Pat Narduzzi Signs New Seven-Year Contract at Pitt
12/6/2017 10:45:00 AM | Football, Panther Club
PITTSBURGH—University of Pittsburgh Director of Athletics Heather Lyke announced today a new seven-year contract for head football coach Pat Narduzzi that ensures his leadership of the Panthers through at least the 2024 season.
Narduzzi is establishing Pitt as a rising contender in the highly competitive Atlantic Coast Conference. The Panthers have won 21 games under his direction, the most victories by a Pitt head football coach in his initial three years since Jackie Sherrill (28 wins from 1977-79). Narduzzi is 2-0 against teams ranked among the nation's top two.
"We're thrilled Pat Narduzzi is our head football coach," Lyke said. "We are deeply committed to helping him, his staff and his student-athletes achieve at the highest levels in the ACC and nationally. Coach Narduzzi is a tireless worker, dynamic leader and passionate about building outstanding relationships with our student-athletes and everyone connected to our Pitt family. He and his staff are fully dedicated to building a national-caliber program the right way, on and off the field."
"I am tremendously blessed to work with such great leadership at the University of Pittsburgh in Athletic Director Heather Lyke and Chancellor Patrick Gallagher," Narduzzi said. "When I initially accepted the head coaching position at Pitt three years ago this month, I said we could achieve great things if we were all moving in the same direction. Thanks to Chancellor Gallagher and Heather, we are all definitely moving in the same direction with a shared vision for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
"It is a tremendous honor to be the head football coach at Pitt. My family and I are extremely appreciative of the opportunity to be part of this great university and city."
Narduzzi's relatively brief tenure has witnessed many milestone moments and achievements, including:
This past season Pitt fielded one of its youngest lineups in recent memory. The Panthers had only four seniors in their starting lineup against Miami. Narduzzi's defense—which limited the Hurricanes to regular-season lows in total yards (232) and points (14)—utilized only one senior starter in the final month of the campaign.
"We are really enthusiastic about the team we have coming back for 2018," Narduzzi said. "We had a lot of younger players who had to grow up on the job this past season. It all came together in the Miami win on both sides of the ball and we're looking forward to continuing that momentum with a great offseason."
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Narduzzi is establishing Pitt as a rising contender in the highly competitive Atlantic Coast Conference. The Panthers have won 21 games under his direction, the most victories by a Pitt head football coach in his initial three years since Jackie Sherrill (28 wins from 1977-79). Narduzzi is 2-0 against teams ranked among the nation's top two.
"We're thrilled Pat Narduzzi is our head football coach," Lyke said. "We are deeply committed to helping him, his staff and his student-athletes achieve at the highest levels in the ACC and nationally. Coach Narduzzi is a tireless worker, dynamic leader and passionate about building outstanding relationships with our student-athletes and everyone connected to our Pitt family. He and his staff are fully dedicated to building a national-caliber program the right way, on and off the field."
"I am tremendously blessed to work with such great leadership at the University of Pittsburgh in Athletic Director Heather Lyke and Chancellor Patrick Gallagher," Narduzzi said. "When I initially accepted the head coaching position at Pitt three years ago this month, I said we could achieve great things if we were all moving in the same direction. Thanks to Chancellor Gallagher and Heather, we are all definitely moving in the same direction with a shared vision for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
"It is a tremendous honor to be the head football coach at Pitt. My family and I are extremely appreciative of the opportunity to be part of this great university and city."
Narduzzi's relatively brief tenure has witnessed many milestone moments and achievements, including:
- A season-ending 24-14 victory over No. 2 Miami, the highest-ranked opponent the Panthers have ever defeated at home. Pitt snapped the nation's longest active winning streak at 15 games by beating the Hurricanes.
- Defeating two teams that finished in the top 5 of the final 2016 College Football Playoff rankings. The Panthers gave No. 2 Clemson—last year's eventual national champion—its only loss (43-42) and kept No. 5 Penn State out of the playoff field by defeating the Nittany Lions, 42-39.
- Sending 14 of his former Pitt players into the NFL. The Panthers had five players selected in the 2017 NFL Draft, their highest total in six years.
- Eleven ACC All-Academic Football Team honorees the past two years, the second-highest total among conference schools.
This past season Pitt fielded one of its youngest lineups in recent memory. The Panthers had only four seniors in their starting lineup against Miami. Narduzzi's defense—which limited the Hurricanes to regular-season lows in total yards (232) and points (14)—utilized only one senior starter in the final month of the campaign.
"We are really enthusiastic about the team we have coming back for 2018," Narduzzi said. "We had a lot of younger players who had to grow up on the job this past season. It all came together in the Miami win on both sides of the ball and we're looking forward to continuing that momentum with a great offseason."
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