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Michigan State’s Pat Narduzzi Emerging As Strong Candidate For Pittsburgh

By Patrick Schmidt

Nov 16, 2013; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Bo Pelini (left) talks to Michigan State Spartans assistant coach Pat Narduzzi during the pre-game warmups at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 16, 2013; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Bo Pelini (left) talks to Michigan State Spartans assistant coach Pat Narduzzi during the pre-game warmups at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Pittsburgh is beginning their search for another head coach after Paul Chryst left after three seasons as the Panthers head coach to take the Wisconsin job and Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi is emerging as a strong candidate.

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Pat Narduzzi has been one of the top assistant coaches in college football since he revamped the Michigan State defense and turned the Spartans into one of the top units in the nation in 2011. He has been mentioned as a candidate for head coaching opportunities in recent years but is still in search of his first head coaching gig and that could be coming soon.

According to Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman, Narduzzi is emerging as a strong candidate for the vacancy at Pitt and could replace Paul Chryst who left after three seasons to be the head coach at Wisconsin.

Narduzzi, 48, was born in Connecticut and played three seasons at Rhode Island so he has some roots in the northeast, including coaching at his alma mater from 1993-1999. He has been on the staff of Mark Dantonio dating back to their time together at Cincinnati where he was the defensive coordinator from 2004-2006 and followed him to Michigan State after he was bypassed for the head coaching gig with the Bearcats.

He won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach last year after leading the Spartans to the top defense in the Big Ten for a second straight year.

Pitt went 19-19 in the three seasons under Chryst and could use a defensive-oriented coach like Narduzzi to get this team over the hump and competing for ACC division titles once again.

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