often these gifts will get you drafted by NFL teams. So, you dont see many 5'11" 5 star QBs.

I am actually SHOCKED Wade is a 5 star. He is the first I can remember that breaks this mold.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Player development and coaching is as important as recruiting stars ... Maybe more.

 

[pittdan77]

I think any coach will take a kid with a lot of upside that doesn't mind spending time working on getting bigger and better and can be coached. Guys like that always find a way to get better.