Pat Narduzzi inked a new contract today to keep him as Pitt's head coach through the 2030 season. Narduzzi is 53-37 in seven years and has one conference title, two division titles, a 1-4 record in bowl games, 36 conference wins. Narduzzi was marred by some up-and-down seasons until this year when he led Pitt to its best season since 1981 with 11 wins and the school's first ACC title.
I think extending Narduzzi is the right move based off of last season. You could start to feel some sense of things turning around just before the season. Pitt had 6 guys drafted, multiple All-Americans, the 2021 class was his best yet. I thought all Narduzzi was missing was a big season, and he went out and delivered one. He's also created a lot of optimism for the future because of that season, and there does seem to be a good wave of energy around Pitt at the moment.
I immediately started thinking back on the first seven seasons with Narduzzi as Pitt's head coach. There have been some big wins and deflating losses with Narduzzi as the coach. These games stuck out to me.
Best Wins IMO
1) 2016 Clemson 43-42: Hard to top beating No. 2 on the road. Clemson went onto win it all that season, and the only loss they had on the resume was to Pitt.
2) 2021 Wake Forest 45-21: Winning a trophy on national TV with a QB pushing for the Heisman. Pretty cool moment for Pitt, and one the fan base waited on for a while to have that type of game.
3) 2017 Miami 24-14: Probably was Pat Narduzzi's worst team since he's been here, but one of his best wins. This game introduced the world to Kenny Pickett, and they ruined undefeated Miami's perfect season.
4) 2021 Clemson 27-17: Probably one of the best environments ever for Pitt at Heinz Field against a non-rival. National Tv game, and Pitt took down the team that has dominated the conference for years. Maybe wasn't a vintage Clemson team, but the name made it a huge win.
5) 2016 Penn State 42-39: Beating PSU is always welcomed by the Pitt fan base. After a decade plus of the rivalry being defunct, Pitt came out and jumped all over PSU and held on for a win.
6) 2019 UCF 35-34: The Pitt special. Pitt knocked off UCF, a team that trounced them the year before, with a comeback win on a trick play.
7) 2018 Virginia Tech 52-22: The 2018 team started 3-4, but found a rhythm midseason. This game didn't clinch the Coastal, but it put them well on their way and beating VT by 30 is always a gratifying win for Pitt.
8) 2019 UNC 34-27 OT: After losing to UNC four years in a row, Pitt got the hex off in this one. Pickett looked good, and the team moved to 7-3.
9) 2016 Georgia Tech 37-34: The 2016 team was entertaining, if nothing else. This game had a Brian O'Neil touchdown, and a Chris Blewitt game-winner bounce through the uprights.
10) 2021 Tennessee 41-34: Big early season statement win on the road in an SEC stadium, showed what the 2021 team was capable of.
Top 5 Deflating or bad losses:
1) (tie) 2021 Western Michigan and 2021 Miami: Either game is always going to be the ultimate 'what if' for Pitt. A win in either of these games would have made Pitt 12-1 instead of 11-2 and could have had a chance to make the CFP.
2) Penn State 2018: Losing to Penn State by 45 points on national TV was a rough one.
3) Notre Dame 2020: The COVID year didn't really go how Pitt hoped, but losing to Notre Dame by 42 with the team wearing gray uniforms was ugly.
4) North Carolina 2015,2016,2017, 2018: Yea losing to the same divisional team four years in a row in all excruciating fashions was pretty tough.
5) Penn State 2017: The whole field goal situation...
I think extending Narduzzi is the right move based off of last season. You could start to feel some sense of things turning around just before the season. Pitt had 6 guys drafted, multiple All-Americans, the 2021 class was his best yet. I thought all Narduzzi was missing was a big season, and he went out and delivered one. He's also created a lot of optimism for the future because of that season, and there does seem to be a good wave of energy around Pitt at the moment.
I immediately started thinking back on the first seven seasons with Narduzzi as Pitt's head coach. There have been some big wins and deflating losses with Narduzzi as the coach. These games stuck out to me.
Best Wins IMO
1) 2016 Clemson 43-42: Hard to top beating No. 2 on the road. Clemson went onto win it all that season, and the only loss they had on the resume was to Pitt.
2) 2021 Wake Forest 45-21: Winning a trophy on national TV with a QB pushing for the Heisman. Pretty cool moment for Pitt, and one the fan base waited on for a while to have that type of game.
3) 2017 Miami 24-14: Probably was Pat Narduzzi's worst team since he's been here, but one of his best wins. This game introduced the world to Kenny Pickett, and they ruined undefeated Miami's perfect season.
4) 2021 Clemson 27-17: Probably one of the best environments ever for Pitt at Heinz Field against a non-rival. National Tv game, and Pitt took down the team that has dominated the conference for years. Maybe wasn't a vintage Clemson team, but the name made it a huge win.
5) 2016 Penn State 42-39: Beating PSU is always welcomed by the Pitt fan base. After a decade plus of the rivalry being defunct, Pitt came out and jumped all over PSU and held on for a win.
6) 2019 UCF 35-34: The Pitt special. Pitt knocked off UCF, a team that trounced them the year before, with a comeback win on a trick play.
7) 2018 Virginia Tech 52-22: The 2018 team started 3-4, but found a rhythm midseason. This game didn't clinch the Coastal, but it put them well on their way and beating VT by 30 is always a gratifying win for Pitt.
8) 2019 UNC 34-27 OT: After losing to UNC four years in a row, Pitt got the hex off in this one. Pickett looked good, and the team moved to 7-3.
9) 2016 Georgia Tech 37-34: The 2016 team was entertaining, if nothing else. This game had a Brian O'Neil touchdown, and a Chris Blewitt game-winner bounce through the uprights.
10) 2021 Tennessee 41-34: Big early season statement win on the road in an SEC stadium, showed what the 2021 team was capable of.
Top 5 Deflating or bad losses:
1) (tie) 2021 Western Michigan and 2021 Miami: Either game is always going to be the ultimate 'what if' for Pitt. A win in either of these games would have made Pitt 12-1 instead of 11-2 and could have had a chance to make the CFP.
2) Penn State 2018: Losing to Penn State by 45 points on national TV was a rough one.
3) Notre Dame 2020: The COVID year didn't really go how Pitt hoped, but losing to Notre Dame by 42 with the team wearing gray uniforms was ugly.
4) North Carolina 2015,2016,2017, 2018: Yea losing to the same divisional team four years in a row in all excruciating fashions was pretty tough.
5) Penn State 2017: The whole field goal situation...
