Opportunity knocks for replacements Tim Salem, Nick Patti in Pitt's Peach Bowl venture

Two jokes made by Tim Salem and quarterback Nick Patti during a conference call Monday morning were thoughts that randomly jumped into their heads and will mean nothing to the outcome of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Most likely, the Pitt men who carry the most responsibility into the game were expressing the calm and comfort an 11-2 record and ACC championship can bring to a team.

Salem, who will call plays against Michigan State as Pitt’s interim offensive coordinator, said he told Patti, “(If) we’re in white jerseys, throw to the guy in the white.”

The game will be more difficult than that, of course. Patti is replacing All-American Kenny Pickett against No. 10 Michigan State (10-2) in only his second career start after throwing a grand total of 62 passes in four seasons (19 in the past two).

Yet, when Patti was asked the most significant difference in his look since he started and defeated Delaware in 2019, he quipped, “Definitely, longer hair.”

Who knows what will happen Thursday night when upwards of 65,000 people in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and an ESPN audience settle their eyes on Salem and Patti? But they both are eagerly anticipating the opportunity.

“I’m excited to call plays,” said Salem, who has been Pitt’s tight ends coach for seven seasons after calling plays at four schools during his more than 30-year career. “I think that’s always very unique.

“When it’s fourth down and everybody pauses and you have the big call to come out of your mouth, (it’s) always very exciting.”

He said he’ll communicate with the sideline from the coaches’ box.

Salem didn’t directly answer a question about his interest in the full-time job as Mark Whipple’s replacement.

“I’m just focused on what we’re doing for practice (Monday),” he said.

But it occurred to him that this is not just another day in the headsets.

“Now that you mention it,” he said in answer to a reporter’s question, “I guess it is more pressure. But I have not looked at it as such. To me, it’s a one-game focus and we just have to take care of that business.”

Salem, 60, has been around the game long enough that he was calling plays for Purdue in the early 1990s when Michigan State coach Mel Tucker was a defensive back at Wisconsin.

“Which, I guess, shows our ages,” he said.

Patti, a redshirt junior, said, “I guess so,” when asked if the Peach Bowl will be an audition for his future.

But he has been called upon in other significant moments in the two seasons after the Delaware game, which he said “seems like forever ago.”

He also threw a touchdown pass in a one-point victory against Central Florida in 2019. When Pickett was recovering from an injured ankle in 2020, Patti was Pitt’s goal-line quarterback against Florida State, scoring twice on short runs.

“I don’t have many reps,” he said, “but I’m a little bit battle-tested.”

What meant the most to him was a simple play call by Whipple this season in the fourth quarter of the Virginia game.

With Pitt clinging to a 34-31 lead in a game that eventually nailed down the ACC Coastal championship, Pickett exited briefly with an injury. Patti was handed the keys on fourth-and-1 from the Cavaliers’ 30-yard line.

“We threw a pass, which definitely gave me confidence,” Patti said, noting that kicking a field goal also was discussed. “But that’s the confidence (Whipple) had in me all year. I hadn’t made a throw all day, and he could put me in and we end up throwing a pass.”

Virginia was called for pass interference, and Pickett returned to finish what became a touchdown drive.

“That’s a moment where we have trust in all our guys,” Patti said, “whether they are a starter or a backup or they have one play or 1,000 plays.”

By all accounts, coach Pat Narduzzi handed this opportunity to Patti because of his work ethic.

“No. 1, Nick is a worker,” Salem said. “Nick comes to practice every day prepared. He understands reads. He understands the offense. He’s able to communicate.

“His workmanship has been there all year long. Now, it’s his time to show what he can do and shine.”

Said left guard Marcus Minor: “Honestly, it feels the same. Patti takes hold of the offense like KP would. Coach Salem is calling the plays like coach Whip would.”

Salem calls the experience “life without Kenny.”

“That’s just the way it is,” he said. “We’re still going to show up and play, and I think our players are excited about it.”