Head coach Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt football program had a productive national signing day on Wednesday, as they brought aboard four-star all-purpose back Mychale Salahuddin and three-star defensive end Habakkuk Baldonado.
Wednesday’s two signees capped off a 22-man recruiting class for Pitt, bumping it into the top 50 nationally and into the middle of the pack in the ACC, where Pitt ranked eighth as of Wednesday evening, according to 247Sports.
That ranking didn’t factor in offensive lineman Stefano Millin, an incoming graduate transfer who started at Kent State and addresses an area of need for Pitt. While his inclusion was unlikely to give the Panthers a significant boost in the rankings, he may well be a key addition as the likely heir to Brian O’Neill’s duties at left tackle.
After the dust had settled in terms of the day’s recruiting announcements, Narduzzi held a press conference to discuss the incoming class and estimated that Pitt landed “80 to 85 percent” of its recruiting targets for 2018.
Find out what @CoachDuzzPittFB says is one of the biggest keys to recruiting for @Pitt_FB, who just landed "80-85 percent" of their recruiting targets today. #NationalSigningDay pic.twitter.com/S9RJjOXwtd
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) February 7, 2018
“I’m guessing we hit probably on 80 to 85 percent (of 2018 recruiting targets), which I think is unbelievable” Narduzzi said. “Our hit ratio when they step on this campus and see what we have to offer, I don’t know if I’ve been around better.”
“The thing you hear is just the way we do our business on campus. And that’s kind of who we are. And it’s like you’re shocked to hear that, but we continue to build our reputation as people and as a football program based on how we do our business,” he added.
Narduzzi is entering his fourth year at the helm of the program, and last season’s 5-7 record marked his first stumble in an otherwise successful tenure. With that said, the offseason additions to the team, which included reinforcements for the offensive line and receiving corps, suggest the coaching staff has taken considerable steps toward righting the ship in 2018.