What do a priest in a confessional, a lawyer and a college football coach all have in common? They all swore an oath of confidentiality when they entered their respective professions. Secrecy is the name of the game at Pitt’s South Side practice facility recently.
A new recruit has worked out for the team, but his presence in western Pennsylvania has only been disclosed to a couple of special teams coaches.
The number of coaches and support staff with security clearance remains minimal. Only Narduzzi himself, special teams coordinator Jacob Bronowski and special teams analyst Bobby Dodd are aware of the potential new kicker. Narduzzi said he preferred to keep the matter on a need-to-know basis.
“We think we have one of the most talented players in the country right now. We don’t need anyone in his ear trying to poach him,” Narduzzi said.
The Pitt head coach first heard about Harry Green about four weeks prior to his squad’s first of 15 practices to occur this spring semester.
A student athletic trainer was lacing up his cleats for a round of pick-up soccer when he noticed a fellow student punt what appeared to be a football — it was an Aussie rules ball — through the uprights from beyond midfield. Only one thought occurred — the football staff needs to hear about this kid.
After deciphering Green’s schedule with some detective work, Narduzzi caught a glimpse of his kicking ability. The strangest part wasn’t the distance, the power or the accuracy of Green’s booming kicks, but his footwear — really his lack thereof.
“I was thrown off at first. I was thinking, ‘That’s got to hurt,’ but he just kept kicking from farther back. Next thing you know he’s booting that damn ball from 70 yards,” Narduzzi said.
At one point, a kick cleared the net on the way up. The kick’s sound echoed off the inflatable walls of the Pitt Sports Dome, according to the dumbfounded Narduzzi.
“I knew right away this kid was a football player. I realized one, I had to get this kid to the South Side, and two, I needed to get a hold of [Bronowski] as soon as possible,” Narduzzi said.
When the coach finally intercepted Green coming out of the facility, he knew he had to tread lightly. Athletes of Green’s caliber rarely pursue opportunities at the collegiate level and beyond, but Narduzzi knew he had to give it a shot. After a few minutes and some smooth talking, Narduzzi set up a practice. Green demanded no strings attached. He would kick for as long as needed but would not make a decision.
Fast forward to the University’s spring break — the first week of March. With so little known about Green, Narduzzi gathered just his special teams coaches and equipment manager Danny Kozusk.
Green insisted despite Narduzzi’s best efforts. Bronowski started Green off short and from a tee to get a general sense of accuracy and mechanics. Green ran up, swung his leg back, nearly touching his shoulder blade with his heel and struck the ball with a force none of the coaches had ever seen before. They felt they were in the presence of a demigod — or a real deity.
“When he showed up, we just walked straight to the field and started kicking. No stretch. No warm-up. I was scared something was going to pop the whole time, but [Narduzzi] just kept telling us to back it up some more,” Bronowski said.
At 35 yards, the ball was nearly clearing the net. The coaches were impressed, but they assumed their practice balls would be safe as they continued to back up. They were humbled. Once Green crossed the 45-yard line, the first ball was lost to the depths of the Monongahela River.
This was when Narduzzi started taking side bets with the equipment manager for when Green’s leg would give out. The head coach kept winning. From 55 yards, a second ball soared over the net and landed with a splash. That was the practice. It was time for Green to walk back across the Hot Metal bridge to his apartment in South Oakland.
The coaches sent him on his way and thanked him for his time. Green gave a slight bow and started out across the pavement of the parking lot barefoot. The last 20 minutes were a fever dream for everyone involved. The balls must have had helium in them, Bronowski decided. Kozusk assured him they were filled to the proper pressure.
Once it was clear the Panthers’ South Side facility was insufficient at containing the growing legend, Narduzzi needed a more discreet location. In came St. Vincent College, the site of Steelers’ summer training camp — that’s now two facilities shared by the Panthers and Steelers.
Narduzzi needed seclusion to continue these workouts. But St. Vincent held its spring break the week before spring camp started for the Panthers, allowing Narduzzi and his special teams coaches to continue the confidential practices.
In addition to Green’s kicking ability, he exhibits aptitude in foreign languages and history. Traveling the globe with his anthropologist father as a child, he mastered numerous foreign languages and studied various religious and historical texts. Green’s mastery of these texts has bewildered professors at Pitt and has sparked debate among faculty about whether he should be granted credit for various academic requirements.
While his father pursued his studies, Green was left to assimilate to the culture of wherever the two had settled. Throughout his childhood, Green was also exposed to countless instruments, but he really excelled at the sanxian, a Chinese lute. Since settling in the U.S., Green has transferred his abilities to the banjo but still plays the sanxian in private.
If Narduzzi and his staff convince him to join the squad, football could provide a path to success. But Green’s academic and musical credentials create avenues for success beyond the gridiron.
Green is taking life one step at a time, evaluating his options and refusing to make a decision. Narduzzi has avoided asking about Green participating in the annual Blue and Gold Game on April 12, but time is running out.
“We’ll get him some more work before the spring is over, starting by adding a long snapper and a holder. Then we’ll add the pressure element,” Narduzzi said. “Who knows? Maybe Ben Sauls will have some company at the top of the record books when it’s all said and done.”