Rosary beads at the ready, Pitt's Pat Narduzzi awaits covid test results

On the day before the day before, Pat Narduzzi talked of rosary beads, his (potential) ulcer and a medical laboratory in Raleigh, N.C., that could hold Pitt’s fate in its test tubes.

The issue is covid-19 testing. It happens three times a week for ACC teams – Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.

Pitt’s coach said Sunday’s results came back “real good,” but at 1 p.m. Thursday, he still was waiting for results from the second round of tests that concluded by 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Those tests, and those of Pittsburgh Steelers players and staff, were sent to Bio Reference Laboratories in Elmwood Park, N.J.

While worrying about those results, he’s starting to think about Friday’s tests, administered through the ACC by Mako Medical in Raleigh, N.C. Players and staff will be given those tests a little more than 24 hours before the 4 p.m. kickoff Saturday at Heinz Field.

What if someone tests positive, forcing a last-minute change in lineups and, perhaps, game plans? What if those results aren’t available until minutes before game time?

“I’ll be saying a couple rosaries,” Narduzzi said.

“I would hope the game would be delayed. This is uncharted territory. I have no idea. I come up with new questions for the doctors at least every other day.

“It’s scary. I don’t like it at all. We need some rapid testing. It has to happen really quick or there are going to be some anxious players. I don’t think it’s good for anybody. I’m going to have an ulcer after game two.”

Narduzzi called himself an incessant “worrywart.”

“This is one thing we’ve never had to worry about and now you have to worry about this,” he said.

The issue is the same for Pitt’s opponent, Austin Peay. Its plane will land in Pittsburgh on Friday, and everyone will be herded into an airport hangar for testing.

Austin Peay was forced to pause workouts before training camp began in August when 11 players tested positive, according to the Clarksville (Tenn.) Leaf-Chronicle.

Citing university policy, interim coach Marquase Lovings declined comment when asked if some players’ absences for the opener Aug. 29 were covid-related.

“We have three tests this week to play Pitt,” he said. “We don’t even know sometimes who’s going to play.

“When you have three covid tests, anybody can pop a positive test. I’m excited just like (Narduzzi) is to find out who’s going to be out there playing on Saturday.”

Said Narduzzi of his players: “Three times a week they’re waiting to see if they’re good, if they got the cooties.”