Pitt keeps Narduzzi for 7 more years
right way, on and off the field.”
Financial details of the contract were not disclosed, but it’s surely a pay bump for Narduzzi following his third season. Since his hiring in December 2014, Narduzzi has only been included once on Pitt’s federal tax documents, which indicated he made $1.83 million in total compensation from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016. Base compensation was $1.31 million at that time, but Narduzzi was given a two-year contract extension by former athletic director Scott Barnes in December 2015, which also almost certainly boosted his pay.
“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.”
This move by Lyke might also increase the salary pool for Narduzzi’s coaching staff, per the Yahoo report. The NCAA is allowing programs to hire a 10th full-time assistant for the first time, and compensation became a hot topic this time a year ago when Pitt lost highly successful offensive coordinator Matt Canada to the same position at LSU, where Canada makes north of $1 million per season.
With Florida State recently losing longtime coach Jimbo Fisher to Texas A&M amid what was reported to be Fisher’s perceived lack of commitment from his administration, it once again shed light on the complex workings of football programs at the major conference level.
“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,” Narduzzi said in the news release. “Thanks to [chancellor Patrick] 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.”
As Pitt pointed out in its announcement, Narduzzi’s start to his tenure in Oakland equals the most wins by a Panthers coach in his first three seasons since Jackie Sherrill from 1977-79. While Narduzzi’s mostly inexperienced team took a step back this year, notching just five victories after consecutive eight-win campaigns, it’s clear Pitt would rather him not become the third consecutive coach to leave the program for another job.
Lyke and Narduzzi are scheduled to meet with media at 10 a.m. Friday to discuss the latest development. The two were together Tuesday night at the National Football Foundation awards dinner in New York.