Pat Narduzzi channels Wolf of Wall Street to dispel Michigan State rumors

Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi won’t replace Mark Dantonio at Michigan State.

Pat Narduzzi isn’t going anywhere.

After Mark Dantonio‘s sudden retirement on Tuesday, Pittsburgh’s head coach and former Michigan State assistant quickly surfaced among the top candidates to be the next head coach at Michigan State.

Narduzzi worked as Dantonio’s defensive coordinator for eight seasons (2007-2014) at Michigan State prior to taking the head job at Pitt, and he had the same job under Dantonio at Cincinnati the previous three seasons. So the idea he would succeed Dantonio in East Lansing is not at all far-fetched.

It’s hard to believe coaches when they say they plan to stay in a job and have no interest in going elsewhere. Nick Saban, when he famously said he would not be the next head coach at Alabama.  But Narduzzi went a step further to dispel the rumors attaching him to Michigan State, channeling his innerWolf of Wall Street to declare he’s not leaving Pitt.

Narduzzi and Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke each referenced he had to make a decision in comments to Pittsburgh Sports Now, but that he wanted to be where he is.

I’m here at Pitt and I want to be here at Pitt,” Narduzzi said. “That’s where I want to be.”

“I want to win championships here,” he said. “I have no desire, I can tell you that right now, to really be in the NFL at this point. … I want to win championships here. That’s our goal. We got a great football team coming back. Don’t underestimate that. I’m excited about our players. Our players are committed and their head coach is committed.

Narduzzi is 36-29 (24-16 ACC) in five seasons at Pitt.

Michigan State’s coaching search will move on to the next candidate with Narduzzi out of the picture. Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell also rebuffed interest to stay with the Cyclones. Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell might be the top target for the Spartans.