Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi has described strength and conditioning coach Dave Andrews as “a highly disciplined coach who instills toughness in our entire program.”

Now, Andrews will attempt to do the same for the Iowa State football program.

Iowa State coach Matt Campbell announced Friday that Andrews will join the Cyclones after five seasons at Pitt. He was an original member of Narduzzi’s staff, of which only three remain, and one of his first hires after taking the job in 2014.

It’s a move that strikes a significant blow to the heart of the Pitt football program — the weight room.

“Dave is one of the best strength and conditioning practitioners in the country,” Campbell said. “His reputation in the profession is impeccable. He has outstanding leadership qualities and the proven ability to train athletes into peak performers. There is no doubt that Dave will make an impact on our student-athletes.”

Andrews has been highly regarded by current and former Pitt players, including Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who regularly returns to his college weight room to work with Andrews. Donald returns, even though he never worked with Andrews as a Pitt player.

“I don’t know if there’s a better strength coach in the country,” Narduzzi said in a Pitt-produced video.

— Rashad Weaver (@R_Weaver17) January 10, 2020

Atlanta Falcons running back Qadree Ollison, who spent four years training with Andrews, was one of many Pitt players past and present who expressed their disappointment on social media. Ollison said in a tweet: “Yeah this one hurts. I can’t even lie … Coach Andrews was way more than just a strength coach.”

Andrews, a tight end on Ohio State’s 2002 national championship team, has spent the past 15 years as a major-college strength coach.

He came to Pitt from Notre Dame where he was an assistant director of strength and conditioning in 2014. He was the associate head strength and conditioning coach at Illinois in 2012 and ‘13.

Andrews, 38, also was on the staff at the University of Cincinnati from 2005-11, including serving as head Olympic strength and conditioning coach from 2008-11.

He is a certified by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa) and USA Weightlifting (USAW) as a level one sports performance coach.

“I will always be grateful for (Andrews’) passionate commitment to our players,” Narduzzi said in a statement, “and his important role in helping to build our program. We wish Dave and his family the very best as they being this new chapter.

“We have begun the search for our next great strength and conditioning coach, who will get to work with a tremendous group of players ready to make this our best off-season ever.

“Already, we have received nationwide interest from some outstanding candidates. We are always looking to raise the level of our program and this hire presents that opportunity.”

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