When a season goes the way Pitt's has gone this season, the outcome of the final game doesn't mean as much as what could happen in the days to follow.
Yes, the Panthers will wrap up their 3-8 season Saturday in Durham, N.C. with a noon kickoff against Duke. Yes, Nate Yarnell will reprise the role of starting quarterback after guiding Pitt to a win over Boston College the previous Thursday. Yes, the numerous seniors who have dedicated years to football will buckle their pads and fasten their chin straps one final time.
But, what are the "yeses" that are going to be said come Sunday and Monday?
Change needs to happen, and it has become evident that the majority of it needs to happen with respect to the offensive staff. Pat Narduzzi and Frank Cignetti Jr's offense is, entering the final week of the college football season, the worst total offense and the second-worst scoring offense in the ACC. Nationally out of 130 Football Bowl Subdivision programs, it is 111th in total offense and 113th in scoring offense.
That won't cut it in this league.
"I think you're always looking at the body (of work), but you're looking at the present," Narduzzi said Monday with respect to evaluating his staff. "To me, the present is the best indicator, so you've got to look at what we did right now, and I think -- again, what you did with what you have. I think that's always what you look at."
And with an evaluation of the offensive staff will have to come with another evaluation of the quarterback position. Yarnell, Christian Veilleux, and Jake Frantl will be redshirt juniors, while Ty Dieffenbach and David Lynch will be redshirt freshmen. Three-star Penn Hills product Julian Dugger is also, as of now, on board for 2024 as a true freshman.
That is, barring any change.
If Cignetti or any other member of the offensive staff are gone, then the transfer portal would be more likely to come into play for all -- not just the quarterbacks. There is belief that Yarnell and Veilleux would remain at Pitt, and if that is the case, a quarterback competition could ensue for the second time in three seasons since Kenny Pickett's departure.
Narduzzi isn't naive to this.
"I like it right now, but again, that can change quickly," Narduzzi said of his quarterbacks room. "Again, you look at Christian, he's a really good quarterback that's talented, and we'll continue to work with him, and obviously Nate had a heck of a weekend, and we want him to have another great weekend to back that up. Ty Dieffenbach, don’t forget about him."
Regarding Dieffenbach, the former three-star out of California, Narduzzi said he sustained a collarbone injury early in the season but was able to bounce back from it relatively quickly. Dieffenbach de-committed from UNLV to commit to play at Pitt.
"He's done a great job," Narduzzi said. "We've gotten a lot of pass skellies. He hasn't gone live. But we've been excited about his mental preparation and what he's done in that room, and he's athletic. He can run. He can throw. He can think. He's just another guy that we're excited about."
Yarnell is 2-0 as a starter, with wins over Western Michigan in 2022 and against Boston College Thursday. In those two starts, he has completed 20 of 31 passes for 386 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions for a 190.4 rating. Yarnell is the longest-tenured quarterback on Pitt's roster and was originally recruited by Mark Whipple.
"I've been here for three years," Yarnell said Tuesday. "... I know this wasn't the year that (Pitt) football wanted, but we're going to finish strong and that's all I'm focused on."
Narduzzi has publicly backed Yarnell at every stop dating to when Kedon Slovis arrived to Pitt's quarterback room. Just like Veilleux did in his first start against Louisville, Yarnell passed his first test as a starter and has earned another chance Saturday at Duke.
"We've liked him all the time, and sometimes as coaches you're kind of maybe looking at the most talented guy, but mentally Nate is as talented as anybody in that room, probably the most talented guy mentally," Narduzzi said. "Like I said a year ago when we took him off that scout field, he wasn't sitting in a room being quiet, not paying attention, and all of a sudden, 'oh, my gosh, it's my turn.' He was prepared, and that's who he is. It didn't shock me at all that Nate did what he did."
A solid performance could provide clarity to the quarterback room, or it could cause it to become more convoluted, depending on further moves that could come over the offseason.
"He's got to go out and do it all over again because nobody cares about what you did last week against BC," Narduzzi said. "I think that's the first thing is let that last one go and now focus on the next one, what do you have to do to win this game, what do you have to do to be successful as a quarterback and as an offense. Nate is running the show, and he just needs to go out and do what he does. Again, I think he's that type of guy that will just go out and do what he needs to do to win the game. He'll be mentally and physically prepared."
