Narduzzi: 'I need to know'
BY BILL KOCH | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
If interim head coach Pat Narduzzi is going to be named the new head football coach at the University of Cincinnati, it will have to happen by Wednesday, December 6.
That’s the deadline Narduzzi has given to UC athletic director Mike Thomas for deciding on whether he wants to keep him on as head coach. If not, Narduzzi is headed to Michigan State to work as the defensive coordinator under Mark Dantonio.
Meanwhile, all of the UC assistant coaches, with the exception of running backs coach Tim Hinton, have resigned to take jobs at Michigan State and are already on the road recruiting for Dantonio. They were picked up on a plane on Monday night and flown to East Lansing.
The coaches are expected to return to UC to prepare the Bearcats for their bowl game and to coach them in that game.
“They will all be back for the bowl game,” said associate athletic director Mike Waddell.
Narduzzi said the other assistant coaches had no choice but to leave now for Michigan State.
“The other guys were offered jobs at Michigan State and were not offered jobs here,” Narduzzi said.
Meanwhile, Narduzzi has been placed in a precarious situation as he waits to hear if he will be UC’s next head coach.
He has been offered a job as defensive coordinator at Michigan State, but he said he can’t wait forever.
In fact, it was Dantonio who called Thomas and told the UC athletic director that Narduzzi needed to know about his status by the middle of next week.
“I was almost on a plane to Michigan State on Monday night, too,” Narduzzi said. “But for our kids, for this program here, I’m hanging out hoping something good is going to happen as far as being the head football coach.
"I have one job right now and that’s at Michigan State University,” Narduzzi said. “My only job is up there. I’ve got four kids and a wife to support. I need to know as soon as possible. The longer I stay here the longer Michigan State doesn’t have a defensive coordinator entertaining prospective student-athletes when they come in. The most important thing is for this thing to be resolved quickly.”
With most of the assistants gone, Narduzzi said, recruiting for UC has pretty much been put in limbo.
The domino effect of this could set, yet another program back for years...
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Originally Posted by Heath
