Pat Narduzzi insists results matter in Pitt's final 3 games

Perhaps only a coach can understand what Pat Narduzzi is thinking as he prepares to lead his team through the final three games of the season.

Pitt will take a 2-7 overall record into its game Saturday against Syracuse (4-5, 0-5 ACC) at Yankee Stadium. Three more defeats would drop the Panthers to 2-10, the worst winning percentage (.167) at Pitt since the 1972 team finished 1-10 (.090).

Forget history. How bad would 2-10 look and feel to players and coaches inside a program that was ACC champion only two years ago?

On the other hand, if Pitt wins all three games to finish 5-7 and 4-4 in the ACC — including victories against 6-3 teams Boston College and Duke — it’s still a losing season, but there would be a feeling of accomplishment and hope for the future.

Which is why Narduzzi answered with a definite “no” Thursday when he was asked if he might use the last three games to get a look at some younger, less experienced players.

“I’d like to take these last couple games to get some wins,” he said. “I’m not worried about looks. We have spring ball (to look at younger players). I’m trying to win a football game. That will always be why we step on the field on game days.”

All personnel decisions leading into Saturday have been made with the intent of defeating Syracuse and building momentum for a quick turnaround next Thursday against Boston College at Acrisure Stadium.

Pitt made small improvements on defense in the 24-7 loss to Florida State last Saturday. It was the first time in 15 games the Seminoles failed to reach 30 points. The Panthers showed some life throughout the game, a distinct contrast from the 58-7 loss to Notre Dame the week before when effort waned in the second half.

“Last week, I saw improvement that was kind of like (players) put the blinders on … worry about what you can control,” Narduzzi said. “I just want to see them play the right way, period. I think we’ve done a better job at stopping the run at times and then you don’t. I’ve seen improvements, but I want to see more.”

Pitt’s defensive coaches played a guessing game this week, wondering if Syracuse starting quarterback Garrett Shrader would return after missing the 17-10 loss to Boston College with an undisclosed injury.

Shrader, a transfer from Mississippi State, came into this season as one of only five FBS quarterbacks to throw for more than 5,000 career yards and run for more than 1,500. He threw for 1,508 yards and nine touchdowns in the first eight games.

Shrader has played 46 career games, compared to backup Carlos Del Rio-Wilson’s two. He replaced an injured Shrader last season in a 19-9 Pitt victory and threw four interceptions last week against BC. Overall, he completed 15 of 40 passes in those games.

But Del Rio-Wilson’s appearance behind center is not necessarily reason for Pitt fans to feel hopeful. The Panthers couldn’t stop Wake Forest third-string quarterback Santino Marucci from throwing the winning touchdown pass with 7 seconds left in their game last month.

That was one of four losses that will haunt Narduzzi more than the others over the winter. Among the other three:

• Cincinnati is 0-7 since defeating Pitt.

• West Virginia won despite scoring only 17 points.

• Virginia Tech defeated Pitt, 38-21, before losing to Louisville, 34-3. The Louisville game is Pitt’s only ACC victory.

Pitt and Syracuse have played every year since 1955, and the Panthers have won 18 of the past 21. Narduzzi’s teams are 7-1 against the Orange, but four of the eight have been decided by three- or seven-point margins.

“It’s a tough game. It’s physical,” he said. “I love playing a team over and over again. That’s part of what makes a rivalry. You get to know who they are. It’s more fun to game-plan. There’s that chess match you get when you play someone more than once or twice.”

Narduzzi also likes to play Syracuse because he has become friends with its coach, Dino Babers.

“Dino is a real confident guy,” he said. “Regardless of what their record is, he’ll have those guys ready to go. That team will be ready to roll like we will be.”