Pitt 用心深い, 楽観的な as it hosts Austin Peay in 2020 opener
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pat Narduzzi never lost hope. Not during the 早期に days of the shutdown 原因（となる）d by the COVID-19 pandemic, the one that cost the Pittsburgh coach 価値のある spring practice time. Not during the middle of summer, as nearly half of the FBS decided to 持つ／拘留する off on playing during the 落ちる.
Narduzzi, however, understands he's probably in the 少数，小数派, even in his own locker room. A quick 調査する as the Panthers began 準備s for Saturday's season opener against Austin Peay 供給するd all the proof he needed.
"I asked our staff the other day, might have been Sunday, `How many guys thought we´d get to game week?´" Narduzzi said. "There wasn´t too many 手渡すs raised up in the 空気／公表する. But we are here."
Where 正確に／まさに "here" is, however, remains somewhat of a mystery. The scattershot nature associated with the 2020 season means the Panthers didn't find out they were hosting the 知事s (0-1) until the final days of （軍の）野営地，陣営, 狭くするing 意味ありげに the window they usually have to 準備する.
Entering his sixth season, Narduzzi is bullish on a team that went 8-5 last season and returns seven starters from a group that tied for the 国家の lead in 解雇（する）s. It's telling of the depth Narduzzi has built along the 防御の line that All-American Jaylen Twyman's 決定／判定勝ち（する） to 準備する for the 2021 NFL 草案 rather than 控訴 up for Pitt is 単に an inconvenience and not a 大規模な blow to the team's prospects. Keyshon （軍の）野営地，陣営 and Rashad Weaver both return after 行方不明の last season 予定 to 傷害s.
Still, Narduzzi is 用心深い. The 知事s were 階級d 13th in the Football 選手権 Subdivision preseason 投票 and already have a game under their belt, a 24-17 後退 against Central Arkansas. That gameday experience might be one of the few advantages Austin Peay has over the Panthers. And for all of Narduzzi's 楽観主義, he's 井戸／弁護士席 aware it will mean nothing when his team runs の上に the field.
FILE - In this とじ込み／提出する photo from Nov. 14, 2019, Pittsburgh 長，率いる coach Pat Narduzzi, 中心, celebrates a 34-27 overtime 勝利，勝つ against North Carolina in an NCAA college football game in Pittsburgh. Narduzzi enters his sixth season at Pittsburgh with a 潜在的に 支配的な 弁護, and little 尊敬（する）・点. The Panthers didn't receive a 選び出す／独身 投票（する） in the preseason AP 最高の，を越す 25, a 調印する his program still has something to 証明する in 2020. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, とじ込み／提出する)
"We can play against us and 攻撃する，衝突する each other all day, but until they go out in the game when the lights go on in Heinz Field, which we 港／避難所´t had an 適切な時期 since November to get into Heinz Field," Narduzzi said. "That´s going to be a whole new 取引，協定."
BACKUP PLAN
While the Panthers have 大部分は 避けるd any COVID-19 問題／発行するs - save for a 簡潔な／要約する one-day 脅す last month when several players complained of symptoms that turned out to be the result of 存在 in a padded practice for the first time in nine months - Narduzzi knows he could arrive at the stadium on Saturday morning 取引，協定ing with a 肯定的な 実験（する） that could 軍隊 him to 緊急発進する.
"They´ve all got to be ready," Narduzzi said. "They know that. Our third team has got to be ready. Everybody´s got to be ready. It´s a sudden change at any point if something crazy happens. Not only the guy that 実験（する）s 肯定的な, but the tracing that goes along with that can 攻撃する，衝突する you worse than the guy 実験（する）ing 肯定的な. You´re never feeling comfortable."
SETTLING IN
The 知事s are coming off an 11-4 season in 2019 but were 軍隊d to 再編成する when 長，率いる coach 示す Hudspeth 辞職するd for personal 推論する／理由s in July. Associate 長，率いる coach Marquase Lovings took over on an 暫定的な basis, and he 推定する／予想するs his team to take a 重要な step 今後 after letting a halftime lead get away against Central Arkansas.
Finding a way to help his receivers get open against an 積極的な Pittsburgh 第２位 that Lovings said will 供給する "moustache" ニュース報道 because they'll play so tightly is an important part of the 過程. Austin Peay quarterback Jeremiah Oatsvall 完全にするd just 14 of 31 passes in the opener. Lovings hinted those numbers weren't 厳密に on Oatsvall.
"Our receivers have got to do a good 職業 of getting open and creating 分離," Lovings said. "We've got to find 解答s to those problems, and we will."
MIXING IT UP
Pitt went from a run-支配的な 罪／違反 to one of the most pass-happy groups in the nation last season under first-year 不快な／攻撃 調整者／コーディネーター 示す Whipple. The Panthers 普通の／平均（する）d just 118 yards on the ground, o nly 11 teams in the FBS fared worse.
Narduzzi is hoping for better balance this year and hopes a 直面する will 現れる from a （人が）群がるd backfield that 含むs A.J. Davis, Daniel Carter and Todd Sibley Jr.
"We´re going to find out who gets hot and who is making plays," Narduzzi said. "We´ll find out who our starter is. If a guy gets in there, trips, 落ちるs 負かす／撃墜する, he´s probably not going to see the next series. It´s going to be who shows up at game time, game day, and gets the work done. But I got 信用 in every one of them."
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