Ex-Pine-Richland football coach Eric Kasperowicz joins Pitt staff as volunteer assistant

Eric Kasperowicz said he talked to “a bunch” of coaches at the high school and small college levels about resuming his coaching career.

Finally, he received an offer that, he said, “I couldn’t pass up.”

Kasperowicz, who coached Pine-Richland to four WPIAL championships and two PIAA titles in eight seasons before he was let go this year, was named a volunteer assistant at Pitt. Kraig Urbik, a former assistant at Pine-Richland, also was named a volunteer assistant.

“Pitt man, Pitt grad. We’re happy to have him on the staff,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said Tuesday. “Great, great addition. Obviously, a super coach and an even better person.”

Kasperowicz contemplated taking a year off, but in the end, he wanted to continue coaching.

“After having the unknown of maybe taking the year off, this opportunity arose and I couldn’t be more thankful to coach Narduzzi and the University of Pittsburgh,” he said when contacted Tuesday night.

After playing quarterback at North Hills and throwing for more than 7,000 yards, Kasperowicz played outside linebacker at Pitt and won three letters from 1994-1997 while playing for two of Narduzzi’s predecessors, Johnny Majors and Walt Harris.

He has known Narduzzi for many years through recruiting avenues. Pine-Richland quarterback Ben DiNucci played at Pitt, and Grant Carrigan, currently a senior offensive lineman for the Panthers, also played for Kasperowicz.

Kasperowicz and Urbik will not have on-field duties, but they will be tasked with film study and analytics.

“I’ll be doing some advance scouting, video analysis, analytic stuff, working with the offensive side of the ball,” he said.

He’ll keep his teaching job in the North Hills School District and will join the Pitt coaching staff for meetings later in the day. Long days, but similar to what he did when he was coaching at Pine-Richland.

“I’m sure there are some longer days down there. Pretty similar, the life of a coach. I’m sure it will be ramped up a little bit,” he said.

Kasperowicz was dismissed by Pine-Richland in April despite leading the Rams to WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A titles five months earlier. His firing came amidst allegations of possible hazing or bullying associated with the team along with issues with program management and institutional control.

He filed a lawsuit for defamation of character against Pine-Richland School District and several district officials for comments school officials made in the wake of his dismissal.

Kasperowicz said every assistant from his Pine-Richland staff who wanted to continue coaching has found another job.

Urbik was drafted in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009 from Wisconsin and went on to play nine seasons in the NFL.