Pat Narduzzi’s message Monday after he dissected Pitt’s 2-0 start to the season was simultaneously sincere, hopeful and cautionary.

• Sincere because he believes the Panthers could be the most successful of his six Pitt teams, and he wants his players to know it.

• Hopeful because he may be asking for too much. But why not reach for the stars?

• Cautionary because he doesn’t want to flush a grand opportunity to make something special out of the 2020 season.

“I think we have a great football team,” Narduzzi said during a Zoom conference call with reporters. “I think we can do great things. But we have to execute and pay attention to details.

“We have a football team that’s capable of doing whatever they want to do.”

That’s a significant statement because winning the ACC, which requires dethroning five-time defending champion Clemson, always has been the stated goal.

Is Pitt really the 21st-best team in the nation as the most recent Associated Press Top 25 rankings indicate? Probably not, because Big Ten and Pac-12 teams, who are not playing at the moment, won’t be included in the balloting until next Sunday.

But it’s not outrageous to think Pitt is good enough to make a significant impact across the ACC and the nation by the end of the season. The defense is stout and stingy, quarterback Kenny Picket is smart and experienced and there are playmakers at wide receiver.

The next test will be the most difficult yet, however. Louisville (1-1, 0-1 ACC) will arrive at Heinz Field on Saturday with a team that possesses more speed and athleticism than Pitt’s previous two opponents, Austin Peay and Syracuse.

Narduzzi said of Cardinals junior wide receiver TuTu Atwell, “He might be one of the fastest receivers we’ve ever faced.”

Pitt’s defense has been dominant over the first two weeks, leading the nation (such as it is, considering all the covid-19 postponements) in rush defense (26.0 yards per game) while not allowing a sustained scoring drive of longer than five plays. With 10 sacks , Pitt is on pace for 55.

But Pitt also has committed 11 penalties for a loss of 100 yards, fumbled six times and thrown an interception. Pitt recovered five of its fumbles, bu they still disrupt offensive flow. The other fumble led to a Syracuse field goal.

“It’s always nice to be 2-0 and not play your best football,” Narduzzi said. “I still think the best football is ahead of us. I don’t think our kids are particularly happy as well after watching the tape and seeing the situations we put ourselves in. The details weren’t there.”

He added that — with a cleaner effort — Pitt would have shut out Syracuse, “30-zip or 42-zip.”

Narduzzi said he aims for perfection but will settle for excellence.

“That’s why we like to coach the game, to make things better,” he said. “If nobody got sick, there wouldn’t be a use for doctors. If nobody messed up and had problems, there’d be no use for coaches.”

Narduzzi refused to use the disjointed offseason created by the pandemic as a reason for the sloppy play. Players were separated from their coaches and each other for three months.

“It has nothing to do with it,” he said. “We’ve had plenty of time to get stuff right. What I saw Saturday is nothing different than what I saw last year in Games 2 or 3 or 5 or 6 or 7. We’re always going to make mistakes.

“We’re not going to get perfection. Kids are going to make mistakes. They will not be perfect. We’ll fix some mistakes and then we’ll make other mistakes that we have to correct. That’s just the nature of the game.

“The penalties are what really bothers me because that sets you back and could cost you a football game.”

Notes: Cam Bright, who had 10 tackles and a forced fumble, was named ACC Linebacker of the Week. Rashad Weaver shared Defensive Lineman of the Week with Duke’s Victor Dimukeje. Weaver recorded two sacks against Syracuse. … Pitt’s game against N.C. State on Oct. 3 at Heinz Field will begin at noon and will be televised by the ACC Network for the fourth time in four games.

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