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Narduzzi Recruiting Perspective

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PittMan2003

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Much has been made from critics that Narduzzi is not a good recruiter. I believe that on a scale from 1-10 he is about a 6 or 7 (slightly above average). We typically compare Duzz to previous Pitt coaches, but I wonder if previous Pitt coaches had to compete with as good of coaching recruiters. Franklin is light years ahead of Paterno and O'Brien as recruiters. Urban is right next door and considered the best head coach recruiter. We also have Harbaugh, Dantonio, Fedora, and VaTech's new coach along with Mark RIcht. Even Durkitt out of UMD seems to be a good recruiter.

I am too lazy to crunch the numbers but I wonder if Narduzzi's comparisons to previous Pitt coaches may not be fair because Narduzii is competing with very good coach recruiters.

I would like to see recruiting improve a bit but I am also realistic and realize top 10-15 classes won't happen very often. Our attendance hurts recruiting. I love Narduzzi and think he will be very good if we can keep him for the foreseeable future.
 
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It's his first head coaching gig. Put Meyer or Franklin there, of course they would do better at this time. They have bigger names, especially Meyer. The fact is, Pat is doing just fine, but he is not a charismatic type of person. I do believe he is a perfect fit for Pitt. He needs time, all coaches do.
 
Hotshoe said:
It's his first head coaching gig. Put Meyer or Franklin there, of course they would do better at this time. They have bigger names, especially Meyer. The fact is, Pat is doing just fine, but he is not a charismatic type of person. I do believe he is a perfect fit for Pitt. He needs time, all coaches do.
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I think narduzzi is very charismatic.
 
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Revenge Of The Noise said:
Charisma is a color called green.
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Its not just Pn recruiting. I would honestly put PN as a 7 or 7.5 he isn't as good a recruiter as Meyer,Franklin or DW even, but he is a solid recruiter who works hard. But I don't see this staff as having a lot of big time recruiters. DW had Hafley and several others who did most of the hard work. I was hoping PN would use the DC position to go out and land one of the top recruiting position coaches in the country. Since the DC is basically PN anyway. Partridge is known as a good recruiter so we will see how he helps.
 
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ThePanthers said:
Those other coaches have much easier sells at their school. Put narduzzi at psu tosu etc and put Franklin or Meyer at Pitt and the classes would be similar as they are now.

We are not the number 1 sell in this town. It is an obstacle here.
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Disagree Meyer with his name would recruit lights out at Pitt as well. DW brought in 3 or 4 top 20 to 25 classes in 6 years. its possible at Pitt. Its not as easy as the places you mentioned but its also a lot easier sell than some places that have been ahead of Pitt as well. I think the recruiting has been solid anyhow. Outside of the wpial they have probably been as good as anyone since Gottfried. They haven't done near as well at home as DW did though.
 
revampedpanthers said:
Its not just Pn recruiting. I would honestly put PN as a 7 or 7.5 he isn't as good a recruiter as Meyer,Franklin or DW even, but he is a solid recruiter who works hard. But I don't see this staff as having a lot of big time recruiters. DW had Hafley and several others who did most of the hard work. I was hoping PN would use the DC position to go out and land one of the top recruiting position coaches in the country. Since the DC is basically PN anyway. Partridge is known as a good recruiter so we will see how he helps.
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Agree completely. Narduzzi has skills ... we all saw the 180 in tactics and effort over Chryst. We quickly found that brilliant and dynamic recruiting style still brings about the same star level (and that Chryst and Jamie Dixon for that matter immediately shot up in their recruiting upon escaping Pitt's tyranny).

Narduzzi at an Ohio State or Penn State would be almost nearly as formidable with their sophisticated mesh of boosters and recruiters and pliant administration.

A Meyer might have more gravitas due to history and Franklin a bit better gift of gab, helping us score a bit better in the recruiting front initially. But once initial buzz settled, both would soon hit the same granite wall as so many coaches since Sherrill... the relentless cheapness and ass-stick of the Pitt administrators.
 
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For his 3rd year, Duzz has done a great job. His classes are not top 30 because they are small classes. He would have to get mostly all 4 and 5 stars with these classes to ge high. He has been getting by other offers higher quality 3 and 4 stars. We like to talk about those classes Wanny brought in. But hardley any of high star guys did anything other then Shady. Not sure what Larry F. was rated
 
I'm confident that narduzzi and staff is better at discovering the proverbial under radar types that fit his style and I believe he will be much better in bringing in deeper classes. We've always been good at higher level talent with a big drop off.

I believe duzzi will have classes with a more tslented "middle class" per se. Time will tell if I am correct with this assumption. ,
 
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Larry Fitz was a Walt Harris recruit. I agree that several of Wanny's high-star guys flamed out, so those classes were higher ranked than they should have been.

