This weekend, all eyes are on Phil Jurkovec. The quarterback transferred to Pitt after stints at Notre Dame and Boston College and found himself on the bench after playing poorly to start the season. Since then, he has changed positions to tight end. Jurkovec is notorious among Irish fans for his blunt criticisms of the school.
It’s clear that the Irish didn’t leave a good impression on Jurkovec, but similar negative sentiments can be found with Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi. Narduzzi is in his ninth year with the Panthers after serving as defensive coordinator on Mark Dantonio’s dominant Michigan State teams.
Since Narduzzi arrived at Pitt, his teams are 0-3 against Notre Dame. All three times, Pitt was unranked, as they are this week. Although his teams haven’t been able to take down the Irish, Narduzzi has done well at Pitt. So far, he has a 64-45 record, with a 42-28 record in the ACC. Both are impressive numbers for a school not known for its football prowess. Narduzzi is a blunt man, often offering his opinion on any given topic, such as sign stealing.
What does Narduzzi think about Notre Dame?
Over the years, Narduzzi has criticized Notre Dame. Last year, Narduzzi complained that Notre Dame recruiters attempted to reach out to former Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett to see if he’d have interest in transferring. Narduzzi accused the Irish of using “back channels” to contact Pickett.In 2020, when Notre Dame temporarily joined the ACC for football, Narduzzi mentioned that he hated the current arrangement: "To me, it’s either you play with us or you don’t play with us."
Should Notre Dame respond? Should it care?
Notre Dame will always have its detractors. Obviously, its brand proposition is vastly different than any competing school. Notre Dame is a privileged institution: the campus is stunning, and students receive an elite education. The Irish’s long-term stability, national brand and commitment to maintaining its individuality and independence give the program significant advantages in the FBS.Everything that Notre Dame does is for its own good — and its unique position in college football is not always advantageous. Notre Dame can’t go to the ACC Championship. Clearly, in the current four-team playoff, Notre Dame would not get in over a similar team that is also a conference champion. As it currently stands, in the new 12-team playoff, the Irish will never be eligible for a first-round bye.
When coaches like Narduzzi take shots at Notre Dame, the shot doesn’t fall. Narduzzi doesn’t have the credibility to complain about Notre Dame. He has done fine at Pitt. He hasn’t been great. Winning at Pitt is harder than winning at Notre Dame. Pitt isn’t one of the more glamorous jobs in FBS. But Narduzzi knew that when he accepted the job. His gripes about the Irish don’t matter; Pitt benefits from the Irish’s arrangement with the ACC, getting to host Notre Dame every five or six years. Without the scheduling agreement, a school like Pitt would never be able to arrange home and home series with a school of similar caliber to Notre Dame. Narduzzi can talk all he wants, but his comments are irrelevant. They won’t change Notre Dame football, and they don’t put his team in a good light.
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