According to Chris Peak, Pat Narduzzi tapped into his Michigan State pipeline to add former Spartan Mark Scarpinato to the team. Scarpinato, a 6’3 286 pound DT, is an interesting case. He left MSU after the 2013-14 season to go to med school at Wisconsin. At that point Scarpinato was a redshirt sophomore yet had already graduated, an impressive achievement.
Scarpinato appeared in all 14 games of his sophomore season as part of a four man defensive tackle rotation on the number one defense in the nation. I’ll look into how his eligibility will function in terms of whether or not his year off counts against him. I would assume so and that would mean the former Spartan will only be able to play this upcoming season. At worst, Scarpinato is proven depth at DT and can use his experience to aid his fellow DL in adapting to a new scheme. At best, he could be a starter on a DL that under-performed last season.
Also in recruiting news, a JUCO WR eligible to play this fall could be coming to town. Rafael Araujo-Lopes picked up an offer from Pitt, and it’s a safe bet that with Rob Harley in California today to visit him, the deal could be closed soon.
I would think the fact that he graduated will make him eligible immediately for this year .. and it shouldn’t hurt the chance for his 4th year (of eligibility)
I really thought we were OK at DT – wish they’d find another DE.
On the Juco WR, you’d have to think that playing in the slot – which is where he plays in a lot of his video — with the defense having to worry so much about TB, would be a good inducement for him to come to Pitt. This kid is fast. (And he didn’t drop one pass on his highlight video – smiley face!)
Go Pitt.
And until someone actually steps up to play opposite Boyd, or in the slot, or wherever…. Add all the competition you can.
—- One question though: Scarpinato only played two years total (fulfilled a full-redshirt year his 1st year at MSU) so I cannot comprehend any scenario why he doesn’t have 2 full years of football eligibility left.
—-Rafael Araujo-Lopes if Faaast — legit fast, and quick. And he’s fast-twitch and changes direction in a snap: Which instantly makes him probably Pitt’s 2nd most dangerous Wide-out after Boyd, instantly. One issue is that after Boyd Pitt has all “gradual-twitch” receivers = Can’t get open + Too Easy to Press.
—- Tre Tipton, Quadree Henderson and Dane Jackson (R.S. Frosh) may be ‘D-1 top-tier’ fast and explosive too, but they are still secrets at this point.
Now, add-in Nathan Peterman snatching-the-reigns and becoming Jim Chaney’s next future-Pro (Chaney coached 4 straight NFL pros before Arkansas) and Narduzzi flies outta the gates.
Nathan Peterman in his R.S. Sophomore year this past season never really played at all, and he got yanked after 1 or 2 series against Alabama in his absolute final action ever at Tennessee. But if he can’t snatch the reigns this year and fulfill his potential — get ready to watch a hamstrung, run-heavy ball-control Jim Chaney offense. Not the high-flying (stand on your seat version) he had at Purdue with Drew Brees and Kyle Orton.
I’ve seen reports that he only has 1 year left which I’d assume to be the case. In college football, you have 5 years to play 4 seasons. Since he used a redshirt year already, he has used up 4 of his 5 years (1 RS, 2 playing, 1 year off). While he has only played 2 seasons, the 5 years available to play is what counts here, not the 4 seasons available to play.
He could will end up being a Dr. Freddie Fu protege.
Go Pitt.
In Chryst’s first recruiting season, that 2012 class that was split by Graham’s leaving he recruited these guys; 4* LB Deaysean Rippy, 3* DT Terrell Jackson, 3* LB Bam Bradley, 3* TE JP Holtz, 3* OL Gabe Roberts, 3* DB Ryan Lewis, 3* LB Mike Caprara. Hmmmm, looks just like what Narduzzi did. Also, if you remember he went straight out and not only recruited those guys above but touched base and had re-commit the guys he wanted to keep from Graham’s ’12 class.
Let’s also not forget in Chryst’s first season he also had recruited and got transfer starter QB Tom Savage and had DE Dave Durham transfer in that first season also.
