Pat Narduzzi Calls Out Refs After Pitt Loss

Pitt Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi spoke on controversial decisions.

Dominic Campbell | Nov 10, 2024

Nov 2, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi argues a call during the second half against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Panthers

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers suffered from two controversial calls from the referees in the fourth quarter that played a big role in their loss to Virginia in Week 11.

Pitt redshirt junior quarterback Nate Yarnell, coming in place of the injured starter in redshirt freshman Eli Holstein, completed a touchdown pass to senior tight end Gavin Bartholomew and did so again on the two-point conversion, which he caught and should've tied the game at 21-21.

The referees instead called a holding penalty on Panthers left tackle redshirt sophomore Ryan Baer, which negated the two-point coversion. The Panthers failed on their next attempt and stayed behidn the Cavaliers, 21-19.

Replay showed that Baer did use the trap, but didn't pull his opposing defensive end, graduate student Ben Smiley III, but just stood his ground, didn't allow him to get past him and didn't hold him.

Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi didn't agree with the call and argued that the trap technique was not holding.

"No, no explanation," Narduzzi said. "Not good. He did a technique we called trap his arm, and he knocked his arm down. That's all it was. The guy wasn't even close to the quarterback. You talk about non-factors. But players play, coaches coach and officials officiate."

The more controversial call came on the following drive with a fourth-and-1 at the 24-yard line. Pitt managed to stop a rush and would've taken over on downs with about six minutes left and down two, but the referees called it back, as they were not properly lined up to make the call.

This allowed Virginia an extra down, which they converted. They would take off four more minutes on the game glock and added a field goal to go up five points, 24-19.

Good work @ACCFootball pic.twitter.com/ZHxTjAfmUg
— The Loyal Sons (@TheLoyalSons) November 10, 2024

"...At the end they got five downs," Narduzzi said on the call. "And haven't seen that many times in my career. And, again, we held them to a field goal there at the end, but it ate up more time on the clock, which would have gave us more time at the end..."

Narduzzi also didn't receive an explanation on this call either and that everyone needs to do their job, just like his defense did on that play.

"To be honest, I have no idea," Narduzzi said on the reasoning for the call. "It's a great question. I'm sure (the ACC) will answer that for us on Monday or Tuesday. But it's our job to get lined up and get in position. And it's their job to get lined up and get in position as well. We had a stop on fourth-and-1. And no explanation."

Members of the media requested an explanation of the call from ACC offificals, including Alberto Oliveron, the ACC Supervisor of Football Officials. Jim Hammett of PantherLair.com posted the response from the ACC on Twitter.

"Prior to completion of the substitution process, the ball was improperly snapped before the officials were in position to officiate," the ACC wrote in their statment. "There is no foul, the play clock is set to 25 seconds and the clock starts on the ready-for-play signal."

Statement from the ACC:

Prior to completion of the substitution process, the ball was improperly snapped before the officials were in position to officiate. There is no foul, the play clock is set to 25 seconds and the clock starts on the ready-for-play signal. https://t.co/nTC7nEueBs
— Jim Hammett (@JimHammett) November 10, 2024