in Pitt Football 527 Words

New Strength Coach Officially Announced

Four things:

  1.  He’s real:  ” I take great pride in being from the Rust Belt”
  2.  He develops WR’s and DL, so that kinda fits what we want to do:  “As part of the Buccaneers staff this past season, Stacchiotti helped oversee the physical development of three Pro Bowlers: outside linebacker Shaq Barrett (who led the NFL with 19.5 sacks) and wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.”
  3. He’s got a Pitt tie:  “We also got tremendous feedback from a number of Tampa Bay players, including (former Pitt safety) Jordan Whitehead”
  4. He’s an Italian from Youngstown so Narduzzi and his dad are probably cousins or something.

Hail to Pitt

Per the Pitt SID:

Narduzzi Taps Tampa Bay Bucs’ Stacchiotti for Pitt Strength and Conditioning Post

PITTSBURGH—Pitt head football coach Pat Narduzzi has announced the hiring of Michael Stacchiotti as the Panthers’ head strength and conditioning coach.

Stacchiotti (pronounced stack-ē-ought- ē), a native of Youngstown, Ohio, joins Pitt from the National Football League, where he was the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“We initially interviewed Michael via FaceTime, and within the first two minutes of our conversation his passion and intensity just knocked us out,” Narduzzi said. “His knowledge of the science behind strength and conditioning is incredibly impressive.

“Michael came highly recommended from some of the top strength coaches in the country. He is cut from the same mold as Buddy Morris and Anthony Piroli, two of the very best in the business. We also got tremendous feedback from a number of Tampa Bay players, including (former Pitt safety) Jordan Whitehead as well as William Gholston and Beau Allen. Everyone said the same thing: Michael is a highly disciplined professional who is going to impact our offseason immediately.”

“It is an honor and privilege to join Coach Narduzzi’s staff at the University of Pittsburgh,” Stacchiotti said. “I consider this home. I take great pride in being from the Rust Belt and we will have a blue-collar mentality in everything we do. The goal at Pitt is to win championships and we will have a relentless work ethic in the Pitt Iron Works as we pursue that goal.”

As part of the Buccaneers staff this past season, Stacchiotti helped oversee the physical development of three Pro Bowlers: outside linebacker Shaq Barrett (who led the NFL with 19.5 sacks) and wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Additionally, Whitehead enjoyed the most productive season of his NFL career as a starting safety.

Prior to Tampa Bay, Stacchiotti served on the football strength and conditioning staffs at Mississippi State (2018), Cincinnati (2017) and Colorado State (2015-16). His initial collegiate appointment was as a strength and conditioning intern at Mississippi State in 2015.

Stacchiotti additionally worked as a strength coach in the Ohio prep ranks at Girard High School and Ursuline High School, Narduzzi’s alma mater.

Stacchiotti is a 2014 graduate of Baldwin Wallace University with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and orthopedic assessment and treatment. He was a three-year football letterman at Baldwin Wallace, playing linebacker and fullback, and captained the team as a senior.

Stacchiotti additionally owns a master’s degree in adult education and training specialization.

39 thoughts on “New Strength Coach Officially Announced”

  2. I wanted someone who has led a S&C department at the major college level, but I will admit his bio sounds decent. I guess I am easily swayed.

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  5. Welcome to Pitt, “Rusty” Stacchiotti. I hope you brought you finger weights for our receivers; ballerina shoes for our OL; and a boatload of non target, wrap-up excercises for our DBs!

    Looking forward to this spring’s “OL Swim Suit” Issue so we can judge your handiwork!!

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  6. Coach Stack should fill out his staff with Mark, BigB and Annie’s daughter…

    Then maybe we’d be able to get some inside info!

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Dave Andrews and his S&C staff are still listed on the Pitt FB website. “Stack” is not yet added to the list of coaches.

    Did the “web-master” leave for Iowa State as well?

    Liked by 2 people

  10. I’m getting the feeling that this upcoming season is burgeoning with anticipation from PITT fans, it’s going to be a real wing-dinger of an off season. Looking forward to it. FYI, it is close a do or ….. you know what for Narduzzi? << Not for this year but his leash gets just a little bit shorter. He’s good for at least 3 more years. no matter what the team does. imo

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    1. ike — I don’t think Heather will have as much patience with Coach Duzzer as you do. I think next season better be special, or Heather will be at least “exploring her options”…

      However, I’m thinking (and hoping) that next season is going to be pretty damn good and Coach will be around to continue to improve the program…

      Go Pitt.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Could it be that Andrews and staff were not given a raise based on late season collapses so they left. Just a thought.

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    1. Well Tx, I would love to know what you told her. Shows me that she is on the beam if she is contacting a brilliant mind like yours Tx.

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  14. Too young IMO. Giving my S&C program over to a 25 or 26 year old would not be my choice for the ideal candidate. Don’t forget he has to hire 3 additional underlings to round out his team. Does he really even know of 3 others not much older than him that would be “the best” candidates for the job? Notice i emphasized the best candidates and just not any candidate for the 3 open positions. Absent interviewing the kid I’d have to grade this hire at a D plus at the most.

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  15. ^ jrn, the S&C staff are all in place and have been working with the players since the beginning of the week. The players seem satisfied.

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  16. My grade for Stack would be an incomplete. I know that is a cop out in a way but I look at his resume and it ain’t bad at all. Young at heart, young in mind and older in experience. Sounds like a recipe for success?? All the great S&C coaches started somewhere, why not at PITT? Have a little faith but it’s ok not to be enthralled with the hire, I understand that.

    This Justin Champagnie still looks bigger than 6’7″ to me despite the fro and he has got some serious hops and instincts, what a great pickup.

