Pat Narduzzi Concerned About Effects of Conference Realignment
PITTSBURGH -- Another round of conference realignment is rocking the world of college sports and Pitt Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi doesn't like it.
On the heels of Colorado, Arizona State, Arizona and Utah opting to join the Big 12, Oregon and Washington have decided to join them in jumping ship from the Pac 12, but will join the Big 10 instead. For now, Pitt and the ACC have been insulated from the seismic changes realignment created, but Narduzzi still has concerns about the long-term effects of these new, cross-country conferences.
“I think it’s crazy," Narduzzi said. "It’s all money-driven, which is sad. You look at different conferences around the country, they go from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It just doesn’t make sense financially, especially for the other sports. It’s just crazy.
Despite being the head football coach at Pitt, Narduzzi is worried about how travel to these games affects the players and coaches of other sports. Football teams play once per weekend during the season while other sports would have to make trans-continental trips in the middle of the week.
"When you’re talking about all the travel for all the different sports and what that does mentally and physically to a student-athlete," Narduzzi said. "I know what it takes going on a plane to Louisville with the time change and wherever it may be. But I can’t imagine what it does to some of these other ones. It’s just tough and I think you won’t feel the effect for a couple of years until you talk to some of these other sports.”
Narduzzi was appreciative that Pitt's home in the ACC has not been one of the leagues to expand and stretch their borders from coast to coast. If the ACC was to grow, he'd want to be sure it's the right fit for the long term.
"I think one thing Commissioner [Jim] Phillips has done is kept stability in the ACC," Narduzzi said. "Everyone can talk about how they didn’t expand, but they’re looking for the right fit. … To go all the way out on the West Coast doesn't really make sense."
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