Should Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi be “Coach of the Year?”


"It's all about loyalty:

… probably will not win it, but probably should


Just about three months ago, Pitt fans were saying, “Same old Panthers.” A humbling loss to Western Michigan had them feeling poorly about their 2021 potential. 


However, give Pitt Coach Pat Narduzzi credit. He held them together and the Panthers won their first ACC football title while compiling an 11-2 record. 


In ordinary seasons, that might give him the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award. It probably should this season, but Luke Fickell’s 12-0 record with Cincinnati and Kirby Smart’s success with Georgia, both reaching the CFP, will likely move Narduzzi to third on the list. 


“It’s all about loyalty”


While Narduzzi was never considered for any of the top profile coaching openings this year, perhaps he should have been. However, he says loyalty, not big bucks, are the most important aspect of college coaching,


“I’m all about loyalty. It ain’t about the money,” Narduzzi said “It should never be about the money.


“You see some of these (coaches say), ‘I can’t turn it down.’ Supposedly, everybody’s out of money. Because of covid, you couldn’t have people in the stands last year. But they’re finding it somewhere. 


But they can’t find enough money (to raise the scholarship limit) to make sure everybody gets an extra year. They put coaches in the bind where we can only be on 85 scholarships. It doesn’t make sense. We have all this money to throw around. But what are we doing for the kids?”


He said he doesn’t want to criticize coaches “for taking a job or not taking a job.”


Yet, he added, “It’s not good for the profession.”


Jerry DiPaola, “Amid college coaching carousel, Pitt's Pat Narduzzi declares, 'I'm all about loyalty’,” Tribune-Review, Dec. 2, 2021


Loyalty?


That alone should make him a top candidate for the award. 


However, the CFP teams will be considered to be more highly prized than the Panther accomplishment,


In addition to Narduzzi, these are finalists for the Eddie Robinson award,

  • Blake Anderson, Utah State
  • Dave Aranda, Baylor
  • Luke Fickell. Cincinnati
  • Thomas Hammock, Northern Illinois
  • Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
  • Billy Napier, Louisiana
  • Nick Saban, Alabama
  • Kalani Sitake, BYU
  • Kirby Smart, Georgia
  • Jeff Traylor, UTSA
  • Mel Tucker, Michigan State
  • Kyle Whittingham, Utah

All of them are worthy, but my guess is that Narduzzi will be third in the voting. 


Nevertheless, this is a tremendous accomplishment for the Panthers and their coach. 


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