Pat Narduzzi’s check list for Saturday’s game against Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., included:

• Helping his players deal with the expected noise from nearly 100,000 people at Neyland Stadium so Pitt can run its offense properly and no snaps will sail over the unsuspecting quarterback’s head.

• Handling the speed of the Volunteers’ offense, which will run plays at approximately 10-second intervals.

• Perhaps even polishing up the Pitt Special, a play Narduzzi might pull from the shelf and dust off to give Tennessee coach Josh Heupel some irritating flashbacks. Pitt used the Pitt Special — a pass from wide receiver Aaron Mathews to quarterback Kenny Pickett in the final minute — to beat Heupel’s 15th-ranked Central Florida team in 2019.

In the midst of all that planning with his staff Wednesday night, Narduzzi’s phone buzzed. It was a text from a former player.

It was Brian O’Neill, former Pitt offensive tackle who hours earlier signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings. It will make O’Neill, a four-year veteran, one of the highest-paid right tackles in the NFL.

O’Neill wanted to remind Narduzzi of the conversation they had before the 2015 season when the coach suggested moving him from tight end to tackle. At the time, Narduzzi told O’Neill he probably could make more money in the NFL if he made the move. Besides, Pitt needed the additional manpower on the offensive line.

Congrats to a proud Pitt man on EARNING a 5-year, $92.5 million extension in Minnesota! ????#H2P » #SKOL pic.twitter.com/2hl13IS6Cd

— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) September 8, 2021

Of course, Narduzzi never dreamed it would lead O’Neill to sign a contract worth nearly 10% of $1 billion.

“Proud of Brian. That’s awesome,” Narduzzi said Thursday. “We knew that guy would be a great player.”

Narduzzi said he didn’t need to do any serious convincing over the 12-hour period when O’Neill talked to his family back home in Delaware and made up his mind to switch.

“He made the decision. I just recommended it,” Narduzzi said. “It’s a guy trusting a coach and a staff to put him in position to be successful down the road.”

Narduzzi brought out a sheet of analytics that told O’Neill that more tackles than tight ends are selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft.

He told O’Neill, “That’s what you’re going to grow into.”

O’Neill put in the work on the field and even back in his dormitory. He set his alarm clock for 3 a.m. many nights so he could wake up and eat a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to gain the necessary weight to play tackle.

Three years later, O’Neill was drafted by the Vikings in the second round.

“He’s probably not going to get drafted where he got drafted (if he didn’t move),” Narduzzi said. “Not only does he have a degree, he’s making a lot of money. The guy’s worked his tail off. He deserves every nickel.”

While saluting O’Neill’s good fortune, Narduzzi has plenty to think about as his current team tries to increase its national profile. A victory against an SEC team will be a step in the right direction.

“I like where we are mentally. I like where we are physically,” he said.

A big part of Pitt’s task Saturday will be making 6-foot-5, 244-pound Tennessee quarterback uncomfortable.

“He’s got composure. He can throw on the run. He can run. He makes good decisions,” he said. “He doesn’t throw the ball into traffic.”

But there is a right way and wrong way to tackle, and Narduzzi has been emphasizing to his players that collegiate officials are throwing flags and ejecting players for leading with their helmet. Four players were ejected Monday in the Ole Miss/Louisville game.

Pitt outside linebacker Phil Campbell was initially called for targeting Saturday in the UMass game, but upon replay review, the call was overturned.

“They got it right,” Narduzzi said of the officials. “We watched those on video tape (from Monday). I want the defense to watch those so they see. We don’t need to lose anybody. We work too hard to play with backups. We want our best on the field.

“Not only is it targeting, but you might hurt yourself and hurt somebody else. We‘re going to use those lessons from that game as a lesson for our kids. If you want to play, keep your head up, keep yourself healthy, keep everyone else healthy.”

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