I think Coach Duzz is doing an excellent job of recruiting and agree with the OP that anyone recruiting at Pitt will be handicapped by the attendance at Heinz.

Go Pitt.
 
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PittMan2003 said:
Much has been made from critics that Narduzzi is not a good recruiter. I believe that on a scale from 1-10 he is about a 6 or 7 (slightly above average). We typically compare Duzz to previous Pitt coaches, but I wonder if previous Pitt coaches had to compete with as good of coaching recruiters. Franklin is light years ahead of Paterno and O'Brien as recruiters. Urban is right next door and considered the best head coach recruiter. We also have Harbaugh, Dantonio, Fedora, and VaTech's new coach along with Mark RIcht. Even Durkitt out of UMD seems to be a good recruiter.

I am too lazy to crunch the numbers but I wonder if Narduzzi's comparisons to previous Pitt coaches may not be fair because Narduzii is competing with very good coach recruiters.

I would like to see recruiting improve a bit but I am also realistic and realize top 10-15 classes won't happen very often. Our attendance hurts recruiting. I love Narduzzi and think he will be very good if we can keep him for the foreseeable future.
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Who recruits better than Meyer?
Holgy?
Franklin?
Even Harbaugh has worn thin at UM.
Facilities, Tradition, Fan support, Conference and the head coach are all the key ingredients.
Pat is a fine recruiter and will get better as we gradually improve.
Not everyone is as accomplished as our own Crazy Taco.
Maybe Ole Miss wants him to recruit there.
 
I think that Narduzzi will be able to build up Pitt with solid 4 star recruits and 3 star "fits or diamonds in the rough" as starters that will be good. We won't have 4 star backups like the Ohio States and Alabamas. It will probably always require luck for us to stay healthy and yes not lose players to dismissal to compete for division and conference championships. Last year was an example where losing Hendrix, Zeise, Conner's struggles early and the other injuries probably kept us from winning another 2+ games. It was evident by the closeness in our losses.
 
Pitt man 2003 is spot on. The football recruiting isn't good because 57th in recruiting is reality and beyond frustrating. No 4/5 star players YTD who are the elite play makers and make the difference in your classes. You see the diffference in a Whitehead, Shady, Boyd, who are no brainer 4/5 star players. I've also heard, Win and they'll come. We beat PSU and the national champs last year. We know the Duke student attendance after the Clemson win which was embarrassing. Students hate taking the bus. I don't believe Franklin is any better than Duzz as a coach and he's getting those players because of atmosphere (Happy Valley on campus vs Heinz off campus). PSU has 14 4/5 star players to our zero which kills me. The bottom line is Duzz's recruiting would be a lot better if he had the atmosphere of an on campus stadium like a PSU. Lyke and company need to STOP with the rhetoric that the Steelers relationship is fantastic and makes a huge difference to Pitt. REALLY? It might be a great relationship based on low rent but to me 57th in recruiting with no 4/5 star play makers is an extremely poor business plan/relationship that yields 7-5 and 8-4 records year after year. Time to reevaluate the plan.
 
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Panther Al said:
Pitt man 2003 is spot on. The football recruiting isn't good because 57th in recruiting is reality and beyond frustrating. No 4/5 star players YTD who are the elite play makers and make the difference in your classes. You see the diffference in a Whitehead, Shady, Boyd, who are no brainer 4/5 star players. I've also heard, Win and they'll come. We beat PSU and the national champs last year. We know the Duke student attendance after the Clemson win which was embarrassing. Students hate taking the bus. I don't believe Franklin is any better than Duzz as a coach and he's getting those players because of atmosphere (Happy Valley on campus vs Heinz off campus). PSU has 14 4/5 star players to our zero which kills me. The bottom line is Duzz's recruiting would be a lot better if he had the atmosphere of an on campus stadium like a PSU. Lyke and company need to STOP with the rhetoric that the Steelers relationship is fantastic and makes a huge difference to Pitt. REALLY? It might be a great relationship based on low rent but to me 57th in recruiting with no 4/5 star play makers is an extremely poor business plan/relationship that yields 7-5 and 8-4 records year after year. Time to reevaluate the plan.
Click to expand...


I agree, but where do you put the stadium...
 
Hotshoe said:
It's his first head coaching gig. Put Meyer or Franklin there, of course they would do better at this time. They have bigger names, especially Meyer. The fact is, Pat is doing just fine, but he is not a charismatic type of person. I do believe he is a perfect fit for Pitt. He needs time, all coaches do.
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Dooz is about as charismatic as they come, and even more so with his team than with the media. Have you paid attention to how he interacts with his players and the kids he's recruiting?

His results are open to debate, but lack of charisma is not an issue.

