Panthers observations: Pat Narduzzi has praise for linebackers, but he can do without mandatory injury reports

Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi guards his team’s injury information like a general hides his platoon’s next move.

But the Big Ten instituted mandatory injury reports for game days in 2023, and there’s talk that the SEC might follow suit at the start of this season.

Narduzzi has no use for such transparency, and it’s not because he’s afraid of the additional paperwork.

“Not my job,” he said Thursday morning before the seventh practice of the summer.

“We did it (in the ACC) and we got rid of it,” he said. “There’s a lot of lying on it, anyway. He’s doubtful and then he plays and he looks great.

“What does it matter if you don’t tell the truth on it?”

During his regular morning chat with reporters, Narduzzi was almost as secretive about the number of FCS scholarship offers he received coming out of Youngstown Ursuline High School in 1987.

He was talking about 6-foot-3, 300-pound defensive tackle Anthony Johnson, a former Jeannette player who transferred from Youngstown State.

“He’s a big athlete who’s tough, physical. I don’t care about FCS,” he said. “I had a couple of Division I offers. I went FCS. That doesn’t make me a bad player. There are some darn good football players at FCS level.”

Asked to name his FCS offers, Narduzzi was reluctant to reveal another of his long-lost secrets, but he did remark he was a “MAC guy.” Instead of matriculating to the Mid-American Conference, Narduzzi went to Youngstown State and eventually Rhode Island.

Back to present day, Johnson played in 36 games (19 starts) in four seasons at YSU (2020-23) before transferring to Illinois this year. He spent the winter semester with the Fighting Illini before leaving and settling at Pitt.

“I talked to (Illinois coach) Bret Bielema,” Narduzzi said. “They didn’t want to lose him. Anthony’s got the chance to be really good.”

Narduzzi did open up a bit on the battles for playing time occurring at linebacker, handing out praise for sophomore Kyle Louis and seventh-year senior Keye Thompson.

Louis made a diving interception of a tipped ball Monday, and that apparently wasn’t the only splash play he’s put on video this summer.

“If you had someone rank the best players on defense, he’d be in top three of everybody’s pick,” the coach said. “Kyle Louis is a playmaker.”

Thompson transferred from Ohio University where he played in 45 games, with 32 starts, from 2018-23. Among his 252 career tackles are 23 for a loss, 4 1/2 sacks, six fumble recoveries and three interceptions. He was first-team All-MAC.

He missed spring ball with an injury, but he appears to be a player coaches will make a special effort to get on the field.

“I’ve been really, really pleased with what he’s done the past few days,” Narduzzi said. “He’s got a motor. He’s physical. He’s going to hit you on game day.”