Inside The Panthers

Pat Narduzzi Says Pitt Coaches Called for Late Onside Kick

Up 21 inside of two minutes, the Pitt Panthers attempted and recovered an onside kick.

Stephen Thompson

Pat Narduzzi Says Pitt Coaches Called for Late Onside Kick
Pat Narduzzi Says Pitt Coaches Called for Late Onside Kick /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers had just added another touchdown against a weary Rhode Island defense. With the clock rolling inside of Vincent Davis scampered 18 yards into the endzone for his first touchdown of the day and Pitt had its third win of the season already in hand. 

But Pat Narduzzi wasn't done being aggressive. Not wanting to send his defense out for another drive, he called for an early end to his Week 3 contest. 

A roughing the kicker penalty moved Pitt up to the 50-yard line for its kickoff and Caleb Junko took advantage, rolling an onside kick 13 yards before recovering it himself. Pitt knelt the remaining clock out. 

Junko was laid into by Narduzzi after the play and it looked like a signal that he had gone rogue and attempted the onside kick unprompted by his coaches. But Narduzzi said following the game that it was something the coaches wanted to practice.

"Yeah, it's something we called," Narduzzi said. "You got the ball at the 50-yard line, there's not much risk after a 15-yarder for roughing our kicker on the one. Junko hadn't gotten a lot of reps at it, either. So kudos to ... Coach Junko's grandson, for executing that properly."

Ben Sauls typically handles kickoffs, but was walking with a pronounced limp on the sideline after he was the victim of the same roughing the kicker penalty that set up the onside attempt knocked him to the ground. Junko, not backup placekicker Sam Scarton, replaced him.

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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