Paris Ford opts out of Pitt's final 4 games of 2020 regular season

Pat Narduzzi said he met with Paris Ford on multiple occasions after the Notre Dame game to discuss the Pitt junior safety’s future.

In fact, as late as Monday morning, coach and player had a conversation about Ford’s decision to opt out of the final four games of the season.

“All along, Paris has had these thoughts in his mind, going back to February, when he decides to stay,” Narduzzi said. “Then, there was all the opting out going on in the middle of summer during camp. He took a few days back then to think about it long and hard.”

Narduzzi said he couldn’t “fully answer” why Ford is leaving the struggling Panthers, who have lost four in a row after holding high hopes to contend in the ACC.

“Those are decisions him and his family have to make,” he said. “They’re business decisions. They’re family decisions and ones we respect. Stuff he (needs to) do.”

Narduzzi said, to his knowledge, it had nothing to do with covid-19 concerns. Pitt has had zero players test positive over the past five games.

Although he could have been drafted into the NFL this year and will be a top prospect in 2021, Ford decided to return to Pitt for this season. He was hoping to team with close friend and free safety Damar Hamlin to build a strong secondary. But Pitt is last in allowing passing touchdowns (16) in ACC games.

In the end, losing Ford — three months after All-ACC defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman made the same choice — is another strike against Narduzzi’s program. Pitt won eight games three times and an ACC Coastal championship in four of Narduzzi’s first five years on the job, but it needs to finish 3-1 just to have a winning season in 2020.

Pitt (3-4, 2-4) visits Florida State on Saturday to trigger its stretch drive.

Narduzzi said he doesn’t believe the disappointing season played a major part in Ford’s decision.

”I don’t see that as an issue. I think we’re good there,” he said.

Narduzzi also said he doesn’t expect more defections among Ford’s former teammates, but he added, “I don’t have a crystal ball. You never know. I don’t see that right now, no.”

Ford was the gem of Narduzzi’s 2017 recruiting class, a four-star defensive back from Steel Valley. He made a verbal commitment to Pitt five years ago, as a high school junior, when he had 28 scholarship offers.

A year ago, he called playing for Pitt “a dream come true.”

“Paris is a tremendous football player, tremendous person, a guy that we have a lot of respect for,” Narduzzi said. “We appreciate all the efforts he’s put in in his 3½-4 years and even for the six years that we’ve known him through the whole recruiting process. We wish him all the best in his endeavors.”

Ford redshirted as a freshman in 2017 and spent the ‘18 season as a reserve cornerback and special-teams player.

He developed into one of the hardest-hitting safeties in the nation last season, leading Pitt in tackles (97) and interceptions (three). He also was second on the team in pass breakups (11) and forced fumbles (three).

After the season, he was named first-team All-ACC and third-team Phil Steele All-American.

This season, Ford (6-foot, 190 pounds,) is among five players who lead the ACC with three interceptions. He also leads Pitt with 45 tackles (3½ for a loss) with three pass breakups and a quarterback hurry.

During the 45-3 loss to Notre Dame on Oct. 24, Ford was removed near the end of the game and was seen expressing his displeasure. He was replaced by redshirt freshman Brandon Hill, who will inherit Ford’s position.

“It was nothing that we were taking him out for any reason,” Narduzzi said at the time. “We talked all week just by rotating those guys that we wanted to get Brandon Hill in the game and get him active.

“But nobody wants to be taken out of the game. (Ford) wasn’t taken out of the game for any reason except to give Brandon Hill a series. And I guess he wasn’t happy. I’m not sure, but that happens sometimes.”

Speaking to reporters Monday, Narduzzi described Hill (5-10, 205) as “a guy we have a ton of confidence in. We feel like he’s a starter. He’s a playmaker. He’s physical. He’s strong.”

His backup will be sophomore Judson Tallandier.

”Next man in,” Narduzzi said. “It’s an opportunity for (Hill) to take it over and be the future safety at that spot. I really think you guys will be impressed with what you see back there. He’s athletic. He’s tough. He’s physical, and he flies around with a ton of effort.”

It’s painful to lose another All-ACC player whose effort, enthusiasm and production brought energy to the team. But Pitt must turn the page.

“We focus on what we can control and the guys who are in those meeting rooms and on that football field,” the coach said. “I’m focused on Florida State, and I think our football team is.”

Narduzzi is well aware of what Ford brought to his team, but he added, “It’s not one guy who has energy and everybody else is a bunch of zombies out there.”

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