It's official as 20 players have signed their National Letters of Intent to play football at the University of Pittsburgh, and while head coach Pat Narduzzi believes he’s found the right type of guys, he also thinks he’s found the answer at offensive coordinator in Mark Whipple.
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“I just remember back in the day of saying that guy turns quarterbacks into gold,” Narduzzi said. “I don’t know what he does. I mean, it’s like they got a new quarterback, we’ll be able to beat them (in the past) and all of a sudden, this guy is throwing lights out.”
Whipple was part of the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff that drafted Ben Roethlisberger in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft. That has turned out well, but what can Whipple anticipate doing with the quarterbacks he’ll work with at Pitt?
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“I think the guy has to win,” Whipple said. “There’s good talent there (at Pitt), and a lot of it has to do with the quarterback, is who is around them.”
Kenny Pickett was part of a Pitt offense that finished 119th in the country in passing, averaging just over 141 yards per game in 2018. Regarded as one of the finest offensive minds in football, the program will turn to Whipple, who brings nearly 40 years of experience. How will he change the scheme? Can he fix Pickett? Will he bring in someone new altogether?
“I think I’m a better coach than I’ve ever been,” Whipple said. “But you gotta have a guy that can throw the ball, talentwise, and certainly I got lucky when we drafted Ben.”
Sometimes being lucky is better than being good, and right now, the Pitt football program will take either.
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