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Tennessee football: Ranking head coaches of Vols’ 2021 opponents

By Caleb Calhoun

Alabama head coach Nick Saban greets Georgia head coach Kirby Smart after beating him in the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday December 1, 2018.Sec20
Alabama head coach Nick Saban greets Georgia head coach Kirby Smart after beating him in the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday December 1, 2018.Sec20 /
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Nov 2, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi reacts on the sideline in the second quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi reacts on the sideline in the second quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

Pittsburgh Panthers. 7th season. player. 866. Pick Analysis. Pat Narduzzi. 6. Scouting Report

Overall record: 42-34 (all at Pitt)

We could have made a case for Eli Drinkwitz over Pat Narduzzi. After all, in six years with the Pittsburgh Panthers, Narduzzi has been a beacon of mediocrity. He has never lost fewer than five games and never lost more than seven games, reaching four bowl games with four winning seasons, one .500 season and one losing season during that time.

Still, Narduzzi has more experience at the Power Five level, and that’s why he’s ahead of Drinkwitz for now, even if that changes this year. Pitt’s early years under him saw a few Tennessee football ties, as in 2015, he had Jim Chaney as offensive coordinator and Nathan Peterman as quarterback. Peterman had transferred from the Vols, and Chaney was in between stints as UT’s OC.

To be fair, as we judge all this mediocrity, Narduzzi did win the ACC’s Coastal Division in 2018. Having to play for the conference title is the only reason he didn’t finish above .500 that year. Otherwise, he would be laying claim to five winning seasons in six years.

At the same time, Narduzzi’s record would look much worse on paper, albeit an illusion, without that division title. The questions surrounding him are somewhat why Pitt is a toss-up game for UT and not likely loss for them this year as it should be.

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