    Derrick Davis visited PITT yesterday. Hope they gave him the mafia handshake.

    Yellen could very well be the next PITT starting QB after KP (he’s that good), although I hope Beville stays and fights it out with him. (he’s good too). I think Nick Patti may be done at PITT??

    Back to BB, PITT needs the off and on hot hands to be hot today. Get Murphy the dam ball to loosen up the zone. JC knocking down some long range shots would be of great help as well!

    Got a handful of grand kids coming over today for the game, hope they keep it down as I have a game to watch….. jus kidding.. kind of. Had a talk with Eli about today’s game, he’s just not into basketball as much as he is into football. The dog is quirky. Yes I’m making fun of myself.

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    1. If Yellen gets his waiver, he competes for the starting position in 2020. Remember, KP is not Whipple’s recruit but Yellen is. Whip needs results immediately after last season’s dumpster fire on offense.

      The D should be special and the ST units better get fixed (Kessman should be ok and returners other than what we saw in 2019 will be an improvement).

      It’s the O and coaching that could hold us back from having a magical season. Duzz & Whip are looking at a 10+ win season if Yellen is eligible – the QB competition should make everyone better. If KP is anointed the starter for whatever reason, 6 to 8 wins is the ceiling.

      It is going to be a long offseason for sure.

      H2P!

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  17. I’m not concerned about the guy’s age. I am concerned about his resume, many jobs in his short career already. If he doesn’t unpack his suitcase, then I’m not a fan. Who needs a vagabond S & C coach? Not Pitt.

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    1. Young coaches have to bounce around to survive.

      He is more qualified than what Chryst promoted his second year at Pitt. However, the guy is in his fifth year at Wisconsin now.

      Let’s be honest. Any organized, good communicator could do this job with a few certifications. At least his degree is related.

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Nothing wrong with moving around a lot when you are young. If he is the guy he will stay. if not….

    Jamie has Boeheim’s number. You beat his zone from the foul line. Wannamaker was pretty good at it.

    When the forwards come out to guard, you dish inside, but mostly you need to hit that shot.

    Last year we had no one who could make that shot. I’m thinking Champ, but it might be X or Trey, they are better at the pull up jumper this year.

    Need to play excellent defense as well and get some easy runouts.

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  19. I kinda hope Yellen doesn’t get the waiver. KP has the experience, it is his senior year, he has paid his dues, and will probably win the job anyway. If Yellen beats him out, a lot of hard feelings from the rest of the team.
    Although if KP gets injured, great to have Yellen as an option.

    Just don’t think a QB battle is a good thing at this point.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. gc, a waiver has nothing to do with Yellen’s eligibility. This year will count against his 5 years to play 4 if he is allowed to play or not. It’s a year used up either way. No downside at all but the upside, it may give him a little more serious practice time if he becomes eligible.

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      1. I get that, just not excited by all the POVers calling for him to play every time KP makes a bad pass.

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        1. and I get that gc, makes sense but I don’t think Narduzzi operates that way, quite the opposite in fact.

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  20. I too am concerned about his youth and inexperience, however ….

    — looking at his bio, he has to be 2 or 3 years older than 26, unless he graduated from Baldwin Wallace when he was 19

    — most successful assistant coaches move around quite a bit when they are young

    — but note that his previous move from Miss St to Tampa Bay was because that Anthony Piroli took him with him (the only asst he took from MSU)

    You can argue that his meteoric rise from Ursuline high to Pitt in 6 years is impressive (remember Joe Moore went from Upper St Clair in ’77 to being named the best OL coach college or pro in ’83) or way too premature (Matt House). Only time will tell

    But I’m not sure how to measure a S&C coach. Everyone seems to have loved Andrews but all of the 2019 OL but Ulizio was coached by him for a couple years but apparently didn’t have enough push to try QB sneaks or simple handoffs on 3rd or 4th and short situations. (Of course, that may be more about the OC — again, I don’t know)

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  21. Capel gave a glowing review of Ithiel Horton, so it looks like we already have another excellent guard for next year, with three big guys coming. We only lose Hamilton, things looking up.

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    1. the only issue is that Pitt has 4 2-guards on the roster. X who has been playing PG is by nature a shooting guard as is Trey, Ryan and Ithiel. As we have seen, none of these guys are pass first guards.

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      1. Agreed, but both Trey and X would benefit from becoming point guards because their shooting is lightyear’s from Pro level. They have both improved somewhat in their passing. The problem last year was they had no one to pass to. They are finally starting to trust their team mates and making those passes.

        Still both drive first guys, but if they want to make the next level, they need to get better at running an offense. Not likely that they will ever shoot threes at a high enough percentage for the pros.

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  24. It’s strength and conditioning. How one practices and what one eats is more important. The kids have to know how to catch, tackle and block first.

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  25. If Pitt lands Jeffress look at how deep this team will be next season at the 1-3 spots: X, Trey, Toney, Murphy, Drumgoole, Horton and Jeffress.

    The four-five spots have Justin, Coulibaly, Collier, Brown, Hughley, Max.

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  26. With S&C coaches, the proof is in the 4th quarter pudding, and last year Pitt’s late game heroics seemed to indicate that their endurance was good, but you have to wonder about the strength of their OL? Or was the problem that they just weren’t talented enough to open running lanes. Then again maybe its Ming’s fault for bad coaching.

    Bottom line, seems really tough to tell when a S&C coach is doing a good job.

    Hoping that ‘Penny and Murphy are on today, because with Pitt’s limited production from its Bigs, they need to find some outside shooting. X needs to understand its a trap to try to drive into the teeth of a 2-3 zone. GC is right, the weakness is the mid-range jumper around the foul line, after some quick passes to get the zone defenders feet moving.

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