Michigan State has enjoyed its best season in 25 years, and its defensive coordinator put his individual stamp on the Big Ten champion’s resume Tuesday afternoon.
Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi won the Broyles Award, which is given to the nation’s top assistant coach. He is the third consecutive defensive coordinator to win the award, joining LSU’s John Chavis in 2011 and Notre Dame’s Bob Diaco in 2012.
Narduzzi, 47, beat out Auburn offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks coach Rhett Lashlee, Baylor offensive coordinator Phillip Montgomery, Duke offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper and Florida State defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt for the award, which is named after former Arkansas coach and athletic director Frank Broyles.
Narduzzi, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, credited Michigan State linebackers/ special teams coach Mike Tressel, secondary coach Harlon Bennett and defensive line coach Ron Burton for helping him win the award.
“We’ve been together for a long time,” Narduzzi said following the banquet at the Marriott Hotel in Little Rock. “I couldn’t do it all without those players and coaches at Michigan State.”
The Spartans have the nation’s top defense, which ranks first in the Football Bowl Subdivision in yards per game (248.2), rushing defense (80.8 ypg) and opponent third-down conversions (27.7, 53 for 191). In fact, Michigan State has been ranked No. 1 in total defense for 13 consecutive weeks.
No. 4 Michigan State (12-1) snapped then-No. 2 Ohio State’s 24-game winning streak Saturday with its 34-24 victory in the Big Ten Championship Game, clinching the school’s first trip to the Rose Bowl since the 1987 season.
“We came off that win, got back to the hotel at 2 o’clock in the morning and you got to almost pinch yourself to say, ‘Did this really happen,’ ” Narduzzi said. “Then you come down here and something like this happens. It’s unbelievable.”
Lashlee, a Springdale native who played at Shiloh Christian High School and the University of Arkansas and coached at Arkansas State last year under Gus Malzahn, congratulated Narduzzi and was appreciative of being back in his home state as a Broyles Award finalist.
“Pat, Jeremy, Kurt and Phillip are phenomenal coaches,” Lashlee said. “I had a great time hanging out and getting to know those coaches. They’ve done a fantastic job.
“I’m really excited for Pat. It’s a great, well-deserved award for him.”
Before Narduzzi and Coach Mark Dantonio arrived at Michigan State in 2007 from Cincinnati, the Spartans had not played in a bowl game in three consecutive seasons under John L. Smith, who later went on to be an assistant and interim coach at Arkansas. Since Dantonio became the Spartans’ coach, they have played in six consecutive bowl games and will play in their seventh Jan. 1 against fifth-ranked Stanford, the Pacific-12 Conference champion, in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
The past four days in East Lansing, Mich., have been a whirlwind, not only for Narduzzi but for Spartans fans who will finally get to see their team play in Pasadena for the first time since Jan. 1, 1988, when Michigan State beat Southern Cal 20-17.
“My daughter texted me a picture today of Sparty on campus with roses in its arms, sitting there with a jersey on,” Narduzzi said. “It’s something that Spartan Nation is going crazy over. It’s going to be fun in Pasadena.”
Four of the five Broyles Award finalists this year are sons of coaches. Narduzzi’s father Bill coached at Youngstown State in 1975-1985 and Pat played for his father in 1985 before transferring to Rhode Island, where he was a three-year starter at linebacker in 1987-1989.
Bill Narduzzi died in 1988 of Hodgkin’s disease when Pat was 22. Narduzzi’s thoughts were with his father after winning the Broyles Award on Tuesday.
“He’s jumping up and down,” Narduzzi said. “I always say this to my wife every day: He’s at my shoulder. I haven’t done it by myself. He’s with me every day, especially on game days in the press box.
“He’s helping me and guiding me during the game.”
Pat Narduzzi at a glance
SCHOOL Michigan State POSITION Defensive coordinator AGE 47 PLAYING EXPERIENCE 1985 Youngstown State (linebacker); 1987-1989 Rhode Island (linebacker)
COACHING EXPERIENCE 1990-1991 Miami (Ohio) (graduate assistant); 1992 Miami (Ohio) (receivers); 1993-1997 Rhode Island (linebackers); 1998-1999 Rhode Island (defensive coordinator); 2000-2002 Northern Illinois (linebackers); 2003 Miami (Ohio) (defensive coordinator); 2004-2006 Cincinnati (defensive coordinator).
NOTEWORTHY Winner of the Broyles Award in his first year as a finalist. … Michigan State’s defense was ranked No. 1 nationally in total defense (248.2 yards per game), rushing defense (80.8 ypg) and opponent third-down conversions (27.7, 53 for 191). The Spartans were ranked No. 1 in the nation in total defense for 13 consecutive weeks. … The Spartans held six opponents (South Florida, Purdue, Illinois, Michigan, Northwestern, Minnesota) without a touchdown this season and shut out six of their eight Big Ten opponents in the second half. … Has served as Coach Mark Dantonio’s defensive coordinator since 2004, including three seasons at Cincinnati (2004-2006).
Sports, Pages 19 on 12/11/2013