Cignetti: 'We’re excited to see Nick go out there and lead us'

Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. met with the media on Tuesday in El Paso. The Panthers are preparing to take on UCLA on Friday in the Sun Bowl, Here is everything the Pitt assistant coach had to say.

Cignetti: I’ll tell you what man, it’s just awesome to be here. The hospitality has been unbelievable and looking forward to have a great game.

How do you feel Nick Patti’s connection is with Rodney Hammond and Jared Wayne?
Cignetti: Nick is a veteran. He’s been at the University of Pittsburgh for a long time. He’s a winner, he’s a leader, his teammates respect him and his teammates believe in him. We are really excited and I know I’m personally very excited to have coached him these last couple of weeks as the starting quarterback. We’re excited to see Nick go out there and lead us. Nick’s been out there with Rodney and Jared and Gavin and all these guys all year, not just this year but all these guys in the past. They have great belief in Nick and I know Nick has great belief in them.

You will be without your stating quarterback and running back, but I guess it’s next man up for you. Can you talk about practice leading up to the Sun Bowl?
Cignetti: You know what, we’ve had great preparation. Coach Narduzzi put together a great schedule prior to Christmas, we got a lot of good work in and the work we’re getting here in El Paso has been outstanding. Today will be our second day and the players have done an outstanding job. We talk about as coaches, our job is to teach this great game. Like Randy (Bates) said, ‘hey we’ve got great teachers here at Pitt.’ The fundamentals and techniques and players their responsibility is to prepare to perform. Our players have done such a great job with their preparation prior to Christmas and then coming in here with yesterday’s practice and this morning’s meetings.

From a defensive perspective, what does UCLA bring to the table?
Cignetti: I’m really impressed with UCLA. This one is a little close to my heart because their defensive coordinator, Billy McGovern is a good friend of mine. He’s a great coach. I coached with him in the National Football League, you see it show up on tape: multiple fronts, multiple coverages, multiple pressures. They do a great job coaching, they’re talented, their defensive line is athletic. They’ve got linebackers who can run and they’ve got a secondary that does a really good job covering. This is going to be a great game and this is what you look forward to at the end of the year playing a good opponent and going out there and playing some ball.

I know Pittsburgh is your hometown, what does it mean to be part of this program again?
Cignetti: Wow. You know, this is my third time coaching at Pitt. I was born in Pittsburgh. My dad coached at Pitt, my brother has coached at Pitt, and I’ve been there three times. I cannot thank Coach Narduzzi enough for bringing my wife, kids, and myself back to the city and University of Pittsburgh. It has truly been a blessing. I love the university. I love the program. I could talk all day about that question, but it means a lot to us. We’re blessed and very thankful for Coach Narduzzi.

Any particular Pittsburgh memory that is your favorite of yours through the years?
Cignetti: Wow, there’s so many because I was a young kid that was four years old going up to old Pitt Stadium. My dad coached at Pitt and then my father became the head coach at West Virginia, so I was on the other side of the Backyard Brawl watching Tony Dorsett and the legends. The University of Pittsburgh had the greatest players to ever play college football, you know Tony Dorsett and Hugh Green and Rickey Jackson and those guys. I have great memories and I have great memories from when I was here in 1989 at the Sun Bowl. We played Texas A&M here and beat Texas A&M and it was a great and what an unbelievable game and what an unbelievable week we had of hospitality. When I was here in 2009 and 10 with Coach Wannstedt, we were co-Big East champions two years in a row and we had a great group of guys. The thing I’ve enjoyed about Coach Narduzzi is he’s built a championship program the right way. Our kids come to work and they love coming to work. Th positive energy, and once again Coach Bates said is that we have great coaches and teachers here. There’s something special at the University of Pittsburgh and Coach Narduzzi has done an unbelievable job of building the culture.

It sounds like you’ve been to El Paso a bit. Do you have any favorite things or food?
Cignetti: I’ve been here a couple of times because I coached at Fresno State and we played UTEP a couple of times. We came away with some great victories against UTEP, but man just the food and the culture is special. Just like the event last night we were at, I think everyone that was there was so impressed with the talent, the shows and the skits that were put on. It was really special.

Did you talk with (Jake Frantl) about riding back from the airport with Coach Joe Golding?
Cignetti: I have not, but so thankful. A Christmas miracle and Christmas is about miracles and it just shows you what a great man he must be, not only a good basketball coach, but what a great person to help others.

This is one of the bigger Sun Bowls in the last few years. How do you feel to be part of this game and taking on UCLA, the 18th ranked team in the nation?
Cignetti: It’s a great challenge, but really every Saturday is. Nothing comes easy in football. It’s great to be here at the Sun Bowl. It’s such a historic bowl game and we’re looking forward to having a great game against UCLA.