Now the last guy, on the other hand.....

latest
 
thebadby2 said:
Dooz is about as charismatic as they come, and even more so with his team than with the media. Have you paid attention to how he interacts with his players and the kids he's recruiting?

His results are open to debate, but lack of charisma is not an issue.

Now the last guy, on the other hand.....

latest
Click to expand...
Listen to this interview to see how Coach Narduzzi is perceived by recruits and their families.

 
Panther Al said:
I'm sorry, I was wrong. PSU has 17 4/5 star players not 14 and Pitt is now 60th in recruiting with zero 4/5 star players. My bad.
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No point in worrying about recruiting class until late January. Pitt fans always fret from late spring through Mid-December mainly because we rarely have more than ~half of our ultimate class committed by the end of summer. We also usually have a few players earn more stars during their senior seasons cause Narduzzi has a good recruiting eye.

Worrying now is a waste of energy as it is every year. Wanny's best classes usually averaged around 3.1 to 3.3 stars. Come LOI day in February this class will probably be similar in average stars.
 
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Panther Al said:
Pitt man 2003 is spot on. The football recruiting isn't good because 57th in recruiting is reality and beyond frustrating. No 4/5 star players YTD who are the elite play makers and make the difference in your classes. You see the diffference in a Whitehead, Shady, Boyd, who are no brainer 4/5 star players. I've also heard, Win and they'll come. We beat PSU and the national champs last year. We know the Duke student attendance after the Clemson win which was embarrassing. Students hate taking the bus. I don't believe Franklin is any better than Duzz as a coach and he's getting those players because of atmosphere (Happy Valley on campus vs Heinz off campus). PSU has 14 4/5 star players to our zero which kills me. The bottom line is Duzz's recruiting would be a lot better if he had the atmosphere of an on campus stadium like a PSU. Lyke and company need to STOP with the rhetoric that the Steelers relationship is fantastic and makes a huge difference to Pitt. REALLY? It might be a great relationship based on low rent but to me 57th in recruiting with no 4/5 star play makers is an extremely poor business plan/relationship that yields 7-5 and 8-4 records year after year. Time to reevaluate the plan.
Click to expand...
You say students hate to take the bus, but they also hated to walk up the hill when we played at Pitt Stadium
 
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Again, fan attendance is as important as uniforms or what the girls look like on campus. It's, In the middle of a kids checklist when picking a school. Frankly it's a crutch used by some Pitt fans.

If you don't think a kids most important part of selecting a school is his main recruiter and his head and position coach is kidding themselves. Throw in can the coaches he feels most comfortable around get him to the next level is also very important. Being able to compete against the best programs is another factor. Which clearly the ACC provides. Add scheme to the top list. Is the coaches able to sell their scheme to the recruit in which he can play fast and excel.

You haven't been around the recruiting aspect of college football
 
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He's posing as a Pitt fan.

DC_Area_Panther said:
No point in worrying about recruiting class until late January. Pitt fans always fret from late spring through Mid-December mainly because we rarely have more than ~half of our ultimate class committed by the end of summer. We also usually have a few players earn more stars during their senior seasons cause Narduzzi has a good recruiting eye.

Worrying now is a waste of energy as it is every year. Wanny's best classes usually averaged around 3.1 to 3.3 stars. Come LOI day in February this class will probably be similar in average stars.
Click to expand...
 
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sherepower said:
Again, fan attendance is as important as uniforms or what the girls look like on campus. It's, In the middle of a kids checklist when picking a school. Frankly it's a crutch used by some Pitt fans.

If you don't think a kids most important part of selecting a school is his main recruiter and his head and position coach is kidding themselves. Throw in can the coaches he feels most comfortable around get him to the next level is also very important. Being able to compete against the best programs is another factor. Which clearly the ACC provides. Add scheme to the top list. Is the coaches able to sell their scheme to the recruit in which he can play fast and excel.

You haven't been around the recruiting aspect of college football
Click to expand...
Where do recruits rank cash, cars, deluxe housing, and girls?
 
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Stop obsessing over PSU vs. Pitt recruiting. Pitt has not outrecruited PSU for probably 35 years, and probably won't in the near future. They are both great schools academically, but the campus and programs are much different. That doesn't mean that we should be 'jealous' or not enjoy the seasons as much. This staff is recruiting hard, and will try to get the guys who 'fit' right now, and want to be Panthers. It is what it is, and hopefully, Pitt will win more, draw more interest and support, and then be able to recruit better than they are. No matter what, Pitt is our school, and we will always have hope for a great season. I think Narduzzi can get us to where we want to be, sooner or later. Personally, I will continue to support the program, and enjoy the games no matter what. Let PSU be what they will be, but we can be proud of what Pitt represents in the big picture to us.
 
