Pennsylvania’s longest-tenured college football coach is now Pat Narduzzi, and the Pitt boss commented on Penn State coach James Franklin’s firing at his weekly presser Monday afternoon.
Narduzzi has thrown shade at Franklin and Penn State multiple times in the past, with most of it centered around the fact that Penn State and Pitt haven’t played since 2019, and there had been no reason to think they’ll play again anytime soon.
But there was no shade here.
Narduzzi did point out that college football is, indeed, a “business,” and in any business, tough decisions have to be made.
Pat Kraft made this decision because what was supposed to be a historic season at Penn State ended up being historic for the wrong reasons.
WHAT NARDUZZI SAID
Photo by David Hague, Pittsburgh Sports Now: Pat Narduzzi
“James Franklin is a great coach. It’s the business we’re in. I say ‘business.’ It’s business. The places have got to do what they’ve got to do. I’m not concerned about that. We don’t play them, and James will be ok. I’ve got a lot of respect for him. It’s a shame because he’s a great coach. We all know that. He’s won a lot of football games. He was in the playoffs a year ago, and then he’s looking like he is (this season).
“I’m more focused on Fran Brown and Syracuse Orange and the challenge we have this weekend going up there in a dome, in a nasty atmosphere.”
COULD THE RIVALRY RETURN?
Penn State wide receiver Dan Chisena (88) attempts to haul in a pass as Pittsburgh defensive back Damarri Mathis (21) defends in the third quarter of an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
An interesting thing to ponder is whether Penn State replacing Franklin means the Pitt-Penn State rivalry will return. The teams have played four times since 2000, each one with Franklin coaching PSU and Narduzzi coaching Pitt. Penn State won three of those games, the last being a 17-10 nailbiter in 2019. After that, the four-year series wasn’t renewed.
It’s hard to tell how much of this is Franklin’s doing, but it must be said that two of the top very early candidates Penn State has so far are Curt Cignetti, who grew up in Pittsburgh, and Matt Rhule, who grew up in State College during the height of the Pitt-PSU rivalry.
In any case, Narduzzi is finishing up year 11 at Pitt, making him the longest-tenured coach. We’ll see if the rivalry is renewed again, and who will be coaching each team if that day comes.
