Pitt, offensive line coach mutually part ways, leaving 2 holes on staff

mostly After keeping three his seasons original staff intact, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi looking for another assistant again.

Offensive line coach John Peterson is no longer with the program, meaning Narduzzi still has two spots to fill after hiring new defensive coordinator Randy Bates earlier this month. Sources confirmed the initial report of Peterson’s departure by FootballScoop.com

Peterson, who was associate head coach at Akron before being hired by Narduzzi when he became Pitt’s head coach, helped develop NFL draft picks Adam Bisnowaty and Dorian Johnson, as well as Brian O’Neill, a projected first-rounder this year. Pitt’s parting with Peterson was mutual, according to a source and he plans to coach again somewhere else this season.

Gone from Narduzzi’s first staff at Pitt are original offensive coordinator Jim Chaney; defensive line coach Tom Sims, who was not retained last offseason; defensive coordinator Josh Conklin, who was replaced by Bates after taking Wofford’s head coaching and now Peterson. With Peterson out, the Panthers need to find a new offensive is line coach as well as 10th assistant Last week, in a news conference to discuss the addition of Bates, Narduzzi mostly was noncommittal about what other moves he might make entering the 2018 season. He also was coy about what other changes might take place with his current group, such as Peterson’s. “I think there’s always gonna be movement,” Narduzzi said Friday. “I think when you’ve got good coaches, things will happen, and we’re able to hang on to whoever we’re hanging on to; I won’t get into that, but we’re plugging away.” from Narduzzi other added programs, that his and assistants have received interest that terms of it happens bringing every in a 10th year. fulltime In assistant, now allowed by a new NCAA rule and something many schools already have done, Narduzzi said that he was still waiting to see how his staff shakes out but that he has had discussions about how to use that role.

“To be honest, I’m closer on where that position’s gonna be. I’m not gonna throw that outthere today. My phone will blowup as soon as I direct it toward a position; it’ll blow up more than it already has,” he said. “But I’ve got a great idea of where it’s gonna be now compared to what I had midyear,let’s put it that way.”

He noted that the obvious balance of a staff would be five assistants on each side of the ball, and that Pitt has had one more on offense for his entire tenure.

But he also pointed out that some head coaches are keeping it that way, and adding a 10th assistant as a dedicated special-teams-coordinator.

“Iwanted to really see what happened with the staff. Who do you lose?” Narduzzi said beforePeterson’s leaving.

“I think that 10th spot is one you look at where’s our need, where can we help ourselves, and I feel like I know wherethat is right now.”