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Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi gave a vote of confidence Thursday for an injured player and a first-year coordinator.
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Pat Narduzzi: Quintin Wirginis, Shawn Watson will be back in 2018

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Pat Narduzzi: Quintin Wirginis, Shawn Watson will be back in 2018

Given that Pitt plays a 4-3 defense, only three linebackers start, and the same three have done so every game this season.

But Pat Narduzzi was adamant Thursday that the Panthers defense will actually return four starters at that position next year.

Senior middle linebacker Quintin Wirginis, who hasn’t played in 2017 because of a post-suspension non-football injury, is still very much in the future plans, according to his coach.

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“He will be back next year, and we expect him to be a starting [middle] linebacker if he does everything he’s supposed to be doing,” said Narduzzi, who suspended Wirginis for the first three games of the season for an undisclosed violation of team policy. “He’s gonna be a great player for us. We’ve really missed him this year.

Pat Narduzzi congratulates cornerback Avonte Maddox on his interception last time Pitt traveled to Virginia Tech, in 2015. The Panthers won, 17-13, but they didn't see the real Lane Stadium effect that day.
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“We love him and the family, and just hoping for him to do everything the way we want him to do it, and I expect him to be our starting middle linebacker next year. Period. I have no doubts about that. He will help us. He would’ve helped us this year — a lot.”

That would mean one of Oluwaseun Idowu, Elijah Zeise or Saleem Brightwell will have less of a role a year from now. Brightwell has been entrenched as the starting middle linebacker, but originally played outside, so this one could go any which way. One thing Narduzzi firmly said he will not do is play Wirginis in these final two weeks, even if he were healthy enough to do so.

Someone else Narduzzi insisted will be back with the Panthers in 2018? Shawn Watson, which would make him the first offensive coordinator to spend a second season under Narduzzi.

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“He’s done a really good job, in my opinion. … And Shawn’s not going anywhere, so I don’t have to worry about losing him,” Narduzzi said. “In the offseason, in December, that’s something I know I don’t have to go find an offensive coordinator because he’s a loyal guy, and we’ve talked, so I think that’s gonna make it better for the future.”

That lines up with part of Narduzzi’s reasoning for hiring Watson to replace Matt Canada, who presided over one of the most productive offenses in the country last year. Thursday, Narduzzi suggested that success had as much to do with the personnel as it did with the now-LSU offensive coordinator.

In other words: Think before you blame Watson for this year’s struggles.

“Was it Matt, or was it all good players?” Narduzzi asked. “Now Shawn comes in after a really explosive offense, and then he’s taking it and trying to build it. … I think that continuity is so important, and it hurts you at times [that Canada left]. I think it hurts you in the development. I think we’d maybe be a little bit further ahead, but I think Canada would be pulling his hair out sitting at the table here trying to find a quarterback, too. Maybe that’s one of the reasons he left.”

Pitt coach Kevin Stallings congratulates Jonathan Milligan near the end of the team's win over UC-Santa Barbara on Wednesday at Petersen Events Center.
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Speaking of Narduzzi’s staff, this offseason, NCAA legislation kicks in that allows for a 10th full-time coach to be hired. Narduzzi said he isn’t sure at this point if he’ll add on offense or defense, but he expects there to be even more movement in the coaching world this winter because of it. He doesn’t like that aspect of it, but he’s not about to be the only program that doesn’t take advantage of the change.

Brian Batko: bbatko@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrianBatko.

First Published: November 16, 2017, 8:36 p.m.

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Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi gave a vote of confidence Thursday for an injured player and a first-year coordinator.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
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