Since Paul Chryst left Pitt for Wisconsin and athletic director Steve Pederson was let go, Pitt chancellor Patrick Gallagher has said he intended to fill the football coach vacancy rather quickly.
It looks like the Panthers may have their eyes on their man.
Several sources have reported that current Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi is the leading candidate for the Pitt job and a deal could get worked out fairly quickly.
The 48-year-old Narduzzi has coached some of the nation’s most productive and physical defenses in the nation with the Spartans under Mark Dantonio.
Narduzzi had a shared interest with Colorado State but likely sees the Pitt position as a more ideal fit. He has also turned down offers in the past to be a head coach at smaller schools as he has been waiting for the right fit, something Pitt may be.
He turned down Connecticut and interviewed with Louisville last year, and also was a top candidate at Cincinnati before it hired Tommy Tuberville two years ago.
Narduzzi has already interviewed with the Panthers and while he was the leading candidate for the CSU job, sources say he is more interested in Pitt.
He has been one of the top assistant coaches in the country and this year produced a defense that for the fourth consecutive season was ranked in the Top 10 in the country.
Currently Narduzzi is the highest paid assistant in the Big Ten Conference with a contract that pays him more than $900,000 per season.
While Narduzzi doesn’t have any collegiate head coaching experience, which is a concern to some, he is the hottest assistant on the market in terms of future head coaches and one that Pitt seems particularly impressed with.
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