Pat Narduzzi talks future of Penn State-Pitt; Lions a 'realistic' CFP contender: Newsstand
Penn State news, notes, and updates for Aug. 30 include Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi on when the Lions and Panthers might meet again, College Football Playoff talk, headlines of the day, and more.
It’s time to dive into Wednesday’s top tweets and headlines about the Nittany Lions and college athletics.
Penn State tweets of the day
We start with Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi’s latest interview in which he was asked to discuss the next time his program would face Penn State. He said the ball is in the Lions’ court.
“You’d have to ask James Franklin that,” Narduzzi told 93.7 The Fan. “My call is ‘let’s go.’ We’ve called. We’ve asked.”
Penn State and Pitt last met in 2019, with the Lions scoring a 17-10 win in State College. It ended a four-game series that started in 2016 following a 16-year hiatus. The two in-state programs may meet again in the down the road. But, future schedules are mostly set for the next handful of years, and Power Five programs are being selective about who they face at the same level in a given year as the College Football Playoff prepares to expand. In other words, don’t expect the next matchup between the two sides to be anytime soon.
In other news, CBS college football writer Barrett Sallee calls Penn State one of 14 teams with a realistic chance of making this year’s College Football Playoff.
“The Nittany Lions’ playoff hopes hinge on the arm of first-year starting quarterback Drew Allar. If he can pose a threat deep downfield, the running back tandem of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen will have holes the size of the Grand Canyon to run through.
“They have experience on the defensive front and in the secondary, which will serve them well in the Big Ten. They have the talent to split the Michigan and Ohio State games, and run the table in the other 10 games. If that happens, they’re in.”
Headlines of the day
Which Penn State freshmen were given the ‘green light’ by James Franklin to play in 2023?: McGonigal, PennLive
Penn State makes the cut with Top 50 WR Marcus Harris: Snyder, BWI
Takeaways From James Franklin’s First Press Conference of Penn State’s 2023 Season: Ralph, SI
For Penn State coach James Franklin, games begin before WVU tilt: Bauer, BWI
Penn State’s Depth Chart Pretty Much Set, but for Now It Remains a Secret —Quarterback Included: Jones, Statecollege.com
Why is Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich moving to the coaches’ box to call plays in 2023?: Pickel, BWI
James Franklin: ‘No value’ in naming Penn State’s starting QB: Allen, Daily Collegian
Quote of the day
“It’s probably one of the things that I’m most excited about. Because as an offensive coordinator specifically, there’s no better place to call the game than in the booth. [It is a] controlled environment, you got your notes out, you can see it all; you’re not relying on somebody else to echo information to you that maybe you can’t see across the field. You’re able to rely on your vision and your information.
“I think it’s ultimately Mike saying, ‘Where can I be the best offensive coordinator? Where can I call the best game? And it’s from the booth. As an offensive playcaller, I don’t even think it’s close. I think it’s the best place to call the game from.”
–PSU coach James Franklin on moving coordinator Mike Yurcich to the coaches’ booth to call plays in 2023.
