TALKING FOOTBALL
Coastal title repeat an attainable goal
The second day of ACC media days in Charlotte, N. C., found PItt and Pat Narduzzi on the podium.
Nearly eight months removed from the ACC championship appearance, it’s still difficult to decide what to make of Pitt’s 2018 season.
The Panthers, who finished 7- 7, won the Coastal Division, fulfilled Pat Narduzzi’s promise of playing in the conference championship and made a bowl game.
Pitt also was handed a 45point loss to rival Penn State at home, was blown out in the ACC title game by eventual national champion Clemson and fell to Stanford in the Sun Bowl. In a bar argument, there are points to consider on both sides.
But regardless of how one grades Pitt’s 2018 campaign — success or not — Narduzzi believes his program is “going in the right direction.”
“The question about winning the Coastal — is it a success or not — I mean, nothing is a success unless you win a national championship,” the head coach said Thursday at his ACC Kickoff news conference in Charlotte, N. C. “But, you know, are you happy with 10 wins and no championship, no Coastal championship? Are you happy with seven wins and a chance to play in the championship game? I like where this football team is.
“I think we’ve got a team of engaged guys. We got to get everybody on the same page to win a championship,” he said.
Taking the ACC crown from Clemson in 2019 is, well, unlikely. But if it’s another Coastal title on Narduzzi’s mind, that ought to be within reach in 2019.
In June, college football expert Phil Steele pegged Miami as the ACC Coastal favorite, followed by Virginia and Virginia Tech tied for second and Pitt coming in fourth. But Steele also had the Panthers sixth last year, and Pitt found itself playing in Charlotte.
The Coastal is always wide open. There have been six different champions in the past six years in the Coastal. Parity has been the lone constant.
Add in the fact that Miami, Duke and North Carolina are breaking in new quarterbacks, and Georgia Tech is transitioning away from the triple- option offense, and the door is open for Pitt to repeat as Coastal champs — something that hasn’t been done since Frank Beamer’s Hokies in 2010 and 2011.
When asked about a Coastal favorite and if the division is up for grabs, Narduzzi deflected somewhat.
“I don’t think they have a coaches poll preseason where we rank each other,” Narduzzi said. “So I won’t get into ranking who is going to be the champion of the Coastal at this point.”
But the coach later admitted that he doesn’t know who will win the division. And he’s not alone, either.
Duke coach David Cutcliffe said someone could pick the Coastal one through seven, and a second person could flip that list over and roll with it as their preseason choice.
“They’d have just as good a chance of being right as the person that picked first,” Cutcliffe added.
Narduzzi called that parity “a great thing for the division.” But he’s hoping the uniform randomness in the Coastal ends in 2019.
“Our goal is to always win championships,” the Pitt coach said.
“That’s what we’ll start with when camp starts, is working toward that goal.”
Initial depth chart
The Panthers media guide was released to reporters Wednesday at the ACC Kickoff, and Pitt’s initial depth chart was included.
Entering summer camp, the offense is led by quarterback Kenny Pickett and three wide receivers: Maurice Ffrench, Taysir Mack and Tre Tipton.
A. J. Davis and Todd Sibley Jr. are Pitt’s Nos. 1 and 2 running backs, while Grant Carrigan is listed as the starting tight end.
Up front, Jimmy Morrissey anchors the offensive line at center. The thirdteam All- ACC pick is flanked by Bryce Hargrove and Chase Brown at left and right guard, respectively. Carter Warren and Gabe Houy enter camp as the starting left and right tackles, respectively.
Rashad Weaver, Amir Watts, Jaylen Twyman and Patrick Jones II make up Pitt’s defensive front, with Saleem Brightwell behind them at middle linebacker. Phil Campbell III and Chase Pine are listed as the starting star and money linebackers, respectively.
As expected, Damar Hamlin — who was recently named to the Bednarik Award watch list — will be Pitt’s No. 1 free safety. Paris Ford slots in at strong safety, with Dane Jackson and Jason Pinnock manning the corner spots.
Ffrench is listed as Pitt’s starting kick and punt returner, while kicker Alex Kessman, punter Kirk Christodoulou and long snapper Cal Adomitis are slated to return.
Portal pandemonium
College football’s offseason has been dominated by the transfer portal.
High- profile quarterbacks Justin Fields and Jalen Hurts moved from one power five powerhouse to another. Clemson lost four players. Across the state, James Franklin saw 11 players leave University Park, including quarterback Tommy Stevens, since the portal’s introduction in October. And in the Coastal, Virginia Tech had 12 departures, per 247 Sports’ transfer portal tracker.
But Pitt has been unaffected. At least in a negative way.
The Panthers brought in Florida linebacker Kylan Johnson, Rutgers tight end Nakia Griffin- Stewart and Michigan offensive lineman Nolan Ulizio. But perhaps more notably, Pitt hasn’t lost anyone to the portal, something Narduzzi is proud of.
“We were fortunate enough at Pittsburgh this year that not one scholarship football player has come into my office and said, ‘ Coach, I’m leaving.’ That tells you what our culture is at our program,” Narduzzi said. “If a kid wants to transfer, needs to transfer, wants a change of scenery, I think kids should be afforded that opportunity. I think they need to be educated. It’s all how you treat your players.”