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Updated 17 minutes ago
With Paris in his pocket, Pat Narduzzi wasn't worried about Pitt football's recruiting ranking or reputation.
The Panthers signed only four WPIAL prospects in their 2017 class, but the crown jewel came at a position in need of an impact.
Steel Valley All-American free safety Paris Ford could be a savior for the secondary, Pitt's Achilles' heel last fall.
“I don't have a crystal ball,” Narduzzi said, when asked if Ford could start as a freshman. “I would like to. I could rub that baby down, but I will not do that to him or any of these other guys.”
Narduzzi spent Wednesday morning walking past a crystal ball — Pitt's 1976 national championship trophy — on Signing Day.
The Pitt coach doesn't deny the importance of making Western Pennsylvania a recruiting priority, just not at the expense of his goal.
“We're trying to win an ACC championship,” Narduzzi said. “I'm not going to take a guy in the backyard, from Pittsburgh, that I felt like is not going to help us win a championship.
“There's a lot of good football in the state of Pennsylvania, in the WPIAL, but it's our job to do what is best for the University of Pittsburgh and try to bring the most elite players at every position here to help us win.
“Ultimately, on Saturday afternoons, I think everybody would like to see the best possible product on the field, regardless of where they're from.”
Ford was the first player in his class to commit to Pitt, back in October 2015. If it wasn't for his loyalty to the Panthers, we might be talking about how Narduzzi whiffed on the WPIAL this year.
Clairton cornerback Lamont Wade and Central Catholic offensive lineman CJ Thorpe picked Penn State. Central linebacker David Adams and defensive tackle Kurt Hinish and North Allegheny offensive tackle Josh Lugg chose Notre Dame. Beaver Falls defensive lineman Donovan Jeter enrolled early at Michigan.
It stung Ford, who had vowed to become Pitt's biggest ambassador and bring the WPIAL's top recruits with him.
“I wish we could've got at least five to come with me,” said Ford, whose brother, Darrin Walls, played cornerback at Notre Dame and in the NFL. “At the end of the day, they had to do what's best for them.”
Meantime, Pitt signed seven recruits from Florida, including four-star running back A.J. Davis of Lakeland, who announced his college choice on ESPNU.
Coaches are lying if they tell you recruiting isn't personal. They invest their time and energy into building relationships with players, their coaches and families.
“The ones you lose hurt. From a program standpoint, it tells you the health your program is in. It's a piece to the puzzle,” Pitt defensive coordinator Josh Conklin said. “Any time you're beating those guys that are coming in your backyard, the instantaneous success doesn't necessarily happen but you know you've got something pretty special.”
What's special about Ford isn't just how highly pursued he was following the Under Armour All-American Bowl, but the schools he turned down to sign with Pitt.
National champion Clemson came calling, as did runner-up Alabama. Ohio State and Miami showed strong interest. Penn State coach James Franklin and safeties coach Tim Banks visited Steel Valley last week, only to be told Ford was firm in his commitment to the Panthers.
“Paris never wavered,” Steel Valley coach Rod Steele said of Ford, who grew up in Garfield. “He always knew where he wanted to go. It was a dream school for him, growing up so close to Pitt.”
Ford plays what Narduzzi calls a “bang-bang position” with a high football IQ and incredible instincts. Narduzzi loves that Ford plays with physicality and emotion, hoping it will “permeate the program.”
“I think he's one of the most explosive players in the state of Pennsylvania,” Narduzzi said. “That guy is the player in the area that we targeted first, and we got him.
“Loyalty and integrity is something that we talk about all the time. He showed both in that instance, not only being with us early but sticking with us near the end.”
That Ford was the one who stuck with Pitt was a surprise, given he attended Central and Seton-La Salle before transferring to Steel Valley, where he led the Ironmen to the PIAA Class 2A title.
Ford resisted the temptation to take other official visits and the lure of playing for a powerhouse program by choosing to be a building block for his hometown team.
“It was kind of tough, but I remained 10 toes down with Pitt,” Ford said. “I felt like that's where I needed to be. It's huge, man. I can be an icon in my city.”
It doesn't take a crystal ball to see that, in this recruiting class, Ford was the one WPIAL star Pitt couldn't afford to lose.
Kevin Gorman is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at kgorman@tribweb.com or via Twitter @KGorman_Trib.
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