Pat Narduzzi has lived, worked and fretted through several national signing days during a college coaching career that spans three decades.
Now, under NCAA rules adopted three years ago, he gets to do it twice per year.
But the 53-year-old Pitt coach rolls with the times and said, “Sometimes, you have to improvise and adjust.”
As a result, he has unusual depth at kicker, with two on scholarship: returning senior Alex Kessman and Ben Sauls, who was one of two recruits to sign Pitt letters of intent Wednesday. They will be joined by returning walk-on kicker Sam Scarton.
Welcome, Rashad Battle!
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) February 5, 2020
⭐⭐⭐⭐
DB • Atlanta, Georgia#H2P ✍️ #2ManyLights0n pic.twitter.com/vnA3YPZ2Nw
Happy to announce @RashadBattle15 is joining the family! Welcome to the Defense! ? #H2P #2ManyLights0n pic.twitter.com/gBVgOEiY5z
— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) February 5, 2020
Welcome, Ben Sauls!
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) February 5, 2020
PK • Tipp City, Ohio#H2P ✍️ #2ManyLights0n pic.twitter.com/fPQWenbTVy
Panther Nation, welcome @bsauls22 to the family!! #H2P #2ManyLights0n pic.twitter.com/kzLlfQ0zkl
— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) February 5, 2020
Sauls and Rashad Battle, a four-star cornerback from Fairburn, Ga., give Pitt 18 recruits in its class of 2020, including 16 who signed in December. Battle is rated the No. 36 cornerback in the nation and the No. 36 overall prospect in Georgia by Rivals. He had offers from 31 schools, including Baylor, Iowa, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
Rivals.com ranks Pitt’s class 45th in the nation and eighth in the ACC. But there are three four-star prospects: Battle, defensive back Jahvonte Royal of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Westinghouse defensive end Dayon Hayes.
Last year, Rivals handed out four stars only to quarterback Davis Beville from Pitt’s class.
Plus, transfers Lucas Krull, a tight end from Florida, and Joey Yellen, a quarterback from Arizona State, already have enrolled. Pitt almost didn’t get Sauls’ signature on a letter of intent after Narduzzi initially wanted him to walk on for the first semester this year before going on scholarship in 2021.
But Sauls, who kicked field goals of 49, 50 and 55 yards last season for Tippecanoe High School in Tipp City, Ohio, got “slammed,” Narduzzi said, with five scholarship offers. Last week, Sauls verbally committed to Iowa State. He previously committed to Boston College before former coach Steve Addazio was fired.
Despite Sauls’ commitment to the Cyclones Narduzzi kept recruiting Sauls — a common tactic in recruiting at Pitt and elsewhere — with assistants Andre Powell, Randy Bates and Charlie Partridge getting involved.
At that point, Narduzzi decided it wouldn’t be wise to hold Sauls’ scholarship for a semester. If having two kickers puts Pitt over the 85 scholarship limit, there probably will be some attrition before the start of training camp.
“He has a strong, explosive leg,” Narduzzi said. “He’s an outstanding kicker, one of the best in the country.”
Get the latest news about Pitt football and all things Panthers athletics.
