Pitt HC Explains Jaw-Dropping Fake Punt Decision

The Pitt Panthers' 42-28 win over No. 16 Georgia Tech nearly wasn't a win due to a poor coaching decision by Pat Narduzzi.

Georgia Tech scored a touchdown to make it a 35-21 with 8:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Pitt still led. The Panthers retained possession but promptly went three-and-out, and instead of punting it away with 7:05 on the clock, Narduzzi decided to put wide receiver Cataurus "Blue" Hicks, who is probably the fastest player on the team, in as the protector on the punt team, hoping Georgia Tech wouldn't notice.

Well, the Yellow Jackets did notice and Hicks was tackled for a loss on the Pitt 41-yard line after taking the direct snap. Georgia Tech then drove to the end zone in six plays to make it a 35-28 game with 4:56 remaining and all the momentum on the home side.

Narduzzi on his Decision

"I'm a dumb-ss," Narduzi admitted after the game. "Just a coach trying to make a play. We hadn't run a fake punt all year. We hadn't run a fake punt all year. They were bringing pressure and thought it was a good time just to sequence and try to make a play."

"I'll take that one on me," he continued. "I'll take that seven points. Chalk that up to coach trying to make a play. I always say coaches don't make plays. Calls don't make plays, players do. We could've had the edge and he stumbled and went down. But hey, we got the W."

Pitt Still Wins

The decision to go for it was unfathomable — very high risk, and low reward. Sure, getting a first down means the offense can chew more time off the clock, but so does stopping the Georgia Tech offense after punting it to the other side of the field.

It's good that Narduzzi admitted his awful mistake and didn't try to defend it, but he should never have been in that position to begin with. It nearly cost Pitt its entire season because a loss would have eliminated the Panthers from ACC Championship contention.