Narduzzi on DBs, WRs, Albany and more

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Pat Narduzzi met the media on Thursday and talked about the secondary, the receivers, Albany and more. Here's a full rundown of what he said.

Narduzzi: Finally; I’ve been waiting to sit at the table with you all. We got a big crowd here. Opening week, looking forward to this challenge. I think every game’s a challenge - you only get twelve guaranteed - so I’m excited to watch our kids play, I really am. I think we’ve got some very talented football players and different positions and you kind of just want to see what happens on game day. I got a great text message from Dave Wannstedt this morning and I’ll give you the whole text and this is why we want to practice in Heinz Field. And he just pretty much said some guys will freeze in the first or second game. So those are some things you obviously get concerned over; Who is going to freeze and whose not? We can’t have anybody flinch at all.

Where does the secondary stand right now?
Narduzzi: Sometimes they’re standing, sometimes they’re sitting down, in the shower - whatever, but we’re good. I guess I’m looking for the guy that’s just going to be a beast. I’m looking for that guy. Phillipie (Motley) has been the most consistent guy back there. (Damarri) Mathis has had a good camp. There’s a good chance those two guys are the starters as you look out there. But we’re a little bit banged up there too. You sit in staff meetings and go through the depth chart on the board everyday and it’s nothing like fatal, nothing that’s going to keep us out. We’re as healthy as we’ve had camp-wise, but if I had to say if there’s one position a little more banged up then you’d like - it would be the D-Back position.

Are the inconsistencies from physical or mental mistakes?
Narduzzi: Neither, just inconsistencies of being out there enough to be really good. Sometimes I think you guys see people that you don’t say much about and I appreciate that - that maybe might be the best guy out there. So again I don’t if it’s just because they’re all - I just can’t sit here and say that that guys is for sure the best guy. I don’t know if that’s a problem - I guess we’ll find out. Again it’s just being consistent every day doing the right things.

Is there usually that one guy (at cornerback) ?
Narduzzi: Usually there’s two guys that stand out and now there’s like four or five guys that it’s like, I don’t care which one is in - just throw them out there. Who cares? Shake them up in your hat and throw them out there and see who comes out. Which is a good thing, because I think we’ve got depth back there, but I just wish there was a total dominant guy. And if I had to see that right now - it’d be Phillipie. But I’m happy with where they are.

Does Damarri Mathis have the blend of size and elite speed to keep up with guys on the outside?
Narduzzi: He does have that speed. They all do. You’ve got to play good fundamentals everyday, every snap and sometimes guys lose fundamentals and they get caught up ion something else. It’s hard to be detailed every single snap, but when you’re out there on that island you better be detailed every single snap or it’ll show. But Damarri’s got great ability. He played for us a true freshman last year and not many true freshmen come in and play. I think ‘Quis (Marquis Williams) is a guy that’s played pretty consistent. He’s a football player and you guys will see that on Saturday. But I expect him to play as well.

With the new redshirt rule, will more true freshmen get a chance to play on Saturday?
Narduzzi: We talked about that and I think that’s why our meeting maybe went over a little bit. There’s a strategy to it. We’ve never had to worry about it before. I pretty much said let’s not throw a guy into a game unless we’ve talked about it extensively. Double check with me on the headphones that we want to do that because playing him on four plays on Saturday as opposed to getting 30 down the road - what’s better? I’d rather play him 30 than 4. So maybe all he’s going to play down the road is four, but it’s really only a need if we want to do that right now. You have to play it by the moment about what you’re going to do.

Could the lack of separation at some positions be attributed to the lack of one true playmaker?
Narduzzi: And again I think we’re talking more about the secondary than I am the receivers. I know you could say that about any position. But I feel depth wise pretty good at every position except that secondary. But that might be where you are. You might go, “God I think they’re all good” but I just want to see the one where I feel like, “that’s our guy.” I want two guys - one guy on that edge and one on that edge who are the guys. They’re all young too. Dane (Jackson) is probably the older one out there. Jason Pinnock is young, Damarri Mathis is a second-year guy. Phillipie’s the older guy, but he just hasn’t been as healthy as you want him to be.

