Pat Narduzzi, Pitt ready to 'reload and go' after bowl victory

In the minutes after Pitt’s Quick Lane Bowl victory Thursday night, Pat Narduzzi said he, his staff and players will enjoy it for more than 24 hours (a luxury they only experience at season’s end) but get back to work Jan. 2.

And let’s not be fooled by the dramatic 34-30 victory in a highly entertaining game: Narduzzi has a big job ahead of him.

Just like there was a reason Pitt was able to march 91 yards to the winning touchdown in less than two minutes (the Panthers prepared for that moment), the Panthers didn’t fall behind five times by accident.

The defense — solid and often spectacular most of the season — suddenly looked vulnerable, collecting only two sacks. Eastern Michigan amassed 438 yards of total offense — the second-highest total by a Pitt opponent this season — after averaging 406 against mostly Mid-American Conference competition. Central Michigan and Buffalo, two of the more successful teams in the MAC this season, defeated Eastern Michigan, 42-16, and 43-14.

Narduzzi is aware of what is needed.

“We’re going to reload and go,” Pitt’s coach said.

The defense should be fine, especially with the expected recovery from injuries of linemen Rashad Weaver and Keyshawn Camp and tackle Jaylen Twyman’s decision to return to school and defer his NFL plans for another time.

It’s the offense, specifically the run game, that has Narduzzi worried.

“We have to get our run game going better than it is right now,” he said. “That will be something we’ll work on in the offseason.”

Pitt was 12th in the 14-team ACC in average ground yards per game (125.2), and managed only 96 on Thursday in a game the Panthers never trailed by more than 10 points.

Some might call it bad news, but Narduzzi is encouraged several members of the offensive unit return next season.

That includes all four running backs, possibly led by freshman Vincent Davis, who averaged a team-high 5.1 yards per carry over 13 games. Junior A.J. Davis, the team’s leading rusher, was given one attempt against Eastern Michigan and lost 2 yards. Plus, at least one freshman, Israel Abanikanda, will join the running back group.

Wide receiver Taysir Mack averaged 11.6 yards per catch and is eligible to return, along with Shocky Jacques-Louis and Jared Wayne. All three played key roles in the bowl victory. Transfers Lucas Krull and Daniel Moraga hope to fortify a tight end group that has been lacking for several years.

And six of the seven offensive linemen who played the most snaps retain at least one more year of eligibility.

Quarterback Kenny Pickett has had his good and bad moments, but he was at his best Thursday, throwing for 361 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 248.8 yards and less than one touchdown per game before the bowl game. But in the end, he became just the fifth quarterback in Pitt history to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season (3,098), joining Rod Rutherford, Tino Sunseri, Alex Van Pelt and Tyler Palko.

Yes, he was the product of offensive coordinator Mark Whipple’s insistence on calling pass plays. Did he have much of a choice? Pickett set Pitt records for completions (289) and attempts (469), but he kept his completion percentage over 60 (61.6) and executed his sixth career second-half comeback.

Big picture?

Winning eight games three times in a five-year span is a nice accomplishment for Narduzzi, but Dave Wannstedt won a total 27 games in his last three years (2008-10), with a fan base that was just as dissatisfied then as it is now.

And he was fired.

Narduzzi’s job is safe, and it should be for reasons that go beyond his contract that still has five years to run. Stability matters, especially in college football.

That doesn’t mean all is well. Far from it.

The stagnation that existed at the end of the regular season is not wiped away by a victory against a last-place MAC team.

The job of keeping Pitt successful and relevant appears to be a never-ending battle.