Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi moved into dorms with players for preseason

“We’ve got lights out at 10:30 and bed check at 10:45 every night, so we’re trying to get them down early,” Narduzzi told the Wall Street Journal.

The University of Pittsburgh football team awoke to a familiar face throughout preseason.

Head coach Pat Narduzzi and his assistants moved into dorms with the players to help ensure they were receiving enough sleep. He discussed the initiative with TheWall Street Journal.

“We’ve got lights out at 10:30 and bed check at 10:45 every night, so we’re trying to get them down early,” Narduzzi told TheWall Street Journal. “We can’t close their eyes at night for them, but you can see it on the field that I think our kids are getting better rest.”

Narduzzi's goal is for his team to average 10 hours of sleep each night in hopes that they show improvements in their 20-yard shuttle and 40-yard dash times. A Stanford University study linked enhanced performance in those drills to increased sleep duration.

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In the dorms, Narduzzi also discovered that players were adept at staying connected on social media at odd hours of the night. 

“I like to get up early in the morning and see what the guys are posting on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook,” Narduzzi said, according to the WSJ. “And I’m like, if I’m up at six, how did that guy post this three hours ago?”