When Pat Narduzzi stands in front of his team Monday for the first of 15 spring practice sessions, he won’t let anyone see it, nor will he readily acknowledge what everyone is thinking.

Yet, the heavy weight of expectations will be on his shoulders.

He has won 36 games, a modest achievement, but it’s the most victories by a Pitt coach in his first five seasons since Jackie Sherrill won 50 from 1977-1981. Narduzzi is the first Pitt coach since Dave Wannstedt (2005-2010) to begin a sixth year.

Now, consider the five years remaining on Narduzzi’s contract, the trust he has built with Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and athletic director Heather Lyke, the return of all 10 on-field assistants and this remark he made at the signing day news conference Feb. 5:

“I know every day when I call up Heather Lyke and say, ‘How about this?’ She’s going to say, ‘We’ll get it done.’ ”

Given that foundation, all that remains is for Narduzzi to elevate the program from its 10-year rut of winning no less than five and no more than eight games, and become the first Pitt coach to win 11 since Sherrill’s last season (1981).

With a quarterback who has appeared in 30 games (27 starts) and one of the ACC’s best defenses returning most of its members, Narduzzi might have the lineup to do it.

The stability of the coaching staff is encouraging — a result of the administration increasing the salary scale in recent years — but players run, catch, throw, tackle and kick. They make the difference.

Strong safety Paris Ford (Steel Valley), defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman and defensive end Patrick Jones II decided to return when all three could have been at the NFL Combine this week preparing for the draft.

In addition, free safety Damar Hamlin (Central Catholic), who was in the 2016 recruiting class and was listed as a senior in 2019, wanted to remain part of the defense. Because of an injury-plagued freshman season, he petitioned the NCAA for an extra year and got it. Ford and Hamlin were Pitt’s two leading tacklers last season (97 and 84).

That means the defense will return nine starters, including linemen Rashad Weaver and Keyshon Camp, who were injured last season but would have been starters.

Even without Weaver and Camp, Pitt finished:

• First in the nation in sacks per game (3.9).

• 15th nationally and third in the ACC in total yards (312.9) allowed.

• 23rd and third in third-down conversion defense (33.3%).

There aren’t many jobs up for grabs, other than at middle and outside linebacker, positions held last season by Saleem Brightwell and Kylan Johnson. Replacements are waiting their turn.

Rising senior Chase Pine has played in 34 games, with two starts and six tackles for a loss. He could man either spot. Experienced linebackers Cam Bright and Wendell Davis also will be part of the spring rotation. Bright and Brightwell were third on the team with 62 tackles each.

The team’s most glaring deficiency erupted on offense last season when Pitt finished 114th in points (21.2) and 87th in total yards gained (380.5).

Quarterback Kenny Pickett enters the spring ranked seventh all-time at Pitt in passing yards (5,576). A second consecutive 3,000-yard-plus season would push him past Dan Marino into second place in Pitt history. Alex Van Pelt, a four-year starter, is No. 1 at 11,267.

But Pitt quarterbacks often were hurried (64 times) or sacked (29) while an offensive line with four first-year starters struggled to protect him.

All-ACC center Jimmy Morrissey anchors the unit, and rising senior Bryce Hargrove was a third-team all-conference selection at left guard. Carter Warren, a 13-game starter at left tackle, Carson Van Lynn, Gabe Houy (Upper St. Clair) and Jerry Drake will compete for two spots at tackle. Houy also started seven games at right guard, where he could compete with Jake Kradel (Butler).

The starting running back job should be open after rising senior A.J. Davis led the team with only 530 yards last season and had only one carry in the bowl game. Look for Vincent Davis, Todd Sibley (returning from injury) and freshman Israel Abanakanda, who has been on campus since January, to push for playing time.

The loss of wide receiver Maurice Ffrench to graduation is significant. He caught 96 passes for 850 yards and four touchdowns. But Taysir Mack made some difficult, late-game grabs (the Penn State and Eastern Michigan games come to mind) and averaged nearly 12 yards per reception. He should start, along with Shocky Jacques-Louis and Jared Wayne.

There’s room for freshmen Jordan Addison and Aydin Henningham to make an impact. They have enrolled and will work this spring.

“I’m never going to shut someone down and say he’s not ready,” Narduzzi said of his freshman class. “I mean, who knows? You watch Jordan Addison run. Our guys are saying, ‘Coach, he may be, like, maybe our fastest receiver.’ Shocky will say there’s no way.”

The tight end position, notoriously deficient in recent seasons, will be manned by graduate transfer Lucas Krull. He arrived from Florida this year and quickly built a friendship and working relationship with Pickett.

“(What if) Lucas comes out in spring ball and says, ‘Hey, I need 50 catches,’ ” Narduzzi said. “We’re going to get it to him if he shows that he deserves it.”

Krull, 6-foot-6, 257 pounds, flirted with baseball and football at three other schools before choosing Pitt. At best, he would have split time with Florida starter Kyle Pitts this season after making only nine catches in two years.

“That’s when I knew I could either split time,” he said, “or I could go somewhere else and get a starting job and really put my talents to better use.”

Asked if he’s been told that tight end will be big part of the offense, Krull smiled and said, “That’s why I’m here.”

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