For the second time this week, Pat Narduzzi was asked about the hottest off-the-field topic in college football.
And for the second time, Pitt’s coach wasn’t eager to talk about the California legislation that will allow college athletes to profit off their likenesses. Two Pennsylvania lawmakers said they are planning to introduce a similar bill, labeled “The Fair Pay to Play Act” in the state legislature that would give athletes the right to sign endorsement deals and hire agents.
“I don’t know much about it,” Narduzzi said Thursday. “I don’t want to speak on something I’m not educated on. If I’m educated on that, Duke will kick our tail on Saturday, if I’m reading about that stuff.”
That said, he did make clear his opposition to the legislation, even to the point that, if the situation gets out of hand, he may not want to continue coaching college football.
“It just seems like chaos,” he said.
“I think our kids should be paid. I think there has to be some type of structure to it.
“It can’t be that the local hardware store says, ‘I’m going to give (an athlete), he’s my guy, a grand a week to play and do a commercial for me. It can’t be like that.
“Then, someone else is going to come in and say, ‘I want (that same athlete) to play for me.’
“Where does it end?”
It could end by driving Narduzzi to the NFL, he said.
Although he likely was exaggerating for effect, he did say, “If it becomes that chaotic, I’ll be going to the NFL where there’s, at least, a salary cap and everybody is playing with the same rules,” he said.
“That stuff’s crazy.”
Get the latest news about Pitt football and all things Panthers athletics.
