When the game ends, college football coaches don't get to rest. They're either preparing for the next opponent, dealing with a player and his problems or — in the case of Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi — letting an area star running back know he still cares.
That's why there was a mild Twitter stir Friday night when Narduzzi was photographed with Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell at Penn Hills where Woodland Hills' Miles Sanders, who has verbally committed to Penn State, was playing his final regular-season game.
Narduzzi has created a buzz on several fronts this season — with fans, big-money boosters, recruits and in the ACC standings (where it counts immediately).
Pitt (6-2, 4-1) is a half-game behind ACC Coastal Division leader North Carolina with three games to play and will attempt to further its national reputation when it meets No. 8 Notre Dame on Saturday at Heinz Field.
Seton-La Salle's Paris Ford, one of seven Pennsylvania players from the Classes of 2016 and '17 who have committed to Pitt, plans to be there. Despite the loss to North Carolina last Thursday that dropped Pitt out of the AP Top 25, Ford said Narduzzi is building a program he's so eager to join he committed 20 months before high school graduation.
“Narduzzi is making them into a smashmouth team,” said Ford, who announced his intentions Oct. 16 before the end of his junior season. “If Narduzzi gets all the right players, we will be competing for a national championship.”
That's ambitious thinking, but Pitt's recent run of success — winning six of its first seven games — is something recruits notice, said Mike Farrell, national recruiting director for Rivals.com.
“Winning is the one thing that is more important than anything in recruiting,” he said. “People want to go to a winning program.
“(Pitt's success) is definitely going to help recruiting. We already saw that with Paris. Local kids gravitate toward that and want to take more visits. You want to go there and become the next Whoever.”
To become a winning program in Narduzzi's first season at Pitt, the Panthers probably need to win at least three of their final five games, including a bowl appearance.
The victories are important because Pitt is competing not only with its neighbors along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, but the recruiting trail that goes east and west gets trickier every year, too.
“It's as hot as it's ever been in the Midwest, with (Jim) Harbaugh (Michigan), (Urban) Meyer (Ohio State) and (James) Franklin (Penn State),” said Farrell, referring to three of the Big Ten's top recruiters.
Farrell said Narduzzi's reputation for developing defensive players will help, pointing to how former Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes grew from a two-star recruit into an NFL first-round draft choice after four seasons with Narduzzi.
“He doesn't care about stars, he doesn't care about who else offered. He cares about how you fit,” Farrell said.
Another problem Pitt faces is one that is common among many college teams in an NFL city. Fighting to gain attention.
“Even if the Steelers go 0-16, they are still the top dog,” Farrell said.
Pitt is averaging 46,085 in attendance after three games, a total that Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan typically double.
“It takes a mature kid to overlook that,” Farrell said.
Notre Dame might draw a sellout crowd Saturday, even with a noon start. The Irish and Panthers kicked off at noon in 2011 in front of 65,050.
Several recruits will join Ford on the sideline before the game and in prime seats when the game begins. Ford said he has been and will be an ambassador for Pitt, hoping to coax his friends to commit with him.
“They are taking things slow,” he said, “but I'm still in their ear.”
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reached him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter at @JDiPaola_Trib.
That's why there was a mild Twitter stir Friday night when Narduzzi was photographed with Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell at Penn Hills where Woodland Hills' Miles Sanders, who has verbally committed to Penn State, was playing his final regular-season game.
Narduzzi has created a buzz on several fronts this season — with fans, big-money boosters, recruits and in the ACC standings (where it counts immediately).
Pitt (6-2, 4-1) is a half-game behind ACC Coastal Division leader North Carolina with three games to play and will attempt to further its national reputation when it meets No. 8 Notre Dame on Saturday at Heinz Field.
Seton-La Salle's Paris Ford, one of seven Pennsylvania players from the Classes of 2016 and '17 who have committed to Pitt, plans to be there. Despite the loss to North Carolina last Thursday that dropped Pitt out of the AP Top 25, Ford said Narduzzi is building a program he's so eager to join he committed 20 months before high school graduation.
“Narduzzi is making them into a smashmouth team,” said Ford, who announced his intentions Oct. 16 before the end of his junior season. “If Narduzzi gets all the right players, we will be competing for a national championship.”
That's ambitious thinking, but Pitt's recent run of success — winning six of its first seven games — is something recruits notice, said Mike Farrell, national recruiting director for Rivals.com.
“Winning is the one thing that is more important than anything in recruiting,” he said. “People want to go to a winning program.
“(Pitt's success) is definitely going to help recruiting. We already saw that with Paris. Local kids gravitate toward that and want to take more visits. You want to go there and become the next Whoever.”
To become a winning program in Narduzzi's first season at Pitt, the Panthers probably need to win at least three of their final five games, including a bowl appearance.
The victories are important because Pitt is competing not only with its neighbors along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, but the recruiting trail that goes east and west gets trickier every year, too.
“It's as hot as it's ever been in the Midwest, with (Jim) Harbaugh (Michigan), (Urban) Meyer (Ohio State) and (James) Franklin (Penn State),” said Farrell, referring to three of the Big Ten's top recruiters.
Farrell said Narduzzi's reputation for developing defensive players will help, pointing to how former Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes grew from a two-star recruit into an NFL first-round draft choice after four seasons with Narduzzi.
“He doesn't care about stars, he doesn't care about who else offered. He cares about how you fit,” Farrell said.
Another problem Pitt faces is one that is common among many college teams in an NFL city. Fighting to gain attention.
“Even if the Steelers go 0-16, they are still the top dog,” Farrell said.
Pitt is averaging 46,085 in attendance after three games, a total that Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan typically double.
“It takes a mature kid to overlook that,” Farrell said.
Notre Dame might draw a sellout crowd Saturday, even with a noon start. The Irish and Panthers kicked off at noon in 2011 in front of 65,050.
Several recruits will join Ford on the sideline before the game and in prime seats when the game begins. Ford said he has been and will be an ambassador for Pitt, hoping to coax his friends to commit with him.
“They are taking things slow,” he said, “but I'm still in their ear.”
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reached him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter at @JDiPaola_Trib.
