Sometimes, a coach just has nowhere to turn.

Pat Narduzzi hasn’t reached that point, even though Pitt will take a three-game losing streak into Heinz Field on Saturday to play undefeated and No. 3 Notre Dame (4-0, 3-0 ACC).

But injuries and not enough depth (a recruiting issue) have created thin numbers at certain positions that are difficult to overcome.

“We can’t go get a free agent,” Narduzzi said. “I wish we could.”

Narduzzi was talking about the tight end position, a problem spot for the Pitt program since Scott Orndoff left after the 2016 season.

Lucas Krull, who was heralded as a playmaker after he transferred from Florida, has missed all but one game with a left knee injury. Kyi Wright has missed three. Meanwhile, Grant Carrigan (Pine-Richland) is lost for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

“It’s hard to run the ball when you don’t have tight ends,” Narduzzi said. “(Starter) Danny Moraga has done an outstanding job. I think he’s a physical guy. He’s getting better every week because he’s getting all the reps from practice.”

Another spot where Pitt needs help — or just better performance from the starters — is the offensive line, where only right guard Jake Kradel (Butler) and right tackle Gabe Houy (Upper St. Clair) have failed to start every game. And they’ve only missed one each.

That type of continuity is normally an avenue for success, but not this season. Pitt is 70th of 77 participating teams in rush yardage (107 yards per game).

Narduzzi has built his reputation on stopping the run and running better than his opponent, but Miami gained nearly five times Pitt’s yardage total on the ground (109/22) last Saturday. And the problem could get worse against the Notre Dame run defense, which is third in the ACC while allowing only 107.5 yards per game.

The situation is exacerbated by the loss of quarterback Kenny Pickett, who is one of Pitt’s most reliable runners (another indictment of the roster). Pickett has missed a game, and sacks are deducted from his yardage total, but he’s still Pitt’s second-leading rusher (119 yards). He’s also run for more touchdowns (five) than anyone.

Pickett hurt his left ankle at Boston College trying to gain yardage after others could not, and he likely will miss his second consecutive game Saturday.

“The run game has to get better,” Narduzzi said. “I don’t think we blocked very well (at Miami). For the first game, we didn’t win the line of scrimmage war at all. We didn’t give our tailbacks a whole lot of (room).

“(Running back Todd) Sibley early had some lanes to run through, some lanes that my old butt could run through, and he did a nice job of carrying up through there. The hole closed fast as the game went on.”

He called the situation a “wakeup call in that room.”

He admitted there aren’t many options for coaches to consider.

“At some positions we don’t have as much competition as we like,” he said.

Asked if offensive line is one of those spots, he said, “Sometimes,” but with a disclaimer.

“Maybe we’ve just got to do a better job playing those (backups). (Redshirt freshman guard) Matthew Goncalves is a guy. You saw it with (Owen) Drexel a week ago (at center). I wish he would have got more snaps just to get him going.”

He hinted that Kradel, who missed the BC game, was playing hurt against Miami.

“Jake had a couple days off, and he wasn’t as clean as we wanted him to be,” he said. “That’s tough when you play a front four like you’re going to play in Miami or like you’re going to face this weekend. Cannot be 100% or practice enough to get really good and be sound and solid inside.”

The problem with using reserves on the offensive line is it can ruin cohesion.

He said it’s OK to rotate receivers and tailbacks. But unless there’s a backup whose talent can’t be ignored, it’s best to keep the offensive line together.

“If I picked two positions you really don’t want to rotate too much, it is that quarterback position and your offensive line,” Narduzzi said. “Those guys get used to playing together. You like to ride your horse all the way to the end with your five hogs.”

That’s his plan, and he’d like to stick to it.

When a team gains only 22 yards on the ground, gets the quarterback hurried six times and sacked three others, plans and personnel can change.

Get the latest news about Pitt football and all things Panthers athletics.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)