Pat Narduzzi 'not blowing smoke' when he predicts Pitt will play Sept. 12

Pat Narduzzi didn’t say when and he didn’t say who, but he left no doubt what he said to a player who made the mistake of uttering these words at practice: “Yeah, that’s if we play, coach.”

In Narduzzi’s mind, there are no “ifs” about starting Pitt’s season Sept. 12 with some yet-to-be-revealed nonconference opponent.

Narduzzi knows there’s still a chance ACC presidents and chancellors will vote to postpone, delay or cancel the season out of concern for the coronavirus, but he made clear his opinion on the subject.

“ ‘What do you mean, if we play?’ ” he said, relating his conversation with the player. “ ‘I wouldn’t be out here if we’re not going to play.’

“They read stuff, and if some guy in someone’s basement tweets something out, they believe it.”

He said he told the team, “ ‘We’re playing on the 12th. Expect to play on the 12th. We’re preparing for that day. Be ready to go.’

“We have to stick together as a team. We all have to believe there’s going to be a season (starting) on the 12th. I’m really, really confident. I’m not just blowing smoke. I’m very, very confident we will be playing on the 12th.”

Of course, there are the major details to finalize, such as the opponent. Miami (Ohio) was on the original schedule, but the Mid-American Conference postponed fall sports to the spring. Narduzzi said administrators are working on finding another opponent that will meet Pitt’s and the ACC’s safeguards against the virus.

“We’re getting closer,” he said. “I think we’re closer (Friday) than we were the day before than we were the day before than we were the day before. How close are we? I have no idea. There are a lot of things going on with the testing that they have to do.

“We have to find the right team. We’re not jeopardizing anything. Our kids’ safety is most important. We’re going to find someone we can trust and that we know is going to do the right thing.”

Meanwhile, Narduzzi said his players have not just done a good job, but an “incredible” job focusing on football and staying away from crowds over the past several weeks.

“Our kids are as safe here on our campus, in this facility, as you can be,” he said. “I have no doubt about that. I told the guys, ‘Have one girlfriend. Don’t have two or three.’ I think that’s a dangerous thing.

“Our guys have to be smart when they’re on campus.”

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