Pat Narduzzi didn’t have much interest in rushing to judgment when asked about the summer dirt bike incident involving three Pitt players. At his first press conference of camp season, the Panthers’ head coach said he plans to let the situation play out through the legal system while making it clear he’s unhappy with what happened.
On July 28, it became public that wide receivers Cataurus "Blue" Hicks and Tyrese Robinson, along with defensive back Zion Ferguson, had been charged with reckless driving stemming from a June 16 incident. According to the report, the three were allegedly riding dirt bikes on the sidewalk, then evaded police and drove dangerously on Fifth Avenue after being told to stop.
"I'm just gonna let the legal process go by," Narduzzi said. "Obviously [I'm] really disappointed in bad decision-making; that's something we pride ourselves in here. We educate [the players] on making good decisions."
He also pointed to the program’s recent track record when it comes to off-field issues.
"It's been 1,359 days, 3.7 years, since the last time we had a little off-the-field issue," Narduzzi mentioned, referencing former Pitt defensive end Dayon Hayes getting in legal trouble with an assault charge in 2022.
For now, all three players remain around the team during training camp, but Narduzzi made one thing plain: "what hurts is game time".
How Pitt handles discipline will likely depend on the nature of the charges. The school’s Student Athlete Handbook says any student-athlete charged with a felony faces strict penalties and is suspended from practice and competition activities, while lesser charges leave punishment up to the head coach. With football driving the revenue at Pitt and across college sports, the athletic administration is likely to leave the decision in Narduzzi’s hands.
If any suspension comes down, Hicks would be the biggest on-field loss. In his first season with the Panthers after transferring from Louisville, he totaled 422 receiving yards and four touchdowns, giving Pitt a legitimate deep threat and helping connect with quarterback Mason Heintschel on explosive plays.
Robinson, meanwhile, barely saw the field last season but could have an opening this year because Pitt’s wide receiver depth is thin.
Ferguson played in 11 games last season and finished with eight tackles. He also could become more important this year, especially with Pitt having lost and gained players on its defensive line, making any experienced Panthers on the roster more valuable.
As camp moves forward, Pitt will be hoping the focus stays on football and not more off-field noise from a team that looks promising.
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