Every Thursday, promptly at 1 p.m., and with most game prep finished, Pat Narduzzi sits down at a long, wooden table in a conference room and chats casually with reporters.

Colorful scenes from Pittsburgh’s North Shore and Pitt’s Oakland campus strategically are hung to cover up game plans and recruiting lists not intended for reporter’s eyes. (Oh, to have Superman’s x-ray vision.)

No matter.

Narduzzi is usually more uninhibited on such occasions, offering up a variety of anecdotes from his 31-year coaching career or a remark he heard a player make during the week.

Such was the case Thursday when he referenced James Franklin, Metallica, Pitt players’ Twitter habits and the national buzz surrounding his team — all in the space of 17 minutes, 24 seconds.

Here’s a look at all four topics:

‘Got your back, James’

You might wonder how and why Narduzzi referenced Penn State’s coach two days before he is scheduled for what appears to be a difficult ACC game at Virginia Tech.

It was triggered by a question about injuries when Narduzzi said defensive tackle Keyshon Camp left the Georgia Tech with cramps, not an actual tissue injury.

“A lot of talk about cramps and tempo and injuries,” he mused, changing the subject to Iowa’s charges that Penn State players were faking injuries last Saturday to slow down the Hawkeyes’ tempo on offense.

“I don’t agree with James Franklin on a whole bunch, but, James, I got your back,” Narduzzi said. “When you’re not playing a fast-tempo offense (and are playing) a team that huddles, nobody goes down with a cramp. That’s a bunch of baloney.”

Narduzzi has a history with unfounded charges of fake injuries started by people connected to Iowa’s program.

When Narduzzi was defensive coordinator at Michigan State in 2011, several Spartans players went down with injuries during a game, raising suspicion that never was proven or even pursued by Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz.

It might be a touchy subject for Pitt’s coach.

Heavy metal fan

Narduzzi was 15 years old when Metallica was born in Los Angeles. So, it’s not a stretch to assume that he was/is a fan.

But that’s not the reason he ordered Metallica’s hit “Enter Sandman” played while Pitt practiced this week.

The song is played at Lane Stadium at the outset of games as the Virginia Tech players run onto the field. It’s one of the great traditions in college football and never fails to rile up the home crowd.

Actually, any time Pitt is scheduled for a road game, Narduzzi finds that team’s favorite song and plays it for his players. “Rocky Top” was heard during Tennessee week. He wants his players to know what’s awaiting them.

“Once they enter that arena and they hear that song, they’re going to be like, ‘OK, it’s just like we practiced all week.’ I don’t want it to be foreign to them.”

Tight end Lucas Krull told Narduzzi that “Enter Sandman” was a staple at his high school, Mill Valley in Shawnee, Kan. Narduzzi said Krull told him, “Coach, that’s my favorite song. I’ve never lost a game when I hear that song.”

The goal is for Pitt’s players to sing “Enter Sandman” on the flight home Saturday night — just like the 2007 team sang “Take Me Home, Country Roads” on its bus ride back from Morgantown, W.Va., after 13-9.

Goodbye, Twitter

Before Narduzzi’s radio show on KDKA-FM on Wednesday, offensive tackle Carter Warren told host Larry Richert several players have disabled their Twitter account for the duration of the season.

Apparently, it wasn’t a direct order from the coach, but he made players aware that, in his opinion, there is no room or time for Twitter in between games and practices.

“I kind of said it’s a good idea to delete it,” he said.

What about that buzz?

Pitt (4-1, 1-0) hasn’t played in nearly two weeks and received one vote — for 25th place — in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Yet, no team has a better chance than Pitt to win the ACC, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.

Plus, Pitt, which was shut out 28-0 two years ago in its most recent trip to Blacksburg, Va., is a five-point road favorite, according to DraftKings.com.

Asked if any of his players are beginning to believe that buzz, he was quick to answer:

“I sure hope not, or they’ll get their butts kicked.”

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