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thom67 said:
You say students hate to take the bus, but they also hated to walk up the hill when we played at Pitt Stadium
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it can be done, or could have been done, without stepping foot on the hill. you started out on 5th, went thru two hospitals, one medical library, went thru a few hallways that are off limits to non hospital personnel but it could have been done. Not really worth the effort to be honest and it's weird as hell walking thru a hospital with a case of beer but it was possible..
 
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How much did the alumni and Golden Panthers factor into recruiting back in the late 70's and 80's
 
Panther Al said:
Pitt man 2003 is spot on. The football recruiting isn't good because 57th in recruiting is reality and beyond frustrating. No 4/5 star players YTD who are the elite play makers and make the difference in your classes. You see the diffference in a Whitehead, Shady, Boyd, who are no brainer 4/5 star players. I've also heard, Win and they'll come. We beat PSU and the national champs last year. We know the Duke student attendance after the Clemson win which was embarrassing. Students hate taking the bus. I don't believe Franklin is any better than Duzz as a coach and he's getting those players because of atmosphere (Happy Valley on campus vs Heinz off campus). PSU has 14 4/5 star players to our zero which kills me. The bottom line is Duzz's recruiting would be a lot better if he had the atmosphere of an on campus stadium like a PSU. Lyke and company need to STOP with the rhetoric that the Steelers relationship is fantastic and makes a huge difference to Pitt. REALLY? It might be a great relationship based on low rent but to me 57th in recruiting with no 4/5 star play makers is an extremely poor business plan/relationship that yields 7-5 and 8-4 records year after year. Time to reevaluate the plan.
Click to expand...
No. Franklin (hate him or not) is a really, really, really good recruiter. He is not getting these kids because of "atmosphere". He might beat us for a kid because of "atmosphere" on some part of the decision, but he isn't beating UM, ND, OSU, etc. for prospects because of that.
 
sherepower said:
Lol.........at the top of the list
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Agreed - that is why Pitt fans should not expect to land 4/5 stars on a consistent basis. We do not have the big money boosters that Powerhouse programs have. These are the people paying the bill for these things.
 
DiehardPanther said:
Agreed - that is why Pitt fans should not expect to land 4/5 stars on a consistent basis. We do not have the big money boosters that Powerhouse programs have. These are the people paying the bill for these things.
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Then how did we recruit like ALabama, OSU and others from 1976 to 1989. If we could do it then, clearly we can do it again. Finally playing in a conference that gives us way more money now than back then
 
sherepower said:
Then how did we recruit like ALabama, OSU and others from 1976 to 1989. If we could do it then, clearly we can do it again. Finally playing in a conference that gives us way more money now than back then
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Technology and media have completely changed the recruiting landscape forever. It lends itself to the rich getting richer as diamonds in the rough are fewer and fewer. Camps have become a smorgasboard for the better programs where only a handful of teams get to select from the best of the best . National media exposure is phenomenal for the top schools . I remember reading about the recruitment of Shane Conlan and how little exposure there was even in the early 80's. Now he would be a 4star with bama, osu and everybody else beating on his door. Look at James Connor and how he almost didn't even have the resources to camp at Pitt. What if he was able to hit all the regional rivals,scout, etc camps ? He may have wound up a 4 star with an all expenses paid official visit to Southern Cal and others. He may have still wound up at Pitt but definitely more competition. Now if you go early 70's there are some obvious things like Johnny Majors 73 class with over 70 recruits including Dorsett . Also , look at things like the espn 30for30 on Marcus Dupree and how Barry Switzer talks about buying dupree's mom a new place. I'm sure there is plenty of "stuff" that still goes on but social media/internet have definitely made things like that a little trickier in todays world. People LOVE to tell on other people and what better place than twitter.
http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/05/hall_of_famer_shane_conlan_wan.html
 
sherepower said:
Then how did we recruit like ALabama, OSU and others from 1976 to 1989. If we could do it then, clearly we can do it again. Finally playing in a conference that gives us way more money now than back then
Click to expand...

Probably because the things that mattered in recruiting then matter a lot less now. If you ever expect Pitt to get back to the levels of 1976, you will continually be disappointed
 
H2Pittisit said:
Probably because the things that mattered in recruiting then matter a lot less now. If you ever expect Pitt to get back to the levels of 1976, you will continually be disappointed
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120 recruits in Majors I first recruit class including a large number of JUCOs. That jump started it all. But, only to 6-5-1, 7-4, 8-4 the first 3 years before the 12-0 championship in 1976. Then 30-35 recruits more each succeeding year. Then recruiting territory was mostly Western PA, NE Ohio, NJ & Eastern PA supplemented by players from Florida and a few other southern states. We now live in a world of the 25/85 rule, a lower population Western PA, and fiercer competition for Florida and other southern talent. It is much harder to build quickly to a breakout season than back then. Even then it took two years to reach a talent level to win a bowl game in 1975.
 
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