Pat Narduzzi opens Pitt camp under hot morning sun

If Pat Narduzzi is wearing a straw hat, it can mean only this: It’s sunny, it’s hot and it’s time for Pitt to open training camp at the Beano Cook fields next to the South Side railroad tracks.

The Pitt coach opened his seventh training camp at 10 Friday morning, with well in excess of 100 players. There are 124 on the team-issued roster, and most of them were participating in individual drills (without pads), catching passes and punts and running plays out of formations intended for their eyes only. Reporters were permitted to watch the first 45 minutes.

The first noticeable item that won’t give away any secrets to opposing eyes is the glut of quarterbacks. There were seven of them, dressed in the red t-shirts that shout to defenders, “Hands off!”

Starter Kenny Pickett led a group that includes four other scholarship players — Davis Beville, Joey Yellen, Nate Yarnell and Nick Patti. Walk-ons Eli Kosanovich (Aliquippa) and Jake Frantl of Erin, Wisc., were also taking snaps and throwing passes. If you think seven are too many and walk-ons have no chance, history teaches us a lesson.

During Pitt’s 1976 championship season, Conemaugh Valley’s Tom Yewcic rose from among the walk-ons — he was fourth string at one time — and relieved the injured Robert Haygood and Matt Cavanaugh on a rainy October day at Pitt Stadium. He mostly stayed out of the way, but he did fumble four times and threw an interception as Pitt defeated Louisville, 27-6. But he was under center for subsequent victories against Miami, Navy and Syracuse before Cavanaugh returned.

Yewcic also threw the pitchout that carried Tony Dorsett to a 32-yard touchdown run, breaking Archie Griffin’s all-time collegiate rushing record.

A couple of items:

• Tight end Daniel Moraga, the only Pitt tight end to catch a touchdown pass last season, has entered the NCAA transfer portal. The coaching staff has big plans for Lucas Krull’s return from injury.

• Narduzzi will address the media at 1 p.m.