So in that short time he pulled in some kids who were truly integral (Savage) and others who started and who got, and will get, substantial PT this year.
Hey Dr.- I like these Narduzzi transfers and think that we may just see some real production out of them (no one knows as yet) but I still believe PITT fans are riding the “New is Better” wave that swept them up as Narduzzi fans.
He left in 2014 to go to med school. It’s only 2015.
Thanks again for reminding us that PC really helped the program with his recruiting and cleaning house, which has made the program full of quality kids. Well done!
However, being as he ditched us I am now really excited with this new staff and believe we will finally pull out of the 6-6 mud and progress upward! H2P!!!!!!!
I am just a bit weary of the bashing that always seems to go on when one guy leaves, the bashee in this case, and the savior comes riding in on his white horse.
It is one thing to like a new guy but to just assume that everything a new guy does, before he every coaches a football game remember, is soooo much better that the old guy who couldn’t do anything right.
In all honesty everything Pat Narduzzi has done in his time at PITT has been advertising and hasn’t affected the football program hardly at all…. so far. Personally, I’ll wait until the last week of fall camp before I start getting serious about how I feel about the guy. If we go into camp with minimum transfers and he allows a true QB competition then that will go a long way for me.
As for past coaching staffs I think Walt Harris is the most underrated head coach we have had since Jackie Sherill left. Between Sherill and Harris were the wasteland years of Pitt football. Those years were almost as bad as the years preceding Majors first stint.
If you want to pile praise on a guy who actually helped Chryst keep that 1st recruiting class somewhat intact, then give some love out to Chad Voytik. You can thank him for that.
I CONSISTANTLY criticized Chryst for his mediocre recruiting efforts and results. My enthusiasm for Narduzzi is all about him adding at positions of need with guys that HE has found, recruited and then closed on. See DiNucci, Allen, Peterman, Hendrix and now Scarpinato.
Chryst is gone. Time to snuff out the flame that you seem to be carrying for him.
And as far as believing HCPN is the next Jock Southerland, it is all part of the sports tribal mentality. Look at James Harrison: Steeler fans loved him when he picked off Kurt Warner in the Super Bowl. The Steelers waive him and he plays for the Bungles and Steeler fans hate him. Now back wirTh the Steelers, and Steeler fans want to have his babies.
Nothing more than professional wrestling without the predicted outcome.
And for HCPN, his ‘magic’ is somehow better. More potent. His recruits are faster and stronger and just plain better. It’s all tribal and primitive and still, it does not stop me from believing that he will be the best coach since Jackie .
It’s sorta like when you are walking thru WalMart, and you come to the bin of marked down DVDs. You know there probably isn’t much in there you can need or want, but you still take your time sifting thru the collection to see if someone might have missed an authenic hit. It do take some time!
H2P; H2PN
Hopefully Scapinato can make Coach an offer he can’t refuse and get on the field to make some significant contributions.
Reluctant to criticize PC. However
he appeared to learning on the job; also
will never understand the House promo.
PC did bring in talented players and played
FB in Pa style v hi octane BS. That said
PN’s energy has lifted everyone’s spirits.
He obviously knows the roster is thin
At certain positions such as QB and DL.
Not getting excited about the JUCO rarely
are they as good as advertised. The recruitment
of the JUCO makes me wonder about the WR
on the roster.
Comment by Atlanta Panther 04.30.15 @ 11:11 am”
Until the first game is played. Wanny getting embarrassed by ND. My dad was so mad in the stands watching that game it’s the only time I’ve heard him use the f word in public. He was pretty excited by Wanny but after that game he would say over and over for the next 5 years “he just doesn’t have it, you’ll see.” (And he turned out to be mostly right.) Chryst getting even more embarrassed by YSU.
I’ll get truly excited if I don’t see 3-4 lost leads this year and don’t see at least 1 loss to a very clearly inferior team because Pitt didn’t show up to play, again.
