Pitt signs Narduzzi to seven-year extension

The coaching carousel has been as wild as ever this offseason, and Pitt hopes to stay out of it for a long time, as Athletic Director Heather Lyke announced a seven-year contract extension for head football coach Pat Narduzzi.

The extension keeps Narduzzi under contract with Pitt through the 2024 season.

Narduzzi was hired prior to the 2015 season and has amassed a record of 21-17. That’s the best three-year record for Pitt football since the Panthers went 27-12 from 2008-10, and it’s the best record over a Pitt coach’s first three seasons since Jackie Sherrill won 28 games from 1977-79.

As such, Lyke is hoping to make Narduzzi the longest-tenured Pitt coach since John Michelosen coached for 11 seasons from 1955-65.

If Narduzzi coaches the Panthers through the length of the extension, he’ll have logged 10 years with the team.

“We’re thrilled Pat Narduzzi is our head football coach,” Lyke said in a press release. “We are deeply committed to helping him, his staff and his student-athletes achieve at the highest levels in the ACC and nationally.

“Coach Narduzzi is a tireless worker, dynamic leader and passionate about building outstanding relationships with our student-athletes and everyone connected to our Pitt family. He and his staff are fully dedicated to building a national-caliber program the right way, on and off the field.”

Narduzzi’s tenure with Pitt thus far has been highlighted by a trio of wins. He beat Penn State in front of the largest crowd to watch a sporting event in Pittsburgh sports history last season, trumping the Nittany Lions 42-39 in the resumption of the rivalry. Later that season, he took the Panthers on the road to face Clemson, who was undefeated and ranked No. 2 at the time; Pitt scored an upset 43-42 win.

And this season, Pitt turned its disappointing 4-7 record into an encouraging boost into the offseason with an upset of Miami, who was undefeated and ranked No. 2, at Heinz Field in the regular-season finale.

“We are really enthusiastic about the team we have coming back for 2018,” Narduzzi said in the press release. “We had a lot of younger players who had to grow up on the job this past season. It all came together in the Miami win on both sides of the ball and we’re looking forward to continuing that momentum with a great offseason.”

Additionally, Narduzzi has spearheaded ongoing renovations at Pitt’s football facilities, a process he initiated almost immediately upon being hired in December of 2014.

“I am tremendously blessed to work with such great leadership at the University of Pittsburgh in Athletic Director Heather Lyke and Chancellor Patrick Gallagher,” Narduzzi said. “When I initially accepted the head coaching position at Pitt three years ago this month, I said we could achieve great things if we were all moving in the same direction. Thanks to Chancellor Gallagher and Heather, we are all definitely moving in the same direction with a shared vision for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

“It is a tremendous honor to be the head football coach at Pitt. My family and I are extremely appreciative of the opportunity to be part of this great university and city.”