Pitt’s quarterbacks won’t trot to the sideline this season for play calls
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Pat Narduzzi expects to be especially wary of play-stealers this season after he has changed the method of delivering calls to the quarterback.
Throughout former offensive coordinator Mark Whipple’s three seasons at Pitt, the quarterback trotted almost to the sideline to get the play call. In the few seconds available, Whipple also could warn the quarterback — it was usually Kenny Pickett, of course — to keep an eye out for certain blitzes and coverages.
It was an unorthodox method of play-calling, but Whipple and Pickett liked the direct form of communication. And no one could argue with the results.
“It’s good stuff, but we’ll do it a different way (this season),” Narduzzi said, declining to reveal the new method. “It’s great for the offense.
“I like it because nobody can steal our signals. That’s what I liked about our quarterback going to the sideline last year. There are a lot of thieves out there.
“I’ll say this: I liked what we did, and nobody else out there did. Kenny loved it. Now, Kenny has that microphone in his ear and coach Canada (Matt, Steelers offensive coordinator) can say, ‘Here’s your play.’ And he can tell him, ‘Don’t forget on third-down-and-long, (the defense likes) to be in this or that or watch that corner blitz.’ “
Narduzzi always has been a defensive-minded coach who pays attention to the other side of the ball, but doesn’t tend to micro-manage if things are going well.
A good example of that is how he allowed Whipple to put the ball in Pickett’s hands — admittedly, not a difficult decision to make — during a record-setting season by the Pitt quarterback.
Before practice Thursday — No. 15 of the summer — Narduzzi said his team’s focus was much better Wednesday after he expressed displeasure Tuesday.
“Much better. Much better,” he said.
“It was just the focus. It comes down to focus. Trying to get these teenagers, these 18-, 19-, 22- whatever they are years-old, just getting their focus daily is a struggle.
“Sometimes, you get that great focus day on a Saturday for a game and, all of a sudden, Tuesday is not such a great focus day. We have to teach them how to focus every day.
“I compared penalties from (Tuesday) to (Wednesday). It was like night and day.”