Pitt notebook: Changes in college football could make NFL a welcome oasis for coaches

Over the past week, the ACC lost two important coaches to the NFL.

Former Boston College coach Jeff Hafley jumped to the Green Bay Packers as their defensive coordinator.

Charlie Partridge, who had been Pitt’s assistant head coach and defensive line coach since 2017 and was part of the collegiate game since 1996, took a job with the Indianapolis Colts.

Both men gave indications that the changing nature of college football offered a push toward the league.

“This isn’t the first time,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said, noting Renaldo Hill, his former secondary coach, left for the Miami Dolphins five years ago. “This has been happening for years.

“If you did a study, I bet every year you’d see an increased number (of college coaches going to the NFL) for whatever reason. There are different things we get to do at the collegiate level. Every once in a while, you readjust your goals. People have to make decisions based on what’s best for them and their families.”

Narduzzi didn’t specifically blame NIL or the transfer portal, but he did acknowledge “I think a lot of things are happening in college football.”

“Coaching in the NFL is different than coaching these young guys. I love developing the young men we have in our room and trying to get them to do it the Pitt way, the professional way.

“Some things you love as a college coach or pro coach, and you don’t like some things. In the NFL, you don’t have to worry about recruiting. You don’t have to worry about one of your players being five minutes late for an anthropology class.”

Losing Partridge is a blow to the Pitt program because he was a detail-oriented coach who tutored All-Americans Calijah Kancey, Patrick Jones and Rashad Weaver at Pitt. Plus, he was a good recruiter in his native Florida.

“Coach Partridge is as good as it gets as a defensive line coach,” Narduzzi said. “The Colts got a great one there. Same with Jeff Hafley.”

Narduzzi said he has no plans to coach in the NFL.

“Just not my cup of coffee,” he said.

A second signing day

Pitt signed two more high school prospects Wednesday on what used to be one of the busiest days of the college football calendar. But most schools signed the majority of their recruits during the first signing period in December. Pitt added 19 at that time.

But Narduzzi noted that he pulled off one of the best recruiting victories of his nine years at Pitt when linebacker SirVocea Dennis signed at the last minute in 2019.

“I hope I have two more like that,” he said.

Signed to letters of intent Wednesday were wide receiver Tyreek Robinson (5-foot-10, 170 pounds) of Shreveport, La., and tight end Malachi Thomas (6-4, 235) of Thomasville, Ga.

Narduzzi said offensive coordinator Kade Bell and wide receivers coach Tiquan Underwood were impressed by Robinson’s “speed, athletic ability, the way he changes direction.”

Pitt’s 21-man class is ranked 36th in the nation by Rivals.com.

While the transfer portal gains increasing importance, Narduzzi still places a high priority on recruiting high school players.

“We like to develop our guys in Pittsburgh. We love high school players, and that will never change,” he said.

Bell’s grand plans for Bartholomew

While speaking to reporters Wednesday, Bell predicted tight end Gavin Bartholomew, often a secondary target in Pitt’s passing game in past seasons, “is going to have a great year.”

“We’re going to move him all around the field. That’s going to create matchups for us, using him as a guy who’s a weapon. That’s a guy you want to have at that position. A guy who can be a matchup nightmare.”