Pat Narduzzi, Pitt coach, hammers Michigan State football and Big Ten
Apparently you will find no love missing in between Pat Narduzzi and Michigan Condition football.
Narduzzi, who served as Spartans defensive coordinator underneath Mark Dantonio from 2007-14, was one particular of the most beloved coaches on a workers that turned Michigan State from an afterthought into a Massive 10 powerhouse.
Presently, those people occasions appear extensive back.
Narduzzi, the Pittsburgh Panthers’ head coach, on Thursday appeared on Bazzy’s Black and Gold Banter — a predominantly Pittsburgh Steelers podcast — and took a shot at his former team.
The Panthers and Spartans performed in the Peach Bowl final December when Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett sat out to shield his NFL draft status. Narduzzi reported that is the only motive the Panthers misplaced.
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“He is a 21-issue variation, Ok,” Narduzzi reported of Pickett. “Michigan State will get their butt kicked in. It is really at minimum a 14-place difference if (backup quarterback) Nick Patti performs the total sport.
“I can tell you that. That is how I come to feel.”
In its place, Patti got harm in the initial quarter and the Panthers experienced to transform to third-string quarterback Davis Beville. The Spartans scored 21 unanswered details in the fourth quarter to complete a 31-21 win and secure an 11-2 report in Calendar year 2 underneath coach Mel Tucker.
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The Panthers gained the Atlantic Coast Conference for the very first time given that 2013, ending with 11 wins for the very first time in 40 yrs (1981).
Coming off the most effective season of his tenure, Narduzzi failed to restrict his comments to his former group, using aim at his former conference, as well.
“If which is 1 of the very best Significant 10 groups,” Narduzzi began, “let’s go to the Huge Ten and acquire it each and every calendar year.”
What Narduzzi failed to point out is MSU was also without the need of its most effective player — Walter Camp Player of the Yr and Doak Walker Award winner Kenneth Walker III. Walker, who was also a initial team All-American and a 2nd-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks, did not participate in in the Peach Bowl after dashing for 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns in his lone period in East Lansing.
Narduzzi also conveniently still left out his team’s performance versus another team from Michigan: The Panthers lost, 44-41, to Western Michigan on Sept. 18. That game did have Pickett having snaps the upcoming very first-spherical select passed for 382 yards and 6 touchdowns, but Narduzzi’s defense was torched for 517 yards as the Panthers trailed or were tied with the Broncos for the final 48:42 of match time. (Western Michigan shed its opener to eventual Massive Ten champ Michigan, 47-14.)
Rather of walking his feedback back on Friday, Narduzzi doubled down when talking as a visitor on KDKA-FM (93.7) in Pittsburgh, right after one particular of the hosts suggested he created MSU lovers upset with his feedback.
“Which is rough luck, it truly is known as specifics,” Narduzzi reported. “We didn’t have Kenny Pickett engage in, we did not have (defensive back again) Damarri Mathis play, two of our fellas who obtained drafted. No one was likely to operate the ball on us.
“It truly is just the way I felt, it arrived about chatting about Kenny Pickett not playing in a bowl game and all that stuff, it failed to indicate to genuinely occur out, but it is the absolute fact definitely. If which is just one of the most effective teams (in the Significant 10), then what are we conversing about in this article?”
Pat Narduzzi is 1-6 in 7 online games towards the Massive Ten because he took above the Panthers in 2015.
Stick to Tony Garcia on twitter at @realtonygarcia.