Is this a week one where if s guy is a little inured, will you hold him out?
Narduzzi: I think that’s my philosophy always. If he’s a little banged up and you get him banged up even more. Instead of just one game, maybe you lose three games. The healthy of these student athletes is paramount - it really is. They’ve only got so many hits in them, so many sprints in them. If there’s anybody that’s got something nagging that maybe you saw in a yellow jersey or you saw running in a different line or you saw walking out the front door - we’re going to be careful with them because it’s their bodies and it’s important. We got a game to play, we got a game to win, but it’s a marathon not a 100-yard sprint and its over.

So fans shouldn’t panic if they expect to see a guy out there and he’s not out there for snap one?
Narduzzi: No panic at all. Paris Ford had a great day today, so that’s another cornerback. He’s been a little bit banged up, but that’s another guy. I expect to see No. 12 ready to go Saturday.

As a former D-1AA/FCS player, do you stress how important is to prepare for a team like Albany?
Narduzzi: When I was player? Heck no, they don’t care about what happened back in 1985. But we talk about it all the time, you’ve got to play. You only get 12 opportunities. I don’t care who we’re playing. We showed a videotape of Mike Tyson on Tuesday morning just talking about that guy had some KO’s in the first round. It didn’t matter who the guy was fighting - he went all out and he won a lot of boxing matches. That guy, he didn’t play down to his competition in the ring - it didn’t matter. If the fight is going to be over in :37 seconds - it’s over. Thank you very much - I’m out of the ring. We need to go play up. We can’t play down to our conception. We talk about that all the time. Sometimes it works - sometimes it doesn’t. They will be ready. Albany’s going to pull out all the stops to win this football game - and that fires me up.

Is wide receiver a position like defensive back where you are waiting for some guys to step up?
Narduzzi: It’s not like defensive back at all. Right now, I’m like fired up about those guys out there. We’ve got some players - it’s going to be interesting. I just it’s what I see out there I hope I see on Saturday. I think we’ve got some guys with some elite speed. We’ve got some guys that are out there making some tough catches. I like our receiving corps as much as I’ve liked any receiving corps. And I liked Tyler Boyd and I liked Jester Weah, but I like this whole corps. I like this group of guys we have. You’re going to watch Donatavius Butler for the first time, you’re going to watch Taysir Mack for the first time, you’re going to watch Shocky (Jacques-Louis) for the first time. Maurice Ffrench has been explosive, so I’m excited about that guy. There’s some guys that have different things they do and I’m looking forward to seeing that. And receiver is a totally different position than cornerback too. You’re going to play more guys; you’re going to rotate tight ends. But corner, you’re kind of like you have your guys out there and let’s go.

Are you seeing a change in attitude with some new coaches on the defensive side of the ball and are you expecting to see that on Saturday?
Narduzzi: It better show up on the field or we’re in trouble. The attitude the energy, that all goes with your coordinator. I can’t be in there everyday and they feed from Coach (Randy) Bates right now. I think the other assistants see that happening and they feed off of Coach Bates as well. It kind of permeates the room and I think that’s what you are seeing or hearing.

How do you prepare for a 6’7’’ basketball guy transitioning to tight end?
Narduzzi: Why isn’t he on the two-deep? But he’s not on the two-deep which is interesting. I don’t know if he’s hurt of what, but we’re expecting that guy to be out there. How do prepare? I told our guys if he’s anything like that Green kid, Draymond, and how his football opportunities at Michigan State were - it wasn’t pretty. He couldn’t get off a press and he’s a pretty elite athlete. And he’s 6’7”, so we’re going to bang him around. I guess he’ll be under the hoop all day.

You don’t have a 6’7” guy on the scout time, do you?
Narduzzi: Kaymar (Mimes) played his position this week. Kaymar Mimes is a good football player. We don’t talk much about him but that guy has a serious mind and he’s going to be a great football player. We’re happy with him as well. He played No. 32 this week because he’s a big basketball player and he plays large.

Did you notice that Penn State is going to play Temple in ’26 and ’27?
Narduzzi: I did not know that. ’26 and ’27 - what’s it right now? That’s a long time from now.

Any reaction to that?
Narduzzi: Figures - that’s all I got for you. I did not know that.

Is there any word on Jeff George’s eligibility?
Narduzzi: No. Nothing yet, we’ll let you know as soon as that happens. And the last thing and our captains named a game captain: Sean Idowu will be our fourth captain out there for this Albany game. So I’m excited for Seun to go out there and help lead this football team to a victory on Saturday.