Narduzzi in the Sporting News

[pittjagger]

Another excellent read from a national writer. Pat's experience with MSU, inheriting a rebuild job, will serve us well at Pitt I think.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-fo...arduzzi-pitt-panthers-first-year-expectations

 

[pittjagger]

Also interesting how James got the low down on his new coach from MSU players

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Another excellent read from a national writer. Pat's experience with MSU, inheriting a rebuild job, will serve us well at Pitt I think.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-fo...arduzzi-pitt-panthers-first-year-expectations

EXCERPTS:
""""To me, I like a rebuild,” Narduzzi said at the ACC Kickoff. “To walk into one of the most elite programs in the country, wherever that is and take over a bunch of five-star guys; how much fun is that? I don't know."

Narduzzi, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, knows the surroundings. He remembers making the short trek to Pittsburgh games with his father Bill, who coached Youngstown State from 1975-85. He remembers watching Tony Dorsett, Dan Marino, Jimbo Covert and the program that won the 1976 national championship.

“The history and tradition we have here at Pitt is incredible,” Narduzzi said.

He's in a better situation than his first year at Michigan State. The Spartans were coming off three consecutive losing seasons. Pitt made a bowl game each of the last seven seasons, but three of the last four years ended with a 6-7 record.

Narduzzi brings in a time-tested, no-frills formula. Run the ball. Stop the run. Even in the age of spread offense, Narduzzi insists there's nothing more frustrating than watching a team “running it down your throat.”""""""
............
“You'll love him,” they said. Then Conner noticed the defense in the backfield more on inside-run drills this spring.

"Coach is real energetic, real hands on,” Conner said. “Sometimes I think he's going to jump in the drills. He's just a real hands-on, real focused guy. He's the man for the job for us."

Narduzzi and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, who spent the last two seasons with Bret Bielema at Arkansas, won't shy away from feeding Conner. Narduzzi watched Le'Veon Bell carry the ball 382 times for the Spartans in 2012. He joked Conner's 298 carries last season were a “light load.”

"If he's a horse keep giving it to him,” Narduzzi said. “Backs get hot the more carries they get. I never liked it when you've got one of the best players on the team, and he's on the sideline on third-and-1 because he needs a blow. He's a war-daddy back. We gotta give him the ball as much as he can handle."
....................
That transition won't happen overnight. Or maybe it can. Narduzzi recalled his first defensive coordinator stint at Miami in 2003, when Terry Hoeppner called him a week before spring ball. Narduzzi helped the nation's 96th ranked defense jump up to 35th in one year. Pittsburgh ranked 33rd in 2014. He's not going to put a ceiling on improvement.

Narduzzi has a feel for when that break-through might happen. It will come around midseason, perhaps during a third- or fourth-quarter timeout. Maybe in the meeting room. He's been in this spot.

"I've been on the sideline before, and I've been in the press box before and I like to ask them,” Narduzzi said. “I like to put it on the kids. I say, 'Tell me what they want to run on third down.' What do they want to run? Base. They want to run base. They know what to do.”

Know the assignments. Trust each other. Play fast. Play physical. That's how Narduzzi molds a defense. It worked at Michigan State. It can work at Pitt. Narduzzi is building with that base look, but that doesn't mean the Panthers aren't ready to give his intricate blitz-heavy style a trial run.

"Oh, we're gonna blitz,” Narduzzi promised. “We have a unique style of blitzing that will give us the ability to put some pressure on people in the run game and the passing game. We'll know where our strengths and weaknesses are, and we'll play off it."

Pitt's future is promising with Narduzzi, who couldn't fit better here if he tried. He's working events with the alumni in the North Hills and the South Hills. He's firing back at West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen over the “Backyard Brawl,” and Pittsburgh plays Penn State for the first time since 2000 at Heinz Field in 2016. Those are keys to unlocking a hidden tradition.

Narduzzi saw the same thing eight years ago. It's time for the next remodel.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-fo...arduzzi-pitt-panthers-first-year-expectations

 

[The Loaded Italian]